NEWS: Barry enjoyed a game with strangers
Aspray Glasgow West sponsored Glasgow Clan forward Matt Barry admits he didn’t know everyone’s name prior to Saturday’s Elite League meeting with Coventry Blaze.
The new #88 reflected on what turned into a hectic week that saw him start the week on the phone to head coach Jason Morgan, and end it on another continent and making his debut.
And he revealed he was enjoying the downtime before he gets back to work to properly begin his career as a member of the Glasgow Clan.
“It’s been good to have some time off after a busy few days and having the full week to prepare is definitely a good thing as I settle in here,” he said.
“Reflecting on the past 72 hours, it’s certainly been crazy and it started last Monday when I had a good talk with coach Morgan, then I signed on Tuesday.
“I was on a flight on Thursday, arrived on Friday and straight to the rink where I met the guys and skated for the first time.
“From there, it was a bit of a blur although it was great to get right into the game. I admit, I probably didn’t know everyone’s name by face off.”
His debut ended on a disappointing note as Clan went down 6-5 after penalty shots to Coventry Blaze in an action-packed game where the men in purple fought back from a 4-1 deficit.
But Barry insists a full week of practice is exactly what he needs as he looks ahead to his next appearance for his new club.
He added: “I thought we fought hard in the game and we did well to come back the way we did and to me, it felt like we outplayed them at times.
“We gave up some untimely goals and just couldn’t get that lead. I think had we done that, we could have gone on and won.
“My linemates helped me a lot through the game, with their communication and they set me up with some good chances. It was tough that I couldn’t help the team with scoring.
“We would have loved to get the goal to help us win the game, but it wasn’t to be. Now we have a week to get together and work on scoring in practice, so I’ll be ready.
“Getting on the ice, working out and getting to know the guys this week will translate to the next game on Sunday.”
