Captain's Corner - Team's mood, Morgan James, jersey numbers

Each week, Metro Jets captain Mike Corder will chime in on the previous weekend, the weekend ahead and the current situation of the team.

-- On the Jets' recent slump and mood around the team.

The mood is down. We've been in this slump for a while and it is hard to deal with, especially after our effort last Sunday against St. Louis. We know now the way that we need to play, game in and game out, in order to be a top competitor in this league. We can't feel good about the slump, but we can feel good about the game we played last Sunday. It showed we can play with the top teams.

-- On taking solace and maybe a bit of confidence knowing the Jets stayed with one of the top teams and defending champs last weekend.

If we play like we played last Sunday against anyone else, we would have walked away with a win. We took it to St. Louis for a big part of that game. We out-shot them and we out-worked them. Unfortunately, we ran into a hot goalie. Yeah, we like the way we played, for the most part, and it showed what we are capable of doing. Now we just have to play with that intensity every game from here on out.

-- On teammate Morgan James being more than just a beast of a human being who can fight.

Morgan is the biggest guy (6-4/255) I have ever had the pleasure to play with. Morgan is definitely more than just a fighter, though he has done really well in that department so far. He can move very well for his size. He can handle the puck and he has a good sense of the game. Believe me, teams take serious notice when he is on the ice.

-- On changing his jersey number this season from No. 2 to No. 4.

I have worn No. 4 all the way through my youth hockey years and there were only a couple of seasons that it wasn't available. N. 4 just feels right for me. Last season, coming in as a rookie, I did not get first choice of jerseys and No. 4 was already taken. Returning as a veteran made things different this year, thus I wear No. 4 (as it should be).

-- On teammate Joe Matyaszek being a hard worker and scoring his first goal of the season last Sunday.

Joe is a great hockey player who plays bigger than he is. Joe will go hard into a corner with a guy the size of Morgan without any hesitation. He has had some chances in the past, but no success in his hunt for that first tally. He has that first one and he has confidence knowing that it is out of the way. Now it's the time to open those floodgates, eh?