From The Press Box
11/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Michigan State vs. Cornell
Nov. 14, 2004 * East Lansing, Mich.
Post-Game Quotes
MSU Coach Rick Comley
Is this the team's best three points of the year...
"It sure is. When you play a team that is highly ranked nationally and as good a team as they are...and they're big and strong. It was a very hard game; our kids showed a lot of character and played their hearts out the whole weekend."
On the team's overall effort tonight...
"It's very encouraging. I thought we were tired today; I thought their size really played a factor in the game and they came at us hard. Their goaltender obviously is outstanding and Dom reacted to him and the two goalies went toe-to-toe."
On the team's defensive effort this weekend...
"Well you put Corey Potter back in there and it gives us two excellent pairs and other players out there. Now I'm not sure how good of a team Cornell is offensively; obviously, they were leading the country in goals coming in, but I think the quality of their schedule showed a little bit. But we were happy with it; it was hard fought, you didn't get anything easy out there."
On the team's four-game unbeaten streak...
"I hope (the team's starting to get on a roll). I don't think we've been far away all year, but we've still got some guys that are snake-bit out there offensively and eventually they're going to break out. There were a lot of good efforts out there tonight; a big goal by (Chris) Mueller in the third period. It's a very positive weekend to build on."
Cornell Coach Mike Schaefer
On his team's overall performance ...
"I didn't think we played very well on the weekend. I thought we played the style of hockey in the second and third period that is typical of our hockey team. I thought we deserved a worse fate on Friday night, and I thought we deserved a better fate tonight; and that's the way that hockey can be sometimes. But I was very pleased with the second and third; we started playing the way we were playing the first four games. I'm pleased with the work ethic, and we'll be a team to be reckoned with down the stretch."
On the competition the Spartans brought to Cornell ...
"I like to play tough opponents; you really don't find out what your weaknesses are until you play someone that's a strong team, and they had a good team. It gives us an opportunity to go back and refine things."
On the play of SO goaltender David McKee ...
"Again, he was very solid. I didn't think we came out very well in the first, and he made some big saves, then he went long stretches without saves and then all of a sudden they'd spring a two-on-one on him. There was an opportunity there for Michigan State to put the game away earlier. "
On the play of Spartan goalie Dominic Vicari ...
"Give Vicari some credit. He made saves there early in the third - he made a great save with about eight minutes to go in the game. I thought Vicari played very, very well tonight."
MSU Players
Dominic Vicari, So, G
On the start of the game...
"I was a little bit more active today in the first period. They managed to get a couple shots of early which set me for the rest of the game."
On the win...
"It feels great, not only on the shutout, but for the win. This was a big weekend for us."
Compared to Friday night's game ...
"It was more active tonight. There wasn't a lot of spurts where I wasn't active and wouldn't get shots. It seemed like it was more consistent tonight. So that always helps out, especially when you are on top of your game.
On Cornell's David McKee ...
"He is a great goalie. I think he is number one in the nation right now. We knew we needed to come out and get quality scoring chances. And Lerg got that one in the first period and Muller in the third, it helped out really great.
Brian Lerg, Fr., F
On starting off the game with a goal...
"It was pretty excited, especially since I haven't score in any games, so it was a big confidence booster for me and it got the team going too. We had a lot of pressure, and couldn't find a goal and finally got one.
"I was taking the puck off the side of the boards and they actually stripped the puck from me. A.J. got control and I was screaming at him to shoot and I took a shot. I just whacked at the other guys stick; I don't even know if I hit the puck to tell you the truth."
On the two freshmen goals...
"It felt really good for two younger guys to get some goals. It is good for the team, they can actually believe in us and they don't have to rely on one or two lines. Everyone can contribute."
Chris Muller, Fr., F
On his goal...
"(David) Booth and I were down low battling for a little bit and the puck jumped out towards the net. (Jim) McKenzie made a great play and locked up their guy so it was just sitting free for me. If he wouldn't of done that, nothing would of happened. I saw the puck laying there and jumped on it as fast as I could and put it in the open net.
"It's a big relief. This weekend I had a bunch of chances. I began to think when is it going to happen and it finally did, so it's a good relief to get off my shoulders."
On linemates...
"Once (Drew) Miller, (Colton) Fretter, and I get the puck down low which is key; we have great success. We are a bunch of grinders and hard workers, so we trust each other enough that we are going to get the job done for each other. So as long as we can get the puck down low we can have a lot of success and take it to the net."
Jared Nightingale, Jr., D
Giving up just one goal all weekend...
"It feels really good. I am really happy with our defensive play all weekend. I think our addition with Corey Potter showed how important he is to our backside and our whole team. I thought that was our strength this weekend, controlling Cornell down low."
Winning without some of the lines scoring...>
"I think it is just going to be better. It is just a matter of time before Slater's line starts going. We definitely have good depth and up front we have a good variety of forwards."
Matching Cornell's physical play...
"That was there strength, cycling down low. I think they are the biggest team in college hockey. But it thought we took it right to them and showed we can do it with the best of them. Our defensive play totally took away their game. Give them credit though they are a good hockey team."
