From The Locker Room
2/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 18, 2005
Michigan State vs. Ohio State
Feb. 18, 2005 * East Lansing, Mich.
Post-Game Quotes
MSU Head Coach Rick Comley
On the overall game ...
"For two periods, I thought it was very intense, very tight," said head coach Rick Comley. "I thought we played very well. I had a feeling going in that we matched up well five-on-five. It was just going to be a question of special teams. Our power play got some goals early and we killed a couple of penalties. We got a nice lead that we didn't give up."
On the last few weeks ...
"We've had four very tough games on the road, and as you know, it's tough to win on the road, so it's great to get back here against an outstanding team. I think it just confirms what I said all along, that when the puck goes in for this team, it's a pretty good team.
"I'm not sure we played any better tonight than we did last weekend. I'm not sure how much our game has changed in a week."
OSU Head Coach John Markell
On the Spartans...
"They beat us the way we usually beat teams, with special teams. We feel like they out-competed us. It meant a little bit more to them than it did to us, and we're going to have to respond accordingly tomorrow. You saw a desperate hockey team play a very good game tonight and they got the crowd into it. My compliments to them; they came to play tonight."
On MSU killing the 5-on-3 power play ...
"The shots were right in on (Dominic) Vicari - right on his chest. You have to make him make saves. I thought we did a good job moving the puck around but you get good goaltending and that is what kills the 5-on-3. They built momentum off of it. We get a goal there; we set them back on their heels."
MSU Player Quotes
Colton Fretter, Jr., F
On the overall feeling of the game...
"I felt that everyone was really flying tonight. We had a lot of speed as a team. In the first two periods, it really showed. When it came down to the third, they made it a little closer than it should have been. I don't know if that was their best game and I am sure they will bring that tomorrow."
On Ohio State's style of play...
"They are pretty chippy and we knew that it was going to be how they played. That's their style of game. We just tried to stay out of the box ourselves. We did end up taking a couple (penalties) and it cost us a couple of power-play goals."
On the Spartans' mentality coming into the game...
"We just wanted to come in and play our game, move the puck around and use our speed. We've had good luck against the higher ranked teams and it paid off tonight."
On playing at home, after last weekend's Alaska Fairbanks road trip...
"It's nice to come home especially after that long trip in Alaska. That sure takes a lot of out of you going up there. It is really nice coming home. We had a really good crowd tonight with that white-out and they were really loud at certain times, which we really like. It paid off."
Jim McKenzie, Fr., F
On the benefits of playing on the top-line with Jim Slater...
"We sort of compliment each other pretty well right now. He will go in the corner and dig the puck out and find me, and I try to do that likewise. We just have some chemistry."
On his gift of scoring lately...
"After the first half of the season, I went home for Christmas and said, `Gosh, I wish the puck would start to go in.' I came back and got that big goal at the Joe. Finally, things have started to go in for me. Hopefully, this will help the team as we try to get home ice in the playoffs."
On the enjoyment of his first career collegiate hat trick...
"It was nice. I was surprised when I skated back from the bench and actually saw a hat on the ice. I wondered what was going on there."
Jim Slater, Sr., F
On how Ohio State battled back late in the game...
"That team doesn't quit. That's why they are at the top of the league. We thought that we had them pinned when we went up 4-0 and 5-1, but they battled back and fought hard. That's why they are one of the top teams in the league."
On how the team struggled winning face-offs when it counted...
"Well, the biggest thing is that we weren't winning any draws tonight. We got spanked on draws tonight. I am sure we will work on those tomorrow. Our centers did a good job for us and our wingers, winning the battles for us. For some reason, we just couldn't get the puck out. But we gave them some power-play chances. They are at the top of the league on power plays. They made some good plays and got some goals."
On goaltender Dominic Vicari's performance tonight...
"Dom played great again tonight. We need him to play like that for us to go far. I think that he is our MVP right now. When he is on, we play a lot better in front of him. When he is good, we are good."
Ethan Graham, So., D
On how the Spartans seem to fair well against ranked opponents...
"It's always nice to play a good team. We try and get up for these games. We have risen to the occasion a couple times, which is a good sign for our team."
On playing against a home-state team... (Graham is from Xenia, Ohio)
"You want to play good against any team, but there is always a little bit extra incentive when you are playing against your home state. But all in all, I don't think it really mattered who we were playing tonight."
On how the Spartans did a good job adjusting during tonight's game...
"We had to adjust pretty well tonight. I think that we had to adjust to their movement. I think we did a pretty good job. They were trying to fly guys up in the neutral zone. We talked about it and made our adjustments pretty well. In the defensive zone there was a lot of talk, just a lot of good communication. That is what it takes when good positioning needs to be in there."
