Postgame Quotes From The Regional Final Versus Notre Dame
3/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
March 25, 2007
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Head Coach Rick Comley
Opening statement...
It was a great hockey game and I want to commend Notre Dame on a great season. They just kept coming at us - both the BU team last night and this team tonight were very tough. As we have done all year, we were a very resilient team. We have had the tendency to get ahead and then give up leads so you never know what is going to happen, but obviously we held on. We are very excited to be in this situation.
On Jeff Lerg...
He is very honest - as honest a kid as I have ever been around after all these years. Honestly, he didn't deserve to be all-league this year because the numbers just weren't there. But in a big game, you watch him, and he just gets it done. He doesn't discredit anyone, this is his team, and they rally and focus around him.
I think being a smaller goaltender just makes him quicker - I don't think it hurts him at all. I don't know what happened early this year, he didn't play to well, but he found a way to turn it around. We didn't give up a lot of quality opportunities, and we blocked a lot of shots, but when we needed a big save, he came up with it. He just doesn't get phased.
On the CCHA as a league...
This was the best team in the league all year long; Jeff Jackson has done a tremendous job with this team. The depth of our league has improved tremendously. We have been frustrated the past couple of years with not getting to Frozen Fours even though there are some really good programs that deserve to be in them. We test each other. When they scored that goal, I was just thinking back to that Lake Superior game when we blew a two-goal lead. Fortunately, that didn't happen here.
Sophomore Goaltender Jeff Lerg
On facing Curry from BU and Brown from Notre Dame in consecutive games...
First off, I have said all along that these guys deserve all the recognition they get, they have been numbers one and two in the nation all year. But, I know that when I am on my game and keep things simple, I can compete with anyone. I know that if I can make all the saves I am supposed to plus two or three big ones, I give the team a chance to win. I was confident, and I knew I couldn't let a weak one in or they would have shut the door at the other end. It was just one of those things where I wanted to make a statement and prove myself. We have had an up and down year, but things are on the up now.
On Michigan State's tradition...
This school's tradition is the reason I came here. I grew up watching Michigan State go to Frozen Fours and come so close back in the day. This sophomore class, we are a real tight class. We play well together and all see opportunities down the road. As Chris said, we learned how to lose last year against Maine, and we thought about it all summer. We didn't want that to happen again. We'll get another chance at them and see what happens.
Senior Forward Chris Lawrence
On the difference between last year and this year...
I think there were a couple of things - first of all, we learned how to win last year. There were a couple of times last year where we had some tough stretches but we got through it. With the exception of four or five games this year, we brought that mentality into this year. After the first of the year, as coach said, we found our resiliency and found ways to win - it wasn't always pretty. I think that helped us tonight. We were really loose tonight, and it was a good kind of loose you want to see in the locker room. Guys were ready, guys were focused, and they were living in the moment. It was all about winning, having fun and playing hard.
On reacting to the disallowed goal...
It was a little disappointing, but I thought we reacted well from it. It would have been different if they would have come back and scored five minutes later. I thought we played well, especially defensively. We didn't give up too many chances, and obviously our best player was just that when he had to be, and that is Jeff Lerg. We are happy to march on.
Sophomore Forward Tim Kennedy
On the team's situation down the stretch...
I think this team went through a stretch at the end of the season where we were just tired and needed a break. We got our break, and we had our goal in sight. We knew what had to be done, and we just did it.
On Coach Comley...
Coach has been doing this for a long time, and he knows how to win. It works us hard all week and gets us prepared to play each weekend. He deserves all the credit in the world for getting us where we are.
