MSU 1, Notre Dame 2
2/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 28, 2009
Michigan State Head Coach Rick Comley
On how the team played compared to Friday night's game...
It was a different game. Last night they jumped us. They scored on the first shot and it was 4-0 after the first. Getting Jeff (Lerg) back - when you get your best player back, it doesn't matter what the score is. Even though he wasn't 100 percent, he still played well.
On coaching Jeff Lerg...
You can't say enough. He's one of the best ever, he certainly joins legitimately the company of Ryan Miller and Chad Alban. Those are the great goalies who have played here. He gives you a chance every night and that's why despite the difficult situation for us, you go into the playoffs with a chance. In the playoffs, goaltenders can steal games.
In the 35 years of coaching, I think he's the best I've ever coached. And I meant it from the total context of the student-athlete - never an issue, never a concern, never a worry, never a doubt. Really he'll never get complete credit for that. Being what he is couldn't have just happened. He made it happen with the right approach to everything.
On the team's momentum going into the CCHA playoffs...
Once we lost (Andrew) Rowe tonight, it was like another dagger as far as talent. We're playing guys on our top two lines who couldn't make our lineup at the beginning of the year. So they're giving us what they have, it's just that some of them aren't capable of contributing. I thought (Matt) Schepke played really, really well. Jay Sprague, Jeff Petry, (Tim) Buttery I thought had a really good weekend. (Kurt) Kivisto again, (Brandon) Gentile. But the package is not there.
On facing Northern Michigan in the first round of the playoffs...
They were a team that I picked second. They had a terrible first half, but they've had a really good second half. They're big, strong, Stewart, when he's on obviously which is most of the time, is very, very good. We're going to Olympic-sized ice and with the thin roster that can be challenging because of the extra ice, but whatever. They knocked us out last year, maybe we can return the favor this year.
Michigan State sophomore defenseman Jeff Petry
On Michigan State's goal...
It was four-on-four and Matt Schepke was skating up the ice and he saw that there was an opening, so he hit me with a cross-ice pass. I was going to cut in, but their player was taking away the angle so I wrapped it around and I think it hit the side of the net, popped up and then Jay Sprague tapped it in.
On giving up a goal late in the first period...
Any time you give up a goal in the last minute it is tough and just shouldn't happen, especially with five seconds left. We just have to be stronger in front of the net.
On the team's effort compared to last night...
We had some emotion with the seniors and we were trying to get a win for them. We really just wanted to get some momentum going into the playoffs.
On Jeff Lerg...
As a person, I've just never seen somebody work so hard and be so dedicated. It will be different not having him in between the pipes next season. He always comes up with the big saves. Hopefully Drew Palmisano can step in next year and continue the tradition. Tonight, I thought he came out and made the big saves. The first goal shouldn't have happened and he really had no chance on that one.
On heading into playoffs next weekend...
We just have to take the positives out of this game and the past couple of weeks. We have to come together and build off of the good things, learn from the mistakes and just go out and play.
On next weekend's opponent, Northern Michigan...
They knocked us out of the playoffs last year, so we want to get back at them. They're a tough team and have really been coming on towards the end of the season. They are going to have a little bit of momentum playing on their home ice, so we just have to go out and play.
Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson
Overall impressions...
I thought we did a much better job of managing the puck last night. I thought, tonight, that Michigan State did a very good job of clogging things up. We weren't as good in supporting each other and it resulted in too many turnovers for us. Our mismanagement caused turnovers and gave them opportunities off transition.
On Notre Dame's execution...
I thought there were times when we made some nice plays with the puck, but with a goaltender like Jeff Lerg you have to make plays in front of the net. You need to create traffic and get a rebound or a deflection or you're going to have to make a play cross-crease.
On Jeff Lerg...
He's as competitive a kid as I've ever seen. He competes so hard, he's athletic, and he's great positionally. I told him "Congratulations". If he would've broken the record in our building last night I would've liked to recognize him. As a coach, you learn to respect players that play four years and you learn to respect kids that do things the right way.
Michigan State goalie Jeff Lerg
On breaking the CCHA save record and moving into second all-time on the NCAA list...
I think it was a cherry on top there; I have had a pretty fun career here and to break a few records like that, I am very proud of myself and I am happy that coach gave me a chance to do that. Tim Thomas is my favorite goalie to watch in the NHL, so it is pretty great that I got the chance to overtake his record.
On the difficulty of handling emotions on senior night...
I wanted to be able to win, obviously, but if we didn't, I wanted to be able to play well and give our chance to win the game. Obviously, I knew that we tend to give up a lot of shots, so I thought going in that I had a chance to break all of those records. I just wanted to play well and not give up rebounds. I didn't want to create extra shots for them because they are a great team. I think we had to keep the emotions in check. I thought we played hard; we just didn't get the win.
On what coach Comley told him after the game...
He just told me "congratulations," and I think he really wants me to keep this going into the playoffs. He just told me to keep my head on straight and play well in the playoffs and give us a chance to win.
