Michigan State University Athletics
Hockey Media Day Coverage: Player Quotes
10/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Junior goaltender Jake Hildebrand
On playing a tough schedule...
You have to beat the best and everyone is excited. Going into the second year of the Big Ten will be a little different and I think we know more of what to expect. I think that everyone is just excited to take on this challenge.
Do you feel better this year than any other year going into the season?
Absolutely, especially having more experience and just being one year older. This year our core group of guys are juniors and sophomores, so I feel awesome that we have a great defensive core. I think a lot of people are going to have breakout seasons on the offensive side as well.
Senior forward Tanner Sorenson
What have you seen from this team already as you enter into the season?
We have really great chemistry. So that's nice. It is easy to tell that we have a lot of skill and great chemistry which makes it easier to mix and mold pieces together.
Is it easier to push each other when that chemistry is there?
It definitely makes it easier because you can have fun while pushing each other. It is good to have that mix. It is very competitive, but at the same time we all get along after practice.
We don't have any cliques on the team. It is easy to have cliques between classes but our whole team as a whole molds together well.
Redshirt sophomore defenseman Rhett Holland
On why he feels better about the team this season...
I feel that it is a lot of different things. This year as a whole we are so much closer than last year. Another thing that helps is everyone is about the same age, last year it was a pretty big age gap between the seniors and the freshmen. I think everyone this year is a lot closer already and we haven't even started the season yet. We are more skilled this year - these freshmen are also really good. I'm excited to get this season going.
On his personal expectations for the season...
It was a pretty good year last year for me but I can always be better. There were times that I thought I did well, and others that I felt I didn't do as well. I just need to work on being more consistent this year.
On having the redshirt year help with more experience as a third-year sophomore...
It definitely helps, that freshmen year I just got to be around some of the other guys watch. You can actually learn a lot from the game from just watching them, so that helped to just be a student of the game for a year while I was injured. Now my shoulder is way stronger. I can put it behind me now after being injury free for a year. Everything is feeling good.
Sophomore forward Villiam Haag
On going into his second year and being further ahead...
First of all, I am one year older and more mature. I know how the team wants to play and how it is to play in a college. That is a really big step. I feel more comfortable coming back - knowing more of the guys and being more comfortable in the locker room and out on the ice as well.
On how he can use his freshman year experience to help this year's freshmen...
It is a difference coming into college hockey and now that I am a part of this I have to take responsibility and help the younger guys coming in. It will make me a bigger part of this team. That is the guy I would like to be. I enjoy being the guy who will stand up for their teammates. I am just going to help them in any way that I can.
Sophomore forward Joe Cox
On how long it took to adjust to college hockey...
It took a little while. The guys are bigger, faster, and stronger. It is just something that takes a couple games to get used to.
On why it's tougher to score in college...
What makes it tougher is these are all the best players. Being bigger, faster, and stronger is the key to it along with getting your nose dirty and getting to those hard areas of the ice, being able to get dirty goals.
Sophomore forward Thomas Ebbing
On the team chemistry this year...
We've had a lot of good bonding and team building, so we're trying to get that off-ice chemistry to transition to the ice. Chemistry is obviously a big factor on in the ice in knowing where your teammates are and you can make a play that much quicker. The freshmen have fit in well and everyone is feeling good.
Senior forward Matt Berry
On his personal goals for this season...
I want to be one of the leading scorers in the Big Ten and that's what I'm going to try and do this season. I worked really hard this summer and I want to have a bigger year than before. Hopefully, I'll have my best season yet.
On what he did in the offseason...
I worked out harder this summer and got in better shape than last year. Coming of an injury last year, it was hard to get in good shape because I didn't have as much time to train. I worked hard on my conditioning to make sure I'm ready to go for the season.
On if he appreciates the game more after going through an injury...
You definitely appreciate things more now after you realize what it is to come back from an injury. You just have to keep working hard and get back to how things were before the injury and be better than you were before.
Junior defenseman Travis Walsh
On his role for the upcoming season...
I think my role will change a little bit. Obviously I'm a returning guy, so more is expected of me - doing a little more every time and showing leadership.
On his expectations for the year...
We have really high expectations now. I think as a defense, we want to be more involved in creating offense. I think that we have been a good defensive team, we have a great goalie, and if we can help out offensively maybe it can take some pressure off the forwards.
Junior forward Michael Ferrantino
On the balance on the team and competition...
You start every year fresh and you have to earn your ice time. You're battling at the start of the year and it is good competition. It brings out the best.
Sophomore forward Mackenzie MacEachern
It takes a while for Freshmen to adjust to the college level. When do you think that you felt comfortable?
It took me the first weekend to just get it over with and get it under my belt. After that I seemed pretty comfortable the older guys took me under their wings and showed me the ropes which helped a lot.
Hopes for this season as a sophomore and for more production...
I definitely want to produce more especially being a sophomore. I just want to do anything to help the team succeed.
Is it tough to score in the Big Ten, with these top notch goalies and defensemen?
Yes, it's really hard to score out there. We're playing against some of the best teams in the country four times a year. It is very hard to put the puck behind their defensemen and goaltenders.
