Post-game quotes vs. Michigan
November 26, 2010 | Men's Hockey
Nov. 26, 2010
Nov. 26, 2010
Post Game Quotes
Wisconsin vs. Michigan
Head Coach Mike Eaves
On tonight's outcome:
"I think it was a tale of two cities tonight, it was the best times, it was the worst of times. We certainly didn't like our start, getting behind the way we did. That's something we definitely need to put our heads together as coaching staff and a young team to figure out how the heck do we get ourselves to come out and play like we do in the second and third, which was tremendous. We did some wonderful things, made some great plays, we won races and battles and yet we seem to come out in the first period and say, well can we play with these guys, we'll feel around a little bit, see how it is. You can't do that in sports. That was the poor part. But in the second and third period we showed some great resolve, had some spectacular plays, some blocked shots, got some big time goaltending when we needed it. But the beginning was disappointing."
On being able to come back from deficits:
"It's been a characteristic of this team pretty much the whole season. We've come back and the resolve of the guys has been excellent. I would like to keep that and improve on the starts though."
On the power play:
"Right from the get go we got three goals in six chances, but every power play I thought we worked hard, we won battles because Michigan is aggressive, and then we executed and created scoring chances. And on top of that we scored goals. There was much good positive energy coming from the power play this evening."
On Jake Gardiner and Justin Schultz:
"I think they want that responsibility, they want to be big time players so for them to step up and get things done as they did tonight, they relish it, that's what pumps them up and makes them want to come back for more."
On playing against a veteran team:
"Right now for us to grow we have to be honest with ourselves. As much as we can say the second and third period we played well, we tied a good team. One of our battle cries from day one has been to have a great start. The statistics are so stacked in favor of scoring that first goal and getting off to the lead that's it's disappointing that we haven't bought into yet. And I think it's a bi-product of us being so young, not having that initiative and that take charge attitude. That's something that as we left the locker room tonight that's foremost in our minds, to try and figure that part of the game out and try to make it happen."
Player Quotes
On coming back from a deficit:
"There is no lead that you can't overcome. Tonight, I had great passes from Schultz and Zengerle, especially the one from Zengerle that I just had to tap in. No matter how much you're down you can't give up and that's our motto here."
On outcome of the game:
"We need our big guys, our veteran players, Justin Schultz and John Ramage, to step up right away in the first period. We came out slow tonight and got down to a 2-0 deficit and that just kills you. Luckily we got it back and played hard in the second and third."
On the team's approach:
"We've been in every game with these top teams and it's just a couple of bad bounces or a couple of non-great starts. I think we're starting to figure it out and some of these games should start turning into wins for us."
On the play of Jake Gardiner and Justin Schultz:
"They play thirty minutes every game, that's pretty remarkable, especially against these good teams that were playing who are physical. They're two of the top defensemen in the country. They always seem to keep amazing us on the team, they do it every day."
