I'm kind of surprised at the timing of it. I thought if this was going to happen, it would've been earlier this summer. |
I'm sure he's a great leader. He's a horse as a player. He's hard to play against. He's powerful. He's strong and fast and he goes to hard areas. I'm sure that's where a lot of his goals have come from. |
I've seen the whole spectrum this week. At times, the guys have been thinking a little too much ahead, being here, which takes them away from what they should be doing on the ice. At moments, they were very good, very focused. That's what you kind of expect from a young team. |
If he's ready, then we'd look at it. But we're not going to go in there and jam it down his throat. |
If I was in his shoes and we won it all, what a nice way to go out. But as long as he's enjoying what he's doing, why? |
If you take a look at longevity, Craig passed that test. Craig's strength as a college coach was to get kids to buy into his vision, and he worked that strength. He got a lot of talented players to come there. |
In a close game where you don't get rewarded with goals and assists very easily, you have to be patiently persistent. These young men stayed with it and the difference in the game was a specialty team goal. |
In the opening game of a national tournament there is questions because you know its could be one and done. It was important to get that lead. |
It could come back to haunt us. Time will tell. |
It was a big-time, goal-scorer's goal. He took what was given and made a play that you don't teach. |
It was a very tough thing for him to do as a young man. I give him full credit. His dad didn't call. Matt came in and sat down with me man-to-man. |
It was like if you were a defensive back, that was a breakdown and the guy's got a seam for a touchdown. |
It was my contention that if we had another day or two to rest and recover we would have been better prepared. It's a little similar right now. While those other teams are having to play that extra game, we have the luxury of having a day to rest and recover. |
It was nice to see him play at the level he did in such a big game. He showed great poise and confidence with the puck. That play he made is a play he can make. He has the natural ability to do that. |
It's all good. We're getting healthy again. |