The #2 ranked Gopher Hockey team held their weekly press conference at Mariucci Arena. Head Coach Don Lucia, Junior Center Erik Haula and Sophomore Wing Kyle Rau met with the media, as the team prepares for the WCHA Final Five at the Xcel Energy Center this weekend. The Gophers are coming off a two game sweep of Bemidji State in the opening round of the WCHA playoffs.
Head Coach Don Lucia:
Regarding this being the last WCHA Final Five… "You know, I've been thinking about it a lot, and this is one weekend that I really just want to enjoy. It is the last weekend, and it has been so special to watch the growth of the tournament, where it really has become a destination. You know, you're sitting on the bench and you look up into the stands and you're going to see jersey's from all twelve teams. A lot of fans look forward to the weekend. And I think it's as enjoyable a weekend of college hockey as there is"
Regarding ticket sales for the WCHA FInal Five being brisk… "Well, it's not a surprise. I think fans realize that the change was going to occur after this week, so they want to be a part of it. Then you look at the teams that are here, you've got us, Minnesota State and St. Cloud with great proximity. Obviously North Dakota brings a lot of fans to this, and Wisconsin is back this year after missed a year ago. So I think the demand will be about as high as it's ever been this weekend"
Regarding the advantage of not having to play on Thursday… "Well, I think the first period is always important. The team that played the day before is more familiar with the facility. I think that helps early on. Hopefully later, as the game goes on, we'll be a little bit more rested. It's just the way it is. If you ask what we'd rather do, I'd rather be resting and playing on Friday, rather than playing on Thursday. You get to this time of the year, the more games you play now, the more risk you have of an injury. We want to play real well. Our goal, like every team here, is to be playing here on Saturday night. We have a semifinal game this weekend to get to a championship game on Saturday. Our guys are really excited to head down there this week"
Regarding the prospect of playing North Dakota on Friday… "You know what, I'm sure the fans would enjoy that, but I think CC (Colorado College) will have something to say about that too. They're playing their best hockey of the year right now, and they're going to be desperate, because their only chance to survive after the weekend is to win the tournament. Probably a lot like Wisconsin. So, you have some teams that are comfortably in next week, and some teams that are trying to fight their way in. That part of it will be interesting to see. Joe Howe is playing really well in nets for CC right now. I think if you look at the first half year, it was a bit of a struggle with the goaltending. I have always said that the last person that you want to see in an elimination situation is a Senior goalie. They have a tendency to really rise up. They'll be playing desperate hockey. CC can score. For them it's a question of, is their goaltending going to be sound? Are they going to play good team defense? You look at the last six weeks of the season, they're playing their best hockey, and that's why they're here. To go into Denver and win two out of three, that's not easy. That shows the level they're playing at. Obviously North Dakota has a great history here. They've won three in a row, and they've got some real high end talent. Both teams are going to want to play up and down, and you could certainly make the argument that maybe North Dakota is a little bit more physical than CC would be. No matter who we play, our preparation doesn't change"
Regarding the team being an NCAA tournament lock, no matter what happens this weekend… "We've been on the other side of it too. We lost a game here a couple of years back that cost a chance to go to the NCAA tournament. So, we're locked in, and we know that we'll be the second overall seed in the tournament. So that part of it's not going to change. We have one more weekend to tinker with some things to ultimately find out what our best lineup is going to be next Friday"
Regarding preparations for this weekend… "We've just tried to focus on ourselves this week. We've had a couple of guys with some nicks, and we're still trying to figure out who will be able to play and who won't this coming weekend. We want our guys to play if they can, but at the same time, we don't want to take a chance on setting a guy back heading into next weekend. So there is that delicate balance. We probably won't make a final decision until Friday about what our final lineup will actually look like. We're going to skate tomorrow late morning at the Xcel Energy Center. We're actually going down there tonight to move in, just to make it more convenient for us for the morning practice, and breakfast, and everything else. I don't know if our guys are going to go (to the Thursday games). They can just relax in the hotel and watch hockey or basketball, or whatever they want to do. We'll be there, but at the same time, we've watched the video, and played North Dakota enough to know that we don't have to click on a DVD to know what they're going to do. And same with CC. I know the style that they want to play. I know that (Rylan) Schwartz is going to run the half wall on the power play, just like (Danny) Kristo will. So, there aren't' any secrets, it's more about us trying to prepare. You've gotta play well defensively this time of the year. You look at our record when we've given up two or less, it's pretty darn good. So that's what we've tried to concentrate on here at the end, is making sure we're tightening up on our systems"
Regarding Sam Warning… "Actually he's going to skate today. He skated yesterday, and he surprised us with what he was able to do, so he's going to take part in a full practice today. Based on how he feels in the next day or two will give us a better idea of whether he'll be able to go on Friday or not. Everybody is in a position to practice, but we do have one or two guys that are nicked up from last weekend. So that's an ongoing evaluation this week"
Regarding Kyle Rau… "You know, some guys just score big goals. I think Erik Haula made the comment to him 'Geez, I think I remember a couple of years ago in High School, you scoring a big goal here or there to go to the State Tournament'. Some guys just have the knack. That's what you need your big time players to do, is score those key goals. Whether it's a guy shooting a final basket to win a game, you need your key guys to shine in those type of moments. I know he's excited, because he was running out of sticks, and he got a new batch in. So I told him, 'no more excuses for not scoring any goals'. But he's a kid that has to play on edge, but he has to be careful that he doesn't get over the edge. If there's too much talking going with the other players, they can take him out of his game too. He's best when he's playing feisty, and yapping a little bit. He scores a lot of goals around the blue paint, and those are the type of goals that you have to score this time of the year"
Erik Haula:
Regarding how much the team was looking to avenge their loss to North Dakota last year… "(Laughing) I figured that was coming. North Dakota is our biggest rival. Those games are, as everyone knows, pretty heated. Whoever we play, I don't think it will be about systems. It will be about who works harder, who wants it more, playing your game, and sticking to it"
Regarding the WCHA Final Five… "I've always said that it's probably one of the funner tournaments of the year. You know, having your fan base behind you, and knowing that whoever you play is probably going to have a good amount of fans as well. So it's a really fun environment. We saw that last year. It was really cool, so we're all really looking forward to it. When you play for a championship, it's playing for a championship. It doesn't matter if it's a national championship, or what it is. You always play to win, emotions get high, and emotions are high if you win. It's a high risk, high reward thing. It's the last year, so everyone wants to go out in a good manner. Obviously you want to go out on top, and that's something that we're striving for"
Regarding the end of the WCHA, start of the Big Ten… "It's unfortunate that it's gotta end. It's been such a great league for so long. It's kinda sad that it's over. But that's how it works. There will be new leagues, and new stuff happening all the time, so you just gotta get over it and go forward. I understand both sides. Big Ten is in every other sport, so I can see people being excited about that, and I do believe it's going to be a really good conference in the end. I mean, Penn State just started their program, so their not at the top right now. But that kind of a school will get there eventually. It's going to be a great league, for sure. But the WCHA, no doubt has been one of the better leagues, if not the best ever, since who knows when. But it's always been a great league, and I can see fans being pissed off about it, but that's how it goes. You gotta move on"
Regarding the lessons of the Bemidji State series… "I think it just showed how good the league is, and how you can't take any game for granted. You have to show up and play your best every game. Bemidji got our respect the first night. We knew it wasn't going to be easy. Shows something about our team, that we found a way to win even though we weren't playing our A game. You have to be prepared for everything. You have to be prepared for them scoring first, and being down, and keeping that positive minds. Us older guys push everyone to play your best, and not focus on the scoreboard, focus on your next shift"
Kyle Rau:
Regarding the WCHA Final Five… "St. Paul? It's awesome. It's a great building, and fun to play there. I've had great success there, and so has my brother Chad, who scored his first NHL goal there. So, it's pretty cool. We're excited. It's a great tournament, great crowd, and we're looking forward to this weekend. Bummed that it's the last one. It's a tough tournament to win, so whoever comes out of it has great confidence going into the NCAA tournament, and that's the biggest thing you're looking for at this point and time"
Head Coach Don Lucia:
Regarding this being the last WCHA Final Five… "You know, I've been thinking about it a lot, and this is one weekend that I really just want to enjoy. It is the last weekend, and it has been so special to watch the growth of the tournament, where it really has become a destination. You know, you're sitting on the bench and you look up into the stands and you're going to see jersey's from all twelve teams. A lot of fans look forward to the weekend. And I think it's as enjoyable a weekend of college hockey as there is"
Regarding ticket sales for the WCHA FInal Five being brisk… "Well, it's not a surprise. I think fans realize that the change was going to occur after this week, so they want to be a part of it. Then you look at the teams that are here, you've got us, Minnesota State and St. Cloud with great proximity. Obviously North Dakota brings a lot of fans to this, and Wisconsin is back this year after missed a year ago. So I think the demand will be about as high as it's ever been this weekend"
Regarding the advantage of not having to play on Thursday… "Well, I think the first period is always important. The team that played the day before is more familiar with the facility. I think that helps early on. Hopefully later, as the game goes on, we'll be a little bit more rested. It's just the way it is. If you ask what we'd rather do, I'd rather be resting and playing on Friday, rather than playing on Thursday. You get to this time of the year, the more games you play now, the more risk you have of an injury. We want to play real well. Our goal, like every team here, is to be playing here on Saturday night. We have a semifinal game this weekend to get to a championship game on Saturday. Our guys are really excited to head down there this week"
Regarding the prospect of playing North Dakota on Friday… "You know what, I'm sure the fans would enjoy that, but I think CC (Colorado College) will have something to say about that too. They're playing their best hockey of the year right now, and they're going to be desperate, because their only chance to survive after the weekend is to win the tournament. Probably a lot like Wisconsin. So, you have some teams that are comfortably in next week, and some teams that are trying to fight their way in. That part of it will be interesting to see. Joe Howe is playing really well in nets for CC right now. I think if you look at the first half year, it was a bit of a struggle with the goaltending. I have always said that the last person that you want to see in an elimination situation is a Senior goalie. They have a tendency to really rise up. They'll be playing desperate hockey. CC can score. For them it's a question of, is their goaltending going to be sound? Are they going to play good team defense? You look at the last six weeks of the season, they're playing their best hockey, and that's why they're here. To go into Denver and win two out of three, that's not easy. That shows the level they're playing at. Obviously North Dakota has a great history here. They've won three in a row, and they've got some real high end talent. Both teams are going to want to play up and down, and you could certainly make the argument that maybe North Dakota is a little bit more physical than CC would be. No matter who we play, our preparation doesn't change"
Regarding the team being an NCAA tournament lock, no matter what happens this weekend… "We've been on the other side of it too. We lost a game here a couple of years back that cost a chance to go to the NCAA tournament. So, we're locked in, and we know that we'll be the second overall seed in the tournament. So that part of it's not going to change. We have one more weekend to tinker with some things to ultimately find out what our best lineup is going to be next Friday"
Regarding preparations for this weekend… "We've just tried to focus on ourselves this week. We've had a couple of guys with some nicks, and we're still trying to figure out who will be able to play and who won't this coming weekend. We want our guys to play if they can, but at the same time, we don't want to take a chance on setting a guy back heading into next weekend. So there is that delicate balance. We probably won't make a final decision until Friday about what our final lineup will actually look like. We're going to skate tomorrow late morning at the Xcel Energy Center. We're actually going down there tonight to move in, just to make it more convenient for us for the morning practice, and breakfast, and everything else. I don't know if our guys are going to go (to the Thursday games). They can just relax in the hotel and watch hockey or basketball, or whatever they want to do. We'll be there, but at the same time, we've watched the video, and played North Dakota enough to know that we don't have to click on a DVD to know what they're going to do. And same with CC. I know the style that they want to play. I know that (Rylan) Schwartz is going to run the half wall on the power play, just like (Danny) Kristo will. So, there aren't' any secrets, it's more about us trying to prepare. You've gotta play well defensively this time of the year. You look at our record when we've given up two or less, it's pretty darn good. So that's what we've tried to concentrate on here at the end, is making sure we're tightening up on our systems"
Regarding Sam Warning… "Actually he's going to skate today. He skated yesterday, and he surprised us with what he was able to do, so he's going to take part in a full practice today. Based on how he feels in the next day or two will give us a better idea of whether he'll be able to go on Friday or not. Everybody is in a position to practice, but we do have one or two guys that are nicked up from last weekend. So that's an ongoing evaluation this week"
Regarding Kyle Rau… "You know, some guys just score big goals. I think Erik Haula made the comment to him 'Geez, I think I remember a couple of years ago in High School, you scoring a big goal here or there to go to the State Tournament'. Some guys just have the knack. That's what you need your big time players to do, is score those key goals. Whether it's a guy shooting a final basket to win a game, you need your key guys to shine in those type of moments. I know he's excited, because he was running out of sticks, and he got a new batch in. So I told him, 'no more excuses for not scoring any goals'. But he's a kid that has to play on edge, but he has to be careful that he doesn't get over the edge. If there's too much talking going with the other players, they can take him out of his game too. He's best when he's playing feisty, and yapping a little bit. He scores a lot of goals around the blue paint, and those are the type of goals that you have to score this time of the year"
Erik Haula:
Regarding how much the team was looking to avenge their loss to North Dakota last year… "(Laughing) I figured that was coming. North Dakota is our biggest rival. Those games are, as everyone knows, pretty heated. Whoever we play, I don't think it will be about systems. It will be about who works harder, who wants it more, playing your game, and sticking to it"
Regarding the WCHA Final Five… "I've always said that it's probably one of the funner tournaments of the year. You know, having your fan base behind you, and knowing that whoever you play is probably going to have a good amount of fans as well. So it's a really fun environment. We saw that last year. It was really cool, so we're all really looking forward to it. When you play for a championship, it's playing for a championship. It doesn't matter if it's a national championship, or what it is. You always play to win, emotions get high, and emotions are high if you win. It's a high risk, high reward thing. It's the last year, so everyone wants to go out in a good manner. Obviously you want to go out on top, and that's something that we're striving for"
Regarding the end of the WCHA, start of the Big Ten… "It's unfortunate that it's gotta end. It's been such a great league for so long. It's kinda sad that it's over. But that's how it works. There will be new leagues, and new stuff happening all the time, so you just gotta get over it and go forward. I understand both sides. Big Ten is in every other sport, so I can see people being excited about that, and I do believe it's going to be a really good conference in the end. I mean, Penn State just started their program, so their not at the top right now. But that kind of a school will get there eventually. It's going to be a great league, for sure. But the WCHA, no doubt has been one of the better leagues, if not the best ever, since who knows when. But it's always been a great league, and I can see fans being pissed off about it, but that's how it goes. You gotta move on"
Regarding the lessons of the Bemidji State series… "I think it just showed how good the league is, and how you can't take any game for granted. You have to show up and play your best every game. Bemidji got our respect the first night. We knew it wasn't going to be easy. Shows something about our team, that we found a way to win even though we weren't playing our A game. You have to be prepared for everything. You have to be prepared for them scoring first, and being down, and keeping that positive minds. Us older guys push everyone to play your best, and not focus on the scoreboard, focus on your next shift"
Kyle Rau:
Regarding the WCHA Final Five… "St. Paul? It's awesome. It's a great building, and fun to play there. I've had great success there, and so has my brother Chad, who scored his first NHL goal there. So, it's pretty cool. We're excited. It's a great tournament, great crowd, and we're looking forward to this weekend. Bummed that it's the last one. It's a tough tournament to win, so whoever comes out of it has great confidence going into the NCAA tournament, and that's the biggest thing you're looking for at this point and time"