Michigan State 2, Michigan 0
11/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Nov. 14, 2009
Michigan State Hockey
Michigan State vs. Michigan
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009
Michigan State Head Coach Rick Comley
On his team's performance...
I thought we really struggled in the first period, we kind of lost our system, lost our style of play and played their game up and down the ice. We got it back under control in the second and third periods, but got a couple of penalties late. But after last year and getting hammered by them five times, it's a good step. There's a long way to go yet, but a good step.
On what has been the key to Sophomore Goalie Drew Palmisano's outstanding play this season...
Well, he could have played a lot more last year. But he was playing behind Jeff Lerg. He's a very good goalie. I was going to play Bobby [Jarosz in goal] tonight, but [Palmisano] plays the puck so well. With Michigan and their speed coming at you, I thought that was important [for Palmisano to be in goal] both nights.
On if he saw an extra enthusiasm from his team tonight after last night's win...
I don't know. Again, I didn't like the first period at all, but I anticipated that Michigan would be better. When you lose a couple or three at home [like Michigan has], and then you go on the road and kind of relax a little bit. So I expected them to come out with a really good jump. These kids play, they've been pretty steady. I think they gave us what we had hoped for.
On sweeping the weekend vs. Michigan...
Well right now every win is big. We're trying to regain trust and confidence. I think if you can beat them, then everybody feels good. And there's a pretty good feeling around; football had a great win at Purdue and we build on that with a great win over Michigan, and everybody feels pretty good.
On the large turnout in Munn Arena for the game (Attendance: 7,099)...
It means everything. We were at Maine and saw it, we were at Miami and saw it, we were at Michigan and saw it. That's our first time this year that these young kids have seen it. They're pumped. They're sky-high because of the win, because of the atmosphere, and what you'd like it to become again. When it's like that, it's as good as it gets, for sure.
On the post-game conversation he had with the team...
What you try to do is pull them back down for a minute, reinforce the importance of playing our system of play, separating it from individual play. Then you talk about making good decisions on a Saturday night when the town is going to be jumping. You reinforce the things you did well, and make them understand it's only twelve games [into the season].
On how Corey Tropp handled himself throughout the series...
It was great. I thought at Michigan, that's a really tough situation for a young kid. I thought their crowd was fine, I thought everything was fair there; the building was well run. Corey did a good job, and tonight he was fine. I thought both teams kind of let it go, and it was a gone incident. He did a good job.
On what has been the key to the team's consistency over their seven-game unbeaten streak...
It's style of play. Yes we have nine freshmen playing, and some sophomores. But we've adopted a style of play and we preach it and they believe in it and it looks like it's going to work. It's more the style of play and system of play than it is any one individual.
On what this weekend has done for Palmisano's confidence...
He's always been a confident kid. We did a really good job all weekend at deflecting pucks. [Michigan] had great opportunities that they didn't finish, and [Palmisano] made good saves. He's a very, very good goalie, as Bobby [Jarosz] is, and they're both going to continue to play.
On the strength of the penalty kill from both teams...
They pressure really hard. They're like Miami; both teams are hard to get powerplay goals against. Last night we had four or five really good chances, but they don't give you much time or room. We had to kill three penalties in the third period, so our kids did pretty well.
On what this weekend does for his team's ability to regain some respect lost after last season...
We've been creeping. Nothing comes quick or easy. It's like [Boston University] right now. BU is going through what we went through [last season], and in time they'll get it sorted out. Sometimes it takes longer than you want. We're fine. We'll come back Monday, we've got a short week and we're playing on Thursday. We'll put this away quickly and get ready for Notre Dame.
On how he will refocus his team for the series against Notre Dame after the sweep against Michigan...
Well, there's nothing better than winning, there's nothing better then winning over a rival and then learning to deal properly with it is very important. They'll get the right message, believe me.
On if he is trying to set an example for his team with his calm and calculated response to such a big weekend...
I am, for sure. It's a message that I'm sending. You lose respect quickly, and you gain it slowly. That's the business that we're in.
Michigan State Junior Winger Dustin Gazley
On emotion in the locker room...
Its awesome I can't even explain it - it's one of the best feelings ever. Michigan State vs. Michigan hockey is one of the biggest rivalries and to get a sweep this weekend was huge. All the freshmen see what it is like now and that is great.
On the crowd...
The crowd was awesome and we had great support from them and could not thank them enough. I think it was the fifth-largest crowd ever at Munn Arena.
On playing in the atmosphere vs. what they have been playing with...
It helps our intensity and it is a lot faster game. When the crowd gets into it, we get into it more, and I think it helps us out.
On what this does for the team going into next weekend against Notre Dame...
It is big for us. Coming off these two wins, we have to come back to practice on Monday and work hard and have a good week. We also can not get too cocky because we have two big games next weekend.
On his assist on Andrew Rowe's goal...
They turned it over and I picked it up. It was a two on one and I almost shot it but I held onto it and slid it over to Rowe and he went back door and put it in.
On confident in competing the whole year for a league title...
Yes, but this is just a stepping stone. It is early in the season and we just have to build off of it. I defiantly think with the way we are playing now we can be a contender.
On the feeling between beating Michigan vs. Miami Ohio...
It is a lot better. I don't know what to say, it's just a lot better than beating Miami.
Michigan State Sophomore Goaltender Drew Palmisano
On how this weekend compares to his hockey carreer...
It's up there. It was a great weekend for us, especially against our rivals, Michigan, for us to get two. One at Yost and then come back here and the atmosphere tonight was incredible.
On if this was the way he thought Michigan would come out tonight...
We knew that they were going to come back a lot stronger than last night - being a little mad, losing three in a row. So, we had to be prepared for that and match their intensity. They crashed the net a little more tonight, which I'm fine with. Defense did a good job of making sure that there was nothing out after the whistle and being smart.
On the atmosphere...
Coming out onto the ice at the start of the game, I just got chills looking around, coming out in the smoke and seeing 7,000 plus. And the last 30 seconds of the game when everyone was on their feet and just cheering is something I'll never forget.
On the penalty kills...
All weekend long penalty kills were great. We read their passes and cleared all the pucks we could. We didn't leave to many pucks in the corner. We did our job. The crowd, tonight, was a really big part of penalty kills and really helped us out.
On if there was one shot that said it was his night...
I think it was the first or second shot when I didn't really see it, get a good look at it. It hit off of my glove and kind of trickled up and hit the top of the crossbar and went wide and I knew that things were going to be on my side tonight.
On if any of the shots were tough to handle...
For the most part, I saw the shots pretty well. They had a couple good shots, (Louie) Caporusso, I think on a break away. For the most part, our defense blocked them out and kept the perimeters and they really didn't get a lot of second opportunities tonight.
On what sweeping Michigan means...
It's the first time for me and the first time in a while for us so, it's pretty exciting atmosphere in the locker room. I'm pretty excited for this season.
On if anybody would have predicted that they would have had only two losses at this point in the season...
I think that if you would have said this in the summer, we would have been ecstatic. We had a goal this year to come out and prove ourselves again and that last year wasn't exactly our best year. We tried to have baby steps at the start but we've been kind of taking a little bit bigger steps than what we've expected.
Michigan State Freshman Forward Chris Forfar
On his goal...
(Mike) Merrifield did all the work on that play. He got the shot off, got his rebound, skated around the net, passed it out in front and I ended up being in the right spot at the right time, just put it upstairs hoping it would go in.
On going through the rivalry...
It was a big welcome to college hockey weekend for me. Going into Michigan, their stadium is pretty notorious for being always crazy. And then coming here, we had a nice sold out party tonight which was nice. It was awesome.
On comparing the atmosphere to what he's used to playing in...
The closest thing that would compare is the Lincoln-Omaha series, which can get pretty rowdy. But nothing compared to these crowd sizes.
On the having the fifth biggest crowd at Munn tonight...
That's pretty crazy. Biggest crowd I've ever played in front of.
On getting pretty good at singing the fight song...
First week you've got to memorize it. It's nice to sing it in the locker room after a sweep though.
On Drew Palmisano's performance...
I can't say enough, he's a great goaltender. He stood on his head for us, made some huge saves. A lot of the reason we won is because of his saves.
On Coach Comley's message after the game...
His message is that he's glad that we got back into our system of play. He keeps stressing our system and how it's working. As long as we buy into it as a team, we will have some pretty good success along the way.
On the upcoming series with Notre Dame...
Coming into practice on Monday, I'm pretty sure everyone will refocus and have their sights set on Notre Dame. They're a great team coming in and we won't take them lightly.
On knowing that the first goal is the most important...
You can't really think that. You've always got to go out there on the next shift and work towards your goal which is winning the game. It just happened to be the game winner.
On if this is how he expected Michigan to come out tonight...
Coach Comley says, you always expect a team to be better the second night and they definitely were. They were on their `A' game, we just had some pucks go our way, which was nice.
