NCAA MEN'S FROZEN FOUR FINALS: ST. CLOUD STATE VS MASSACHUSETTS

April 10, 2021

Veeti Miettinen

Zach Okabe

PPG Paints Arena

St. Cloud State Huskies

Postgame Media Conference

Massachusetts - 5, St. Cloud State - 0

MODERATOR: We're joined by Veeti Miettinen and Zach Okabe.

Q. Veeti, you and Filip are from the same town. What can you say about him and how well he played for UMass?

VEETI MIETTINEN: We played the same team when we were 18 years old. He's a heck of a player. He's a pretty good goalie and congrats. I don't have any words right now.

Q. Zach, you guys scored 15 goals in the NCAA Tournament. What did they do well defensively against you guys?

ZACH OKABE: Yeah, they just won the stick battles in front and boxed out pretty well and it just wasn't our night tonight.

Q. Veeti, I wanted to ask about, in the first period you had that nice 2-on-1. You clanked the pipe. How much do you think about that, how that maybe could have changed the course of the game?

VEETI MIETTINEN: I don't want to think about that. It was just a one chance, hit the crossbar, and that's it. It didn't go in so it doesn't matter.

Q. What was the message like on the bench after UMass scored the third goal?

ZACH OKABE: The what, which goal?

Q. The third one.

ZACH OKABE: Stay with it. I mean, it's only a three-goal lead. Do what we can. Start with the first one. But obviously it didn't happen. So staying positive.

Q. Obviously things are pretty fresh right now. But what does it mean for you guys to get this program so far after so many years?

ZACH OKABE: I mean, obviously we're not happy. But, I mean, it's good for the program. It's good for the school.

VEETI MIETTINEN: I think it's kind of hard to say anything right now. And so much things going through your head and, I don't know. It's like a heartbreaking thing. So, I think you understand.

Q. Veeti, you guys all kind of collectively went to the net after the game. What did you guys talk about there? Was it just about trying to get back here? What did you guys talk about there?

VEETI MIETTINEN: After the game?

Q. Yes.

VEETI MIETTINEN: I think Fitzy was talking there and he just told us he was proud of us and like we all, we love each other. We're like one family and we just care together and that was kind of season-ending for us.

MODERATOR: Thank you.