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NCAA MEN'S FROZEN FOURApril 7, 2011Ryan GuentzelJeff JacksonCalle RidderwallT.J. TynanST. PAUL, MINNESOTA University of Minnesota Duluth – 4 MODERATOR: As mentioned, we'll ask Coach Jackson for an opening comment, and once he's finish then we'll take your questions for the players and then finish up with Coach Jackson. Jeff? COACH JACKSON: Thank you. Obviously people can see the game, that was obviously -- that game was dictated by one thing: special teams. So it's exactly what we saw in film. They have an exceptional power play, and we couldn't generate any offense on the power play. So I thought we played a good game five on five. Other than that, you know, that game was completely determined by special teams. MODERATOR: Questions for the players. Q. What was it about the Duluth power play that made it so challenging for you guys to deal with? CALLE RIDDERWALL: We obviously didn't move the puck very well. Gave a lot of movement, not just puck movement, but they move around their zone, they find the seams. And obviously they have guys that can finish, so I think we saw that a couple times tonight. Q. Calle, you talked about their speed and their movement. Did that kind of force you guys to take some penalties that you wouldn't have against a team that isn't as explosive? CALLE RIDDERWALL: I thought a lot of calls were questionable, especially in the first period, to be honest. Obviously we took some penalties, so we're clear of penalties, but I thought it was one late in the first period and a lot of penalties that were questionable and a lot of calls we didn't get, to be honest. And obviously we took penalties. And their speed forced it a couple times for sure. Q. Anybody up there, what happened on your own opportunities with the penalties, your inability to score? You had a lot of chances and sometimes you got a number of goal shots and sometimes you didn't. RYAN GUENTZEL: You got to give Duluth a lot of credit, not only just as a team but the whole game they played. They come to our power play, we got some chances but the puck just didn't bounce our way tonight and sometimes that happens, so you just got to tip your hat to them. Q. Calle, when you scored there in the third, do you think the momentum shifts and that you guys would have a chance after that one to turn the tables a little bit? CALLE RIDDERWALL: Definitely the goal in the third period when it was huge, we're down by 2, and then I think we had momentum the whole period, to be honest. We were pressuring them down low in their zone, they had some shots, but just couldn't get them through. The end of the game -- I'd the third period and the beginning of the game were very similar, there was just all the stuff in between where we couldn't bring it on. Q. For Ryan, I know it's tough right after a loss like this, but can you put into perspective the four years at Notre Dame and the two Frozen Fours and what the experience was like? RYAN GUENTZEL: I'm just thankful the opportunity for the University of Notre Dame giving me an opportunity to come here and be part of their program the last four years. We've had a great ride, freshman year, playing in the national championship, and then being able to come to St. Paul my senior year with the great crowd and great atmosphere. Duluth had a great following, but we also had a good following here tonight too. So I'm just thankful for the opportunity, and obviously the game didn't end up the way we wanted it to, but we want to wish Duluth luck Saturday night. Q. T.J., put this season in perspective. You have some seniors up there, your first year you didn't make it this year. Tell me about your experience this year and about this game, what was characteristic about Notre Dame in this game and what was maybe uncharacteristic tonight? T.J. TYNAN: I've never been a part of a team that's been as close as ours. And unbelievable what we did this year, obviously people didn't take us to go as far. I think it's because of our team chemistry and how close we were as a team that got us this far and obviously our great senior class leading all the freshmen the underclassmen. Today I think we played a good first half of first period and a good third period, but second period killed us, and the special teams obviously was a little too much for us tonight. Q. Calle, it's difficult now, but being a part of the first two Frozen Fours and Notre Dame hockey history, how much better do you feel now about the state of the Notre Dame hockey program than when you came here? CALLE RIDDERWALL: It's special being in the Frozen Four four years in college, especially when it's never been done before in a program. So this year is special. I'm extremely proud of the team we have. Weren't expected to do much, and then guys showed day in and day out they're great hockey players, and that started from the freshmen stepped in right away. I think we had good leadership all year. And obviously just sitting here right now it's bitter, but I'm extremely proud of the team we had, extremely excited. But to be able to say that I played four years of college hockey for the University of Notre Dame, you know... MODERATOR: All right, guys, we'll let you go. Congratulations on a terrific season. And we will continue with your questions for Coach Jackson. Q. Jeff, a similar question I asked T.J.: What was characteristic about your team both on the plus or negative side in today's game, just from a -- COACH JACKSON: I thought we took some bad penalties. I thought we took some uncharacteristic penalties. I don't think Riley Sheahan has had six minutes in penalties all year. I don't know what happened tonight. But we took some bad penalties. And I thought after Duluth scored the third goal, I thought we dipped a little bit emotionally in that our youth showed up a little bit in the second period I thought. And I told them. I thought our body language got bad, you know. But I gave it to them after the second, and I thought they came out and they responded. Which they have all season long. So I'm proud of what these kids did. And they played a great team tonight, and for this team with that many young guys, you know, it's certainly a credit to the seniors specifically, but the entire team for doing a great job all season long, going into it with 15, 16 underclassmen every night, and I credit them. Q. Jeff, they may have been guilty of trying to sit on the lead in the third period, but you guys really played well, looked like you also made some adjustments because you picked off some of their little quick reversal breakouts. Did you do some adjusting after the second period tactically? COACH JACKSON: We made a few adjustments, but it was more a frame of mind, in my opinion. It was a state of mind. Our kids have had that issue a few times this year, different times, different games. I think I said it a few days ago, that when you play in this event you have to play 60 minutes. Twice. And we didn't. And that's really what it boiled down to. But I thought -- I think it is more emotional than it was tactical adjustments, and we got our heads straight going into the third, and obviously Calle's goal gave us some life, too. Q. Jeff, did their speed give you as many problems just on penalty kill as they did on power play? Because the last three power plays you had I think you didn't really get a shot. COACH JACKSON: Yeah, you know, to be honest with you, our special teams this year have been a bit of a disappointment. They've been one of the staples of our program for the last five years. But for some reason, even with some of the offensive talent we've had, we've had difficult times with the power play. Part of that is that we don't have like Duluth's quarterback out there at the point. I think Sam Calabrese is developing that, but Falk (phonetic) is a threat out there from a shooting perspective and he's also a good playmaker. So we lack that right now. Hopefully we're going to have that coming in next season. At least that's what I'm planning. But -- and that's part of power play, not just having that quarterback out there. That's why we use Riley Sheahan, who's a very intelligent player. But he probably would prefer to play down low. And the penalty kill, we've been -- we were 90 over 90 percent of the -- in December, and then all of a sudden because we started scoring too many shorthanded goals our penalty killing took a dive. We started cheating. We started -- you know, and it never really fully recovered. Because special teams are confidence built, too, as you can see with Duluth right now. I mean, their special teams have tremendous confidence. Q. Jeff, if you looked at your regional play, have you looked at your regional play, and then tonight, was there much difference as to how you played getting here as opposed to tonight? COACH JACKSON: I thought it was much different officiating. I mean, we had WCHA officials in the East, and I thought it was much different officiating. And that's what the kids -- the kids don't totally understand. I'm not critical of the officiating; I'm just saying it was different. A lot of the things that -- the points of emphasis in each league I think are different, and it was a totally different officiating. And that's not being critical of the officiating, as I said. All I'm saying, it was different and a lot of stuff going on that's different than what we saw last weekend. Q. (Question off Microphone)? COACH JACKSON: Yeah, from our conference perspective, it's probably very similar. But from what we played last weekend, it was a lot looser, in my estimation. Q. This team has, you said earlier, experienced stage fright towards the end of the season, not so much in the regional. How would you assess their mindset at the beginning of the game tonight, which was a bit of a wild start? COACH JACKSON: That was kind of a crazy start. I thought we came out with a lot of jump. Five on five I thought we were doing great. And then you put them on the power play and it certainly sets you back, not just from a score perspective but a mental perspective. And I thought that that certainly changed the tempo of the game. Changed our approach, our mindset. But I thought our guys played pretty well five on five. I don't know what the final scoring chances were, but I'll be curious to see, especially without special teams. But, you know, we needed to do better on our power play, which would have made a big difference in the game. MODERATOR: Coach, thanks very much, congratulations on a terrific season. COACH JACKSON: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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