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NCAA MEN'S FROZEN FOURApril 5, 2012Rick BennettDaniel CarrJeremy WelshTAMPA, FLORIDA Ferris State – MODERATOR: Okay. We are ready for the Union press conference. We're joined by head coach Rick Bennett, Daniel Carr, and Jeremy Welsh. Opening statement, Coach. COACH BENNETT: Well, obviously it's not the way we wanted to finish our season. But these student‑athletes here have nothing to be ashamed of. It was a tremendous season that we had. My hat's off to Bob Daniels and Ferris State. They played a great game today. And I wish them all the best going forward. MODERATOR: Questions for the student‑athletes. Q. You guys have prided yourself all season long as being a strong third period team. Can you tell us, was the first a little bit stronger today? JEREMY WELSH: I wouldn't say that. I thought we started off pretty good. We got a good rebound bounce, put a goal in. And at this level, everyone here is pretty good. So when you're up by a goal you stay in front of the net and block shots and just dump it out. So obviously whoever is in the lead at the end of the period has a bit of an advantage. You just clog it up. I thought we started out well. They got the first big break there, I guess. DANIEL CARR: I think Jeremy hit it on the head there. I don't necessarily think they necessarily outplayed us, but obviously they did the things right that they needed to do. And they get a good bounce, and I guess that's the way it happens. Q. Jeremy, you guys had avoided penalties most of the year and clearly it was a bit of a problem tonight. Do you know any particular reason why that was? JEREMY WELSH: Not a particular reason, no. I thought we played a pretty similar game to what we normally play. Tried to keep it clean. Obviously the referee didn't think so. Tough breaks there, I guess, but it happens in these games. Q. Guys, after you got the goal, it seemed like opportunities for some of your teammates to take some shots, looked like they were trying to be‑‑ looking for that extra pass and not getting that shot. Was that an issue that you guys talked about between the second and the third period? JEREMY WELSH: Yeah, we definitely want to get pucks in the net. I thought we were pretty confident with the puck tonight. Unfortunately sometimes a little casual, I guess, in those flat areas. But I thought we carried the play pretty well for first and second, when we had our chances. And just didn't get our shots off. Didn't get them where we wanted, I guess, and sometimes we tried to look to overpass, yeah. DANIEL CARR: Well, I don't necessarily think that was a problem. I think you've got to give some credit to their goalie. He made some unbelievable saves at the end of the game. And I don't necessarily think it was a problem of getting pucks to the net. We had guys going to the net all game. But the goalie made some good saves and didn't give out any rebounds where we were driving. Q. They had a lot of shot attempts. Was there anything you attribute that to? Did they maybe catch you off guard with a lot of the shots they're taking? DANIEL CARR: I think we knew what to expect playing Ferris State. I think we know they've got a lot of pointmen who are good at getting the pucks to the net, Billins especially. And I thought we did a good job getting out in lanes and blocking some shots. But at the same time they got some pucks through, and that last goal, a puck gets thrown to the net and off the pad and good rebound goal by them. And I think we knew that was a game plan, and I think we did a fairly good job limiting them to one rebound goal. But I think that was the difference kind of thing. MODERATOR: Thank you. Questions for Coach. Q. Rick, did you think your guys were getting a little too cute with the puck there in the second period? After they got the goal, seemed like a couple of guys had some shots, looking for that extra pass and took the shots away? COACH BENNETT: Yeah, I thought‑‑ I didn't necessarily think it started there. I think it started in the first period. We wanted to get our dumps on the glass, because you never know with the bounces. And I don't think we ever did that. We never could establish our forecheck. Our forecheck never caught up to their breakout, and I think that was a key tonight. And you have to shoot the puck. And good things will happen. We keep preaching it all year, but sometimes you get to this magnitude, it's something you just have to learn from and hopefully we did tonight. Q. Rick, taking nothing away from Ferris State, obviously, do you feel like you guys played your best game tonight? COACH BENNETT: Honestly, I don't think that's fair to Ferris State because I thought they played excellent. I really did. And he's done a tremendous job, Bob Daniels, over there. He deserved this win tonight. And as much as this hurts, hurts our student‑athletes, it's something that we can build on here for the future of‑‑ sometimes you just gotta keep it just a bit simple‑‑ simpler, I should say. And tonight we just did try to get a little too cute. But you know what, I credit them for playing great D zone, too, as well. Q. Can you assess your team's nerves? Just how nervous were they at any point in the game? COACH BENNETT: I think we started off a little bit, had some jitters here and there. But by the same token, the last time I checked it was 0‑0 after the one there. And it's one of those things. If you keep it simple, I think it takes care of the nerves. And the one other thing that we never really got in the game was finishing our hits either. And I think if you really want to get in the game, you have to finish your hits. That's something we pride ourselves on and we didn't do it tonight, and maybe that did account to some nerves as well. Q. Jeremy said he thought you guys got off to a pretty good start in the third. But seemed like I think they got 12‑‑ I think it was like 12 floor shots at one point. Do you feel like maybe they were taking control a little bit before that goal? COACH BENNETT: I think to curb that one was penalties too. I think penalties caught up to us again. Something we've been good at this whole year. And I really can't really explain it. It had nothing to do with the reffing, and just one of those things. MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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