Feb. 13, 2010
Recap | Box Score
Wisconsin vs. Minnesota State
Coach Eaves Quotes
On Bennett: " At times I thought he looked like the Brett that we know, but at other times it looked like he's still trying to get his confidence back. It's good for him to get a win. That's a big step for him in getting back that confidence level. It's something that you just don't turn off and on. You can get it in practice to a degree. You feel good; you stop pucks. The actual level of confidence grows as you play and you feel the puck in the game. It was really important that he got the win in the process to get some of that confidence going again."
On Bohmbach's response to the challenge: "He played terrific. He moved the puck well tonight. I asked him what he ate for his pregame meal tonight because he looked fast out there, and that's not one of those things that you would say everyday about Andy, but he looked like he had speed and anticipation. He played with decisiveness. It was really fun to see."
On the seniors' play this weekend: " It was a big weekend for us. We needed the points to stay within reach of our next immediate goal. Are the seniors sensing that the end is near and rising to another level to take ownership? Perhaps that is part of it."
On Geoffrion: " Blake was very business-like this week during practice, and I think that led him into having a really good weekend. He's playing very well right now."
On Davies' success on the power play: " He has a great level of confidence with the puck right now. He has a comfort level with the guys on the ice; they know where each other are before they even get the puck."
On the penalty kill: " Your goal tender has to be part of your penalty killing unit, but the guys in front of him have to work together. When they work together and goaltending is strong, you have a good chance at being pretty solid. The club that is coming in here next week is pretty good on the power play and we will be tested."
On special teams: " When it comes down to it at the end of the year, you're going to look at your goaltending and your special teams play. Those are the things that are going to put you over the edge in terms of winning some games."
On intensity: "Things were on the border of chaotic for a while, but they settled back down pretty quickly. There was definitely an edge on both teams in terms of being on their toes."
Player Quotes
Ben Grotting
On his goal: "Obviously it was great in all aspects of it, but I clearly don't look for the points too much. It's always nice to get a goal here and there, especially for my line. If it's at a crucial time in the game to get the team going, then that's nice, too."
On nerves going one-on-one with a goaltender: "We practice breakaways every single week. It's always one-on-one with a goalie. I'm at the point in my career where I feel confident going in on a goalie."
On physicality: "Talking with the guys in the locker room, we knew we had to match their physicality and that would give us the best chance to win. Their play was more or less what I expected."
Andy Bohmbach
On setting the tone in the first period: "It felt good. It's always good to bounce back and get a goal right after they do. It shuts them up for sure, and it gets our team going."
On what he had for dinner: "I had some spaghetti for lunch. I have to give credit to our equipment manager because he put some new steel on my skates, so maybe that was what gave me that speed out there."
On responding to Coach Eaves' challenge: " It always feels good to respond positively to a challenge, especially when it comes from the head coach. It was good to get some points, take some shots and hits, and prove to him that I can play both styles. I can score, I can play defense, I can hit. Hopefully I responded the way he wanted me to."
Blake Geoffrion
On short-handed goals: "We talked a lot about getting some chances when we're short-handed. On the goal tonight, Bohmbach made a heck of a play. We've had chances that we haven't been able to bury, so it was nice to get that this weekend."
On what they take away from this weekend: "We definitely take the four points, but our special teams play was awesome. We did a great job on the penalty kill. I think the biggest thing we improved on was special teams."
On Ben Street: " He brings another aspect to our leadership. Since he's a fifth-year senior, he's been around our team the longest. He has the experience of winning a national championship, and he leads by example, which is huge for us."
On WCHA standings: "I'm all about the standings. I love the standings. It seems like you have to win every night. There is never an easy night where you can take a game off, especially this time of the year when it is so tight. Four teams could win it, so we know we have to come out each night and play our game."
