Rick Comley Quotations

We're fighting for a first-round bye so that's the only thing we're kind of thinking about, talking about ? just as we've done over the last couple of months is just try to put wins on the board.

We're getting steady goaltending and we've grown up as a team. We're battle-tested.

Somebody just said to me and I think it's true, 'We just ran out of time,' and that's not to discredit Maine.

Obviously we'd love to score six or seven goals but we don't do that. You're not going to beat people easy.

Obviously the goal was in, but the replay camera is probably the only one that you couldn't really 100 percent conclusively tell it was in. Everybody on the bench knew it was in right away.

Obviously I was relieved to see it go in. He (Fretter) was sick, and we weren't sure if he was going to play.

On the one they did call, it took them 10-15 seconds. I almost went on the ice before I got his attention.

I don't know what our missed games are, but we must lead the country in games missed due to injury.

CC was a very impressive team. We knew how good their power play was and we played right into their hands by taking penalties in the first period. We showed some frustration, but they really executed. If you give them 5-on-3s, they're not going to miss very much.

Getting home ice was a preseason goal and we've accomplished it, and now our goal is to finish second.

He deserves to play. We'll just see what happens.

He gets no recognition whatsoever. He plays every situation and plays so much.

We've got to live in the future now. As good as this (past) weekend was, you've got to let it go and get by it.

He seems to be right on top of things and very alert. We've always had trouble with him.

We maybe looked a little tired tonight, but I thought our kids never panicked, and got a hard-earned win in overtime. It is so important, particularly at this point of the season, to get points on the road. We got one win, and now its time to start focusing on getting another one tomorrow.

He's played really well. As long as he plays well, I'll probably go with him.

I think the nature of Big Ten schools (is) they're not happy just to have programs. You put smiles on people's faces by winning. And the expectation is you do it the right way.

I thought we could have had four or five (goals) in the first but you don't. You let them hang around and then they took the game away in the second.

I thought we played really well. You don't beat a quality team like Michigan without playing very, very well.

I thought that was a game we could have gone up by certainly at least two, maybe three (goals). But we couldn't get the puck in the net.

I think we were more dangerous on the attack and we had the better speed. It's very encouraging.

I think it takes a lot of pressure off of this team.

I think they have the best set of forwards in the league. It'll be a tough weekend for us.

Jared made a great effort to block that first shot, it just hit his hip and went in.

Jeff had to come up with some pretty good saves at some pretty critical times. We played very well. Very solid. We got the first goal, and that's so big in these games. Confidence goes way up.

Jeff had to come up with a big save early, when we left the front of the net open. If they get up 1-0, it might be a different result.

Right now, you hope to find a way to win and we did. We were resilient enough to win tonight. Probably, earlier in the year we wouldn't have done that.

I still think we can score more. We've got guys that haven't gotten hot yet. We haven't played our best hockey yet. I don't think we've reached our peak as a team by any means.

I thought Jeff was really sharp, and the puck is starting to go for us.

That would have been a big one. The long delay in reviewing it certainly took the momentum away.

Most nights we don't score more than three goals, but we've found a way to win with three.

You always like to control your own destiny and we do that by playing teams that we need to beat.

(We had) good chances and the puck started to go in for us. Perfect time of the year for that to start happening.

Tyler Howells made a play that was just great. But as a coach, I was still worried with 10 seconds left.

We've been fighting hard now for a couple of years to get back nationally to a legitimate national level of a program. I'm convinced we're there.

We've got Notre Dame, a much-improved team, coming up, so we've got to let this one go and get ready for Friday.

We worked so hard to get here, and we improved so much. I knew coming in they were going to try to do it with wrist shots and tips. Unfortunately, they went in.

We beat the two teams ranked third and sixth in the country.

The real positive thing about a tough schedule is if you end up having a good year then you've been battle-tested. You don't have to worry about how are we going to do against a nationally ranked team.

We came in here knowing we were in the NCAA Tournament. But it doesn't diminish our excitement about playing for a championship.

We came back after Christmas and the guys worked so hard to get better. It's encouraging when different guys step in and contribute each night.

We pay attention to detail. Each and every aspect of the game - we talk about it, we practice it. I thought we struggled early, but it is another one of those areas we work at. It?s detail at this time of year that?s important.

We're all concerned about where we finish, but I don't know if there's anybody you want to play. It's going to be a whale of a playoff once it's finally decided.

This was an excellent hockey game. We played a tight game defensively and really have been playing the type of hockey we need to over the last month.

We've played them fairly recently and know what they are. They're a big, strong team that is physical, and their goalie, Wylie Rogers, is playing outstanding.

We wanted to get back to being a nationally recognized program. I think we're there.

You can't became a good team easily. And this one did.

We've grown up a lot and we're battle tested in some tough environments and games. We'll take the good of the regular season and get ready for the playoffs.

This team is completely the new one. Last year's team was the end of the carryover. I think the group of seniors last year wished they had played for Ron.

This team has worked their tails off and I'm proud of them. They feel good right now and they should.

This tastes really good, but it's one more step in the process. We're going to enjoy this.

This was a tremendously hard-fought game. The game had great speed and intensity, and the referee decided to let the teams play. We have won a lot of close games, so this was not unusual for us.

We got a big tie for us and nationally, that's going to help us and steady us so we'll take the point.

We knew coming in how good their power play was. And obviously, we played right into their game.

I've never coached a player in 34 years who prepares like he prepares. To the detail, to the consistency, to how much he stresses the importance of getting himself into his game mode.

Sometimes you like to win maybe better or prettier but, whatever, we'll take the win and go home and get ready for Saturday.

Teams have to have good seniors and they have to have multiple players contribute at this time of the year. We had that.

At home, you're disappointed with a tie ? bottom line.

You've got to try to win a game up there. Two would be a bonus, (but) you've got to get one. They don't lose twice at home very darn often.

This is a team that's needed validation and it's earning respect. It's all very encouraging. I don't think we've come close to peaking yet. We can get better.

This is one of the few times in recent seasons where how Michigan State and Michigan do against each other impacts how each of us finishes in the league. Before, it didn't impact the ability to be home for the first round of the playoffs.

They skate very well. They're a very underrated team. Ferris really gets up and down ? they have an excellent transition game. They're just a lot better than people want to give them credit for.

They still can finish in the top four. Worst case scenario, they want home ice so we stand in their way.

They play a left wing lock, they don't give up much. You better be careful against them. These two teams will match up very well.

They got the jump on us, and then I thought our kids settled down and played great.

They are really, really good. They are by far the most consistent line we have and the only one that I have kept together all season.

They're as pleasantly surprised as anybody that the numbers are where they are. They've been very steady, very consistent. They're for real.

They're an older, bigger, stronger team, and those teams have given us a little bit of trouble at times because we're a younger team.

They're obviously a battle-tested team and we knew coming into here that they're a big-game program. Their experience I thought was a factor. They got the jump on us before we could settle down. This was a learning game for us and hopefully we can take it to the next level.

It's a tough loss. We played a great first period, but their speed is tough to defend against.

I trust them to go out there and be responsible and play how we want to play and that's not unusual. They've done that an awful lot for us.

It was clearly in. But from the shot they have to use for the replay, they couldn't tell. We knew immediately it was in. But there was nothing the official could've done.

It was so nice to have the opportunity to put them out there at the end. We have five seniors ? we'll miss them badly. They've been super for us.

It's a big win obviously. Ohio State's a little bit beat up team, but I thought they're strong. They work hard.

It's very difficult obviously, and it's hard for anybody to handle it perfect. But I have no complaints at all with how he's dealt with it.

It's no secret what we have to do (to have a successful) second half. Our goal differential is about 0.2. We score 3.1 goals a game and give up 2.9. You have to have a bigger margin of goals scored and goals against.

It's the respect, it's the rivalry, it's the intensity ? it's everything that's good about a college rivalry.

It's a log jam and obviously every game is very important. The mindset is so important because every game is going to be tough to win.

It means a lot. It's a proud program with a rich, rich tradition. Obviously it feels good.

The nice thing about our team right now is we don't have to change anything. We're not going to adjust our lineup. We're not going to change what we're doing.

Everybody knows the significance of the games and the time of the year. We want to win two hockey games this weekend.

That first period, they could have had five or six alone. He was really solid and kept us in the game.

It's great, to be honest with you. The last three years down here, we've had to just kind of sweat it out. What's going to happen? Lose the first game, do you have to win the second? Whereas now, you're playing for two championships, in essence.

It was a good game, we had the lead. Then we got that major penalty, they got a power-play goal then they got going.

No matter what threesome I seem to have in there, they go out and do their job. But they've had an ability this year at times to go out and turn a game our way.

It was a game that lived up to the game we all thought it would be. Those kids gave every ounce they had.

It's what you want from a good league and good balanced competition. It should be a whale of a hockey game.

They've had trouble scoring and they've got some injury situations. I expect it to be a defensive game. I think we'll see some fallback and some neutral zone trapping.

Not only have we been through it mentally, but we're much better off physically because we have almost everyone. It's grueling for sure, but it is what it is and you have to find a way to deal with it. We're playing well, and I think we've taken a big step as a team.

Any top-level team has to have an offensive catalyst on defense, and that's something we've lacked since John-Michael Liles graduated (in 2002). We recruited Tyler because wanted him to run the power play, but it took some time.

Around the country, nobody knows what the juniors are going to do with this collective bargaining agreement. There could be a wave of kids leaving. We'll just have to wait and see.

I'm not critical. I think that's a very good referee and an excellent crew, but I think there is a major difference in philosophy on what's called. That's a league philosophy.

I knew going in that they were going to put it at the net with wrist shots and tips. That's what they do so very well.

I'm proudest of the fact that this team doesn't quit. To come back when you're down two in the third period when they're playing that well, that's tough to do.

I never thought he played out of panic or fear or worry because he always knew he could go faster (and) catch somebody. He had such great vision and good skills. He'd pass it over a stick, under a stick ? he just could do anything the situation called for.

I'm not sure it was a cheap shot. It was marginal hitting from behind, and you can tell by the philosophy that he (the referee) had that he wasn't calling very much.

If there hadn't been an injury, they probably would have played every game together. I like the way they work off each other.

If there?s on thing that characterizes this team it?s finding a way to win.

I know (Michigan) State hasn't scored a goal in three straight NCAA games. But this group ? they do what they need to do.

I just have so much respect for our seniors and our kids and the battle and spirit that they had. It would have been so easy for that game to turn into like a 9-2 game.