Head Coach Jim Culhane:
On the overall effort:
"I thought it was a real competitive game from start to
finish. I think in the first period we were able to capitalize on a couple
scoring opportunities and we had some puck-luck there. Give Lake State a lot of
credit, they battled throughout the hockey game, they found a way to tie it.
Sixty-five minutes, tied 3-3 and we found a way to get the extra point in the
shootout."
"I thought we were pretty competitive throughout the 65
minutes. As a coach, you're always looking for the perfect game. We talk about
it a lot too, and the competitiveness. That's a big hockey team we're playing
against, 6'2", 6'3", 6'4", and physically they're a very strong team so our
competitiveness and our want-to needs to be equal to theirs and match theirs
and I thought we did a nice job with
that tonight."
On the shootout:
"We practice it throughout the week and we get a pretty good
look at the guys through their careers and also just a gut feeling of who's
playing well throughout the hockey game and we started off with Max (Campbell),
and then Greg (Squires), and then obviously JJ (Crew) finished it off there for
us with the final goal and Jerry (Kuhn) stopped all three."
On goaltender Jerry Kuhn:
"Jerry played extremely well a few weeks ago on the road in
Alabama-Huntsville. Both he and Riley played very well and he earned another
start. We thought we'd give him the opportunity tonight against the Lakers. I
thought Jerry was very solid for us."
On team speed vs. Lake Superior State's size:
"Your foot speed can help you to win races, but then you
have to win battles. Once you get there you have to make a play and win the
battle for it too. You can't just rely on your foot speed.
Ian Slater:
On first goal of season:
"I was just glad to get the monkey off my back and much
credit to the guys working down low. I've been thinking about so it's good to
get the monkey off my back. We're lucky to get out of there with two points. We
really wanted three, but we'll get them tomorrow."
"I remember getting a pass from Levendusky in the open ice
and went down at the net, and just tried to put the puck five-hole."
On Lake Superior State and overall team effort:
"They did a very good job to keep pressing and not get down
on themselves and fight the whole game. We didn't compete as hard as we could
at times and they took advantage of those opportunities. They kept coming, but
we were able to go into overtime and a shootout. It's anybody's game from
there, and JJ came through then."
Jerry Kuhn:
On the shootout:
"It's pretty fun, it's nerve wracking and you get nervous
out there. We've practiced them over and over again every week so you get
pretty confident as a goalie."
On early shots faced early:
"There was quite a bit more than I expected but I think it
kept me sharp and got me into the flow of the game."
On final goal:
"It was a bad bounce. It hit off their guy's skate and it
went right inside my pad. It was just a bad bounce."
On defense clearing out:
"I really like and emphasize that in practice because I'm a
smaller guy. I like when they move out of the way and let me see the shots. It
makes it easier."
J.J. Crew
On shootout:
"It's kind of scary, you're kind of nervous, but it's
exciting at the same time. Especially when everyone's cheering in the
background, it makes it more thrilling. I was just fortunate enough to make a
nice move, and it went in."
"I love being put in those situations and I'm glad coach has
called upon me."
"Thursday practices we usually have a shootout at the end of
practice and I pulled that same move in practice and it worked so I was
thinking that the whole time."
"It just depends on what I've used in the past and what's
worked. I stick with what's working and go with it. Tonight I went with what
worked in practice and it went in."
On line chemistry:
"We changed the lines up a little bit after last weekend and
we just had a lot of speed on my line and we're the ones who move around and
cause havoc and be pests out there. We were able to jump on them early and we
scored."
On size of Lake Superior State:
"Size wise you're not going to beat them obviously but with
our speed we should be able to get around their 'd' and cause some holes."