Postgame Quotes: Michigan 3, Rensselaer 2
11/28/2014 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Nov. 28, 2014
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Michigan Head Coach Red Berenson
On the resiliency displayed by his team tonight, especially late in the game ... "Our team had to bounce back. We weren't playing our best, especially in the first period when you could tell who had the turkey and who didn't. They had a quicker start in their game than we did. I didn't think we deserved the lead, but nevertheless, they came back and tied it, and when they went ahead that's when our team really pushed hard. We had a good push at the end with two great individual plays. (Tyler) Motte's goal came from coming out of our zone clean, and Dylan Larkin made a great play to spring (Zach) Hyman loose. We were good, and we were lucky."
On the goal-scoring touch displayed by Alex Kile this season ... "Alex is used to being a goal scorer. He's used to putting up points and creating offense, and last year it never came together for him. We saw glimpses, and I knew that the real Alex Kile was yet to be seen, and he's gotten off to a great start to this year. He's connected well with Dylan (Larkin) and Zach (Hyman); that's the only line that's been intact since day one. Alex has been a real catalyst on that line, whether he's making plays or finishing plays."
On where improvements can be made with special teams ... "It's a work in progress. We knew what to expect from them; they executed better than we did. I thought our power play looked really dangerous, too, but we didn't finish. We have to keep working on it. I think we're better than we were a week ago, but we still end up on the minus side in our special teams, and you're not going to win a lot of games that way."
U-M Sophomore Forward Tyler Motte
On his third-period goal that tied the game ... "I came back on a backcheck; we had two to three guys down in the corner, and they went D to D. Tony (Calderone) gave me a pass while I was filling in as the center down low below our goal line, and I just tried to get the puck back up ice with a little speed. I had (Andrew) Copp with me on the outside, and I just saw a hole and beat the guy wide. [The puck] was on my backhand, so I tried to get it back to my forehand and put it to the net, and it somehow got through. I'm not exactly sure where it snuck through, but a goal's a goal."
On where improvements can be made with special teams ... "From a special teams standpoint we've been getting better as the year's gone on. We've had a couple bad bounces, one off the pad and one off someone's stick, so it's just kind of the way it's gone for us this year. Besides that, our special teams were better. Our power play got a lot of chances and a lot of pucks on net, which is good to see. We're moving forward on the special teams side of things."
On whether or not it's just a matter of finishing chances when they present themselves ... "Definitely. We made some units and groups and set up some things that way. We're trying to take it one step at a time and find out the right way it works. It's a process for us."
U-M Sophomore Goaltender Zach Nagelvoort
On the near-goal from RPI with about one minute left in the third period ... "It was a good shot. I don't know which defensemen we had out there, but someone threw their stick out, and it got redirected. I watched it all the way over my shoulder and saw it go up to the corner and out the other side, so when they went to review it I knew it wasn't in. It was a good shot; that redirection got away from me pretty quick, but it ended up working out."
On where improvements can be made with special teams ... "The goal in the first period (during their power play), I was a little disappointed. I made the first save, and it's on me to smother that puck up, and instead they got two or three chances and ended up getting through me. I think our guys did a good job boxing guys out in front of me; I just have to eat that puck up."
On the relief of coming out on the winning side in a close game ... "It feels good for us, especially because (tonight) was a lot like last weekend's Friday night game, except we were on the other side of it. It's nice to see how two shifts can really change the momentum of a game and change the outcome. It was good for us to see what we're made of at the end of the third period there and come out on top."
