2003 East Regional
NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship
Press Conference Quotes
Friday, March 28, 2003

Press Conference Audio

Head Coach Mike Schafer:
"The guys have done a great job of staying focused. The two losses last year against Harvard (in the ECAC Championship) and UNH (in the NCAA Quarterfinals) have been the driving force for us to come back and post the record we have this year."

Thinking ahead to the Frozen Four
"Going to Buffalo has been our goal since the beginning of the year. Everything has been pointed to get to Buffalo, and to get there we have to win tough games against tough opponents. Of course we're thinking about a National Title. Anyone who hasn't thought about it, doesn't allow themselves and their kids to dream. That's what college hockey is all about."

On the contrast in styles
Obviously Mankato has been well-written about and it's well known that they play up-tempo, they skate well, they are very skilled; but, name a team in this tournament that isn't. They have a great power-play and premier players like Joseph, Stevenson, Bassett, and Abel. They can get around the ice. Everyone keeps pointing to our defense, but we're a pretty competent team in our offensive end. We're very aggressive in our approach to the game. It's not like we pull everyone into the neutral zone and just wait."

Senior Captain Doug Murray:
"We're happy to be back here this year. We've been thinking about it since losing in the quarterfinals last year. We're looking forward to getting back out there to play to try to win a national championship."

On goaltender Dave LeNeveu
"He's a very good goaltender. You'll see this week. He's been great for us this year. You can't argue with those statistics, not just his goals against, but his save percentage"

"Positioning [makes him great]. He's so sound in goal, incredibly quick and always in the right spot."

"A defenseman playing with a good goaltender behind him makes his job so much easier. You play better defense if you don't try to stop every shot ... When you do mess up, he's there to back us up."

On the team's aggressive strategy when playing with a lead
"I think that's something we've focused on this year. We try not to sit back when we have the lead and let teams get back in. This year we've done a much better job of staying aggressive. That's made us better."

Senior Captain Stephen Baby:
"We're excited with the way we are playing and ready to get the tournament started tomorrow."

On the Cornell defense:
"Our solid defense generates offense. They are the hardest working guys I've played with my four years here."

"We've played this style all year and we've been quite successful at it."

Sophomore Dave LeNeveu:
"We've had a great run in the playoffs and we are looking to carry that momentum and play for the national championship."

On facing limited shots in goal
"It's difficult to stay focussed throughout the game when I'm not facing many shots. I try to make sure that I stay mobile and I visualize make saves and being in the right position. I go over all the possibilities and try to draw upon my experiences to stay focussed."