Mike Kemp
Mike Kemp
aiming competing fact inception last level nine program proud reached since team time
We've been aiming for this day for a long time since the inception of the program back in 1996-97. So nine years in, we're very proud of the fact that our program has reached a level in which our team is one of the last 16 competing in the nation. For us, that's a very big step.
conference constant diminish ended improvement national player positives scoring season seeing taking teams top year
Obviously, we're taking away a lot of positives for the season. We've got a national scoring leader, conference player of the year and we're one of the top scoring teams in the nation. I think we're seeing a constant improvement in this team. The way the season ended doesn't diminish what the accomplishments were this year.
battle continued fight ourselves proud scrap team
I?m proud of the way our team continued to scrap and fight and battle ourselves back into the game.
against amount anytime bowling breathing explosive front good lead score team
It was good to get some breathing room. Anytime you've got a one-goal lead against a team that's as offensively explosive as Bowling Green, you're never real comfortable. With the amount of firepower they have up front they can score at any time.
ability both challenge ended four games great hockey ice league season similar somebody teams tied winning
They're a great hockey team, so it's going to be a challenge. Obviously, we both ended up tied in the league for a reason. We're both very similar hockey teams in ability and it will be a challenge to go in there... Winning four games on somebody else's ice in a season is a challenge.
area physical team took wall
They were a much more physical team than we were. The back wall was an area where they really took it to us.
bill both certainly ends hope ice played player production replace rest step team
He played both ends of the ice very solidly and very consistently. You don't replace the kind of production you get from a player like Bill Thomas; you just hope the rest of the team can step up. He is certainly a one of a kind player.
certainly compete frankly gratifying great hope hoping longer national opportunity selection stay step talked tournament
This to us is a gratifying accomplishment to be here. But it's certainly not the culmination of what we feel is our season, or the culmination of what we are hoping to do as a program. This is just the start. We talked about this after the selection show. It's great to have the opportunity to compete in the national tournament and be here to play. But frankly for us, it's one step in what we hope is a longer stay in the tournament.
action diminish northern period pressure saw second stood tables turned zone
You can't diminish the contribution (Kaufmann) made tonight. Northern really turned the tables between the first and second period We were hemmed in our zone a lot, so he saw a lot of action down there and under the pressure he stood up very well.
came guys proud took
I was really proud of the way our guys came out and took it to them in the first period.
gifted good group high parse profile top
We're a pretty good goal-scoring team, top to bottom. Parse is the high profile guy, but we've got a group of gifted scorers.
might point turning
I think that might have been a turning point in the game.
bowling career coaching course great green joe memorable national night played winning won year
Over the course of my career there's been many that have been memorable...without reservation, the most memorable night I've ever had coaching was not winning the National Championship, that was a great night. But it probably was the night we played Bowling Green and won here to go to the Joe in our first year of our program.
effect northern playing positive
I think it's going to have a very positive effect on our team. When we went up to Northern Michigan, we were really banged up. We were playing at about 75 percent.