Opening statement from head coach Keith Allain
Allain: I thought it was a hard-fought game, and I think BU’s a very good team. Well-coached. I wish them luck going forward in the tournament.
After second period, with 1-0 lead, was that the style you wanted to play against BU? What changed?
Senior Trent Ruffolo: I guess the first part of that, our goal was to get the get the first goal of the game, it was definitely our mission. I don’t think anything changed on our end, but I think they may have picked it up a bit, I thought it was a pretty even-matched game, especially toward the end here.
After you kill off penalty in overtime, did you think you had a chance?
Ruffolo: Yeah, we looked to take any momentum off of that kill. Our goal was, going into overtime, to take it out of their control first, and we’ll get it back to our game.
What will you remember about seniors?
Ruffolo: I don’t know if I can explain that. My classmates are some of my best friends at school. It’s definitely hard to go out like this but I think that’s what makes it special, we are such a close class.
Pace of first period — did early effort come back to bite you?
Ruffolo: I disagree with that. I don’t think that we held back at all. I think that’s exactly the style of play that Yale hockey should be associated with. I don’t think that bit us in the butt at all. That’s just how we play.
How much of a battling team did you have this year?
Ruffolo: Yeah, I guess that’s pretty much our character all year long. We fought … I feel like that’s part of our identity as a team, we fight till the very end. And it works out that it had to end the way it ended.
BU getting upper hand in second half of game? What changed?
Allain: I think they had three strong plays. The shot total got run up with the power plays.
After two periods, with lead, did you have them exactly where you wanted?
Allain: Well, exactly where I wanted to be was up 4-0 after two (laughter). But it was the kind of game we thought it would be. We felt it would be to our advantage if they were chasing us rather than us chasing them, but that’s not exactly what it would be.
Impressions of Eichel?
Allain: We went up against a great BU team, first of all. But I think Jack’s a terrific player, he’s probably the best player in college hockey this year, and he’s only a freshman. And I think he’s got a really, really bright future ahead of him.
Consistency of team?
Allain: I think this team has overachieved, and I agree that they have been consistent in in-game performances. And it’s really because of their consistency in their approach. I can’t think of two practices in the past six months where I wasn’t happy with the effort they gave, the energy they brought or the mental preparation they brought to practice. And I think we need to practice like that on a daily basis, and things go back to being consistent on the weekends and that’s what this group was.
How proud are you of the achievement after uncertainty of making tournament in first place?
Allain: I’ve had pride in this group all year long, that Harvard series was a heck of a series and we ended up losing that in overtime, but I was extremely proud of my team after that series. I guess I’m not thinking about pride right now because this is what I expect from this group. This is what they are, this is what they do. So they’re just being themselves.
Scoring opportunities off turnovers?
Allain: I think it’s what we try to do on a game-to-game basis. We consider ourselves a strong forechecking team, we like to apply pressure on the puck all over the ice, and do that effectively. Not just with one guy but with all five guys kind of acting in concern with creating turnovers.
How surprised about penalty with 10 seconds remaining?
Allain: I don’t have any problems with the officiating out there tonight, if that’s your question.
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