BU head coach Albie O’Connell spoke to the press today on a Hockey East championship weekend conference call. Here are the best bits from the coach’s comments, categorized by topic.
On the season:
“We came basically from a lot of really good individuals into becoming a team.”
“[The season turned around] when we went down to UConn.”
“We had a meeting after [the UConn game]”.
“If we play on the right side of the puck, it gives us a lot better chance to win.”
“It was all team stuff.” (What the team needed to fix)
“From [the UConn series] on, we played a little bit tighter, a little bit better in the neutral zone, a little bit more commitment to playing on the right side of the puck, which has obviously let to better results.”
“I like our teams chances when we play the right way.”
“It took us a long time as a team to learn how to win and play the right way.”
On the future of the program:
“It’s important…that we get guys who are going to be here for four years.”
“It’s nice to get Farabee, and Jack Eichel, and Clayton Keller, but those guys don’t stay long so it’s important that we get guys who are going to be here for four years so when you get in the battles at this time of year, you’ve got guys who have gone through it.”
“Moving forward, if you look at some of the guys we do have coming in, we’ve got some young, really good young players coming in, but we’ve also mixed it in there with some guys we know will be around a little longer.”
On Northeastern:
“We’re excited to play, no matter who we’re going to play.”
“They’ve got a lot of veteran guys.”
“They’ve got one of the best goalies in the country.” (referring to Cayden Primeau)
“We’re going to have our hands full playing them.”
“We won and tied one at the start of the year…so this will kind of be the rubber match.”
“[Northeastern] always bring a really good crowd.”
“We’re both used to playing at the Garden.”
“[We] know that it’s probably going to be a pretty close game.”
On Hockey East Championship Weekend:
“We really look forward to this upcoming weekend.”
“We haven’t had great success at the neutral sites this year.”
“We’re worried about winning one game and moving on.”
“It’s an event, and it’s a good accomplishment – it’s not a great accomplishment yet, but it’s a good accomplishment to get there.”
“I’m hoping that the BU faithful will come out.”