GAMEDAY @ SLU

Brett got a chance to talk with Coach Roll yesterday, here are some of the highlights:

CHF: Give us your take on the past weekend at RPI and Union.

Roll: I thought we played well for six periods of hockey. We got off to a rough start at RPI but even then we didn't give up any grade A chances. We got up then gave up one but got it back on a beautiful goal by Steve Zalewski. I felt it was a very nice road win.

The next night we didn't finish our grade A chances, but overall we were pleased with our effort, just not the end result.

CHF: After playing a rival and with SLU coming in Tuesday, Union was a classic trap game. Was the team looking past Union at all?

Roll: Absolutely not. We did not look past them, they are a good team and we just didn't finish our chances. To say that they didn't put the effort in would be incorrect. Union is a good team, I can't stress that enough. Fox is a great player and we saw the goal on the tape today. It was a really good goal that beat us. We we're pleased with our effort, just not our result.

CHF: Looking ahead to SLU, what do you expect from the Saints on Tuesday?

Roll: They are probably the hardest working team in the league, and playing some of their best hockey right now. They are ultra aggressive on the forecheck and we need to stay out of the box and keep it it five on five.

We know this is a huge game in the standings for us to get back in the hunt for the league championship. Appelton is a tough building to play in and it should be an awesome college hockey atmosphere. We need to ride that emotion and try to jump out early.

CHF: What's the status of Shea Guthrie? Will he play?

Roll: We're hopeful that Shea can return to the lineup, but we wont know for sure until we get a look at him on the ice today.

CHF: Looking ahead you have six of you next ten games at home, do you see this as an advantage?

Roll: Right now we haven't been great at home, so I really don't see an advantage playing at home. I think we're at a point we're it really doesn't matter where we play. You obviously want to win at home but we've had some of our best games on the road this year.

CHF: Right now you're getting most of your production from you junior class, would you like to see anyone else step up and start scoring?

Roll: Right now we are really committed to team defense. We know we're going to score goals and it's just a matter of time. Mike Sullivan has really elevated his game since Christmas but has nothing to show for it. I think D'Alvise has also played some of his best hockey since the break but has little to show on the score sheet. But the team has really come together defensively and they are putting the team ahead of individual stats right now.

CHF: In this last stretch the team hasn't given up more than two goals in any game, what do you attribute this to?

Roll: I keep going back to St. Cloud, and that's when it really took hold. We were trying to win every game 8-7 or 6-5 and when we ran into St. Cloud we realized that we could not play that style of hockey. We made some changes and our practice style carried over to games.

CHF: Have you ever had a team play like this before, with a strong commitment to defense?

Roll: Yeah, in Oswego during our NCAA run they played with a real team commitment to defense. I can say it enough, I was pleased with our effort Saturday night. The 2-1 loss in overtime, that's hockey. But I felt we played our game and I'm not gonna fault anyone for the loss.

CHF: Do you keep tabs on the PWR or any national rankings?

Roll: No. We haven't changed our approach, we are concerned right now with St. Lawrence tomorrow. We got a little caught up in it when we started out 6-1-1, then we lost four straight. It is our goal to make the NCAA tournament, but we aren't concerned with were we stand right now. There's too much hockey left to play.

---

Clarkson looks to sweep Saints for the first time since 1998.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the day.