3/26/2010 - MEN'S ICE HOCKEY Beavers close in on Midwest Regional Semifinal

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NCAA Tournament activities got underway today as the Bemidji State University men's ice hockey team and the rest of the Midwest Regional field took to the ice at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum for a practice and then met with the media. The Beavers take on Michigan tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. for the right to take one step toward the 2010 Frozen Four.

Here are some excerpts from this afternoon's pre-game press conference.

NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Midwest Regional
March 26, 2010 | Allen County War Memorial Coliseum | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Bemidji State Quotes

Head Coach: Tom Serratore

Opening Statement
We're just excited to be in Fort Wayne, Indiana to represent Bemidji State University, the region and the community in this tournament. We are excited to be here. We have a couple of alumni living in the area who played for the Fort Wayne Komets, and we're ready to drop the puck and we're excited to play Michigan. I want to congratulate Alabama-Huntsville for making it to the tournament from the CHA.

On if there is any urgency this year...
I think we all dream of going to the Frozen Four again. But to talk about going to the Frozen Four is a little premature right now. We are playing the University of Michigan, who has went to the NCAA tournament 20 consecutive years, who has 25 wins, who has probably the highest tradition of any team in college hockey right now. We just have to worry about tomorrow night.

On the intensity of Thursday night's practice...
That's our Thursday night practice. I know guys know it. There is no message to be sent right there. We had a good sweat, get the heart rate up. We try to play at that tempo during a game. That's our Thursday practice. We're just trying to get up and down the ice, and work on our skills.

On change of team from this last year to this year...
We don't talk about that. We just play. The difference is this team has been more consistent throughout the year. We only have nine losses. We are one of a few teams to have single digits in losses. We have won 10 or 11 games on the road. I think we've been very consistent.

Matt Read

On going up against Michigan...
Michigan is a great team overall. Good teams start at the backend. They have a great defensive core. We have to win puck battles in our corner, and out work them the whole game on every shot. Hopefully they'll make mistakes and we can capitalize on them.

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On match up against other team's top line...
I'll tell you when the game is over (laughs). We like our role and take pride in. It's just a great challenge for us every weekend. Tomorrow is going to be no different, it will be a challenge.

Brad Hunt On what you have been thinking about the last two weeks...
I think we've been thinking about this the whole time. We wanted to be here this whole year and now it's here. We want to get the game verse Michigan going that's all we have been worrying about since we played them, and I think we match up fine against them.