Postgame Quotes: #9 Michigan 5, Niagara 0
10/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Oct. 4, 2011
Recap | Notes | Photo Gallery 
Michigan Head Coach Red Berenson
On the game ... "I liked our start better tonight. In particular, I thought we were opportunistic when we got lucky around the net and some goals went in that on another night would not have gone in. On our end, (Shawn) Hunwick was a big factor in the game in the second period especially. Even though we outscored them in the second and had a comfortable lead, we did not outplay them and that is the coach's problem. We will keep working on those things. We feel good about the score, and we feel good about players getting some confidence. Winning your first real hockey game of the year, that is all positive."
On where U-M will find offense ..."When we looked at our team, we knew the juniors needed to step up. (Chris) Brown stepped up and had a nice shot, and we know he can score. Lindsay (Sparks) has been a question mark whether he can score and good for him. I have always thought he has got a lot of skill and we hope he can finish and he is starting to finish so good for him. I think we will get some offense from our defense from time to time, but we have got a lot of forwards that have a chance to score. They just have to capitalize."
On continuing to improve the penalty kill unit ... "One way to work on it is in the games obviously. We have got a shorter group of guys that we are using now on the PK and there are some other guys that I do not know if they are ready for that. We cannot use everyone, we can only use six forwards tonight and they are doing a better job. Your goalkeeper is your best penalty killer. Then scoring shorthanded goals is important too, because that gives everyone a lift."
On Lindsay Sparks' play ..."Lindsay I think is playing with a lot more jump, a lot more confidence and he is playing with a sense of urgency. He was in and out of the lineup last year and he did not play in the playoffs and he knew that it was because of his defensive lackadaisicalness. He also knew that he had to capitalize on his chances and he is doing that now. I have seen it right from day one; he has looked like a better hockey player. He might be one of our most skilled players and if he can continue to produce he is going to help our team a lot."
U-M Junior Forward Lindsay Sparks
On offensive play ... "It's huge for my confidence. Our line was clicking tonight and everything seemed to be shot and find the back of the net. So when you have games like that where it seems to fall into your lap, you run with it and build off of it."
On improving from last year ... "Definitely battling, especially in the corners and down low. Things like that, becoming a more and more reliable player, stronger on the puck, it just comes with time -- I'm a third-year player now and you watch older guys battle in the corners and you learn how to do it kind of, so I just came back with a bit more confidence in that and I'm trying to use that right now."
U-M Senior Goaltender Shawn Hunwick
On how the team performed on penalty kills ... "We did a pretty good job today, we had a lot of new guys in there -- you know a lot of our PK guys from last year graduated, so there's a lot of roles to fill. Travis Lynch comes up, he's doing well in the PK then gets a shorthanded goal, so there's spots to be filled, but the team is doing well so far, after our first game."
On starting off the season with a team shutout ... "It's a good feeling. I was really happy Adam (Janecyk) got in there and was able to make eight saves. Down the stretch a lot of people are probably saying the same thing about him as they said about me, so it's nice to get him in there and get him an opportunity to play at Yost in front of the crowd. For myself, I was feeling the puck pretty good today. Maybe too many rebounds, I'll try to work on that in the next few weeks, but I thought the save in the second period when the score was 2-0 was a pretty good save for myself and for the team."
