Wisconsin Postgame Quotes
Wisconsin Head Coach Mike Eaves
Opening Statement:
"First of all I think the key to the game tonight was the start of the game and getting the early lead. We talked with our team that having a great start is ultimately a very pivotal time of the game. We were able to get that tonight. I think the second pivotal thing about tonight was the fact that when the Huskies responded with a goal, we countered back in a short amount of time and kind of got the energy back on our side. I think those were two pivotal points of the game. My congratulations to St. Cloud. They have a lot of heart and soul. They played a lot of hockey lately and you can tell they are banged up. They put their hearts and souls on the ice for each other and they can walk out of this building with their heads held high."

On the team:
"I do not think there is just one aspect that has happened. I think, first of all, we are blessed to have some awfully talented young men. Let's not forget that these young men have some natural skill that coaches do not teach. They have tremendous work ethics and they have come together and been selfless, putting their personal agendas aside and being able to focus on the team. We talked about the chemistry that we have this year with our four that have helped us to be offensive and the chemistry with the defensive pairings and we have had both goalies play well this year. It has been all those things that have come together and they have become a really tight unit."

On goals from unexpected sources:
"When you get down to this time of year you are looking for offense from anybody and everybody. To have John (Mitchell) step up that speaks to the depth that this team has displayed all year. That is the kind of thing that you need to have happen if you are going to win these games and we had people step up at the right time and it was good to see."

On St. Cloud State's goaltender Mike Lee:
"I think with all young goaltenders that are played very well, the message to your team is that you need to get pucks and bodies to the net and then make him make saves. Early in the game we were able to get pucks that he did not control very well. We were able to get the rebounds and that is the simple truth. (John Mitchell) driving to the net and slipping one in and a rebound by Jake Gardner. The message was to get pucks on Mike (Lee) from wherever you could and see if we could drive the net and get some rebounds and that is what ultimately we did there early in the game."  

On Wisconsin's physical play:
"It was an emphasis tonight, especially in the first period because we felt that against Vermont last night in the first period we did not win very many races and did not win many battles. It was an emphasis tonight and it was contributing factor in terms of getting the lead that we did."

 Wisconsin Senior Center Blake Geoffrion
On the feeling of getting to the Frozen Four:
"It feels incredible. I know a lot of senior have worked since our freshman year, coming in after a championship team and seeing how those guys work and how hard they work. So for us to get the opportunity to possibly go to the national championship game is an incredible feeling right now but the job's not done yet."

On getting offense from John Mitchell:
"We talked a lot about our strengths as well as our depth. Mithcy stepped up in a huge game. You talked about the monkey on his back. Mitchy does a lot of others good things for us all year long, playing physical, always being a supporter of the guys on the ice, on the bench, talking guys up and keeping it going. Just because he hasn't scored for a long time doesn't mean he's not part of this team and doing stuff for us. I commend Mitchy on that. He stepped up big time tonight and I'm proud of him and he got two huge goal for us."

Wisconsin Junior Defenseman Ryan McDonagh
On playing Wisconsin hockey and the loss to St. Cloud earlier in the season:
"A lot of it was redemption. We just played them and we didn't perform the way we wanted to. The second thing is what was at stake, a trip to the Frozen Four. Our guys worked so hard since this summer and during this season and I don't think we wanted to let that opportunity slip away. I think our guys came to play right from the start and we did a good job."

Wisconsin Senior Left Wing John Mitchell
On getting the monkey off his back in terms of scoring goals:
"It hasn't been too big. Right now it's about team, getting here to regionals and then on to the Frozen Four. I've just been trying to do my part, pick up my play when some other guys aren't scoring and then backing those players up. So it hasn't been too big at all."