Interview with Men's Ice Hockey Coach: Craig Russell

I had the privilege of interviewing the PSU Men's Hockey Coach Craig Russell last week to catch-up on what happened over Winter Break. Coach Russell's team is currently first in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), and has his team poised to make another post-season run, just like they did during last season. 

Eric Brill (EB)- "So you guys are currently 14-6 overall, and 10-3 in the MASCAC. How do you feel about the team at this point of the year compared to this time last year?"

Craig Russell (CR)- "We are definitely at a different point this year compared to last year. At this point last year, we were really hitting our stride, while this year we are struggling to put the puck in the back of the net. The powerplay is really struggling. We are going to make some adjustments today at practice, so hopefully we will see those benefits tomorrow (vs. Framingham State). It is all about hitting your stride in the last week or two of the season. Time is running out, but we still have time to get there. I like our chances once we get to the playoffs; we just have to get there."

EB- "As far as the last five games, do you think of the UMass Dartmouth game as being the biggest game, since they are the highest ranked opponent left on the schedule?"

CR- "I don't think that UMass Dartmouth is as good as last year. I think that Westfield is the number two team, without question, if not better then us. They have certainly proved, head-to-head, they are better then us. I think we are a couple of bounces away from being far and away the top team, we just have to figure out how to get those bounces."

EB- "Going back to Westfield, for all intends and purposes they have been one-goal games (Plymouth defeated Westfield 3-2, but has also lost to Westfield 2-3, and 4-6 on an empty net goal in the latter game). It seems like it is a given that you guys are going to play them in the MASCAC championship game."

CR- "I would hope so! I want that game here. I want it in front of our fans. I want it in our building. I want our atmosphere. They are pretty sick in the head, so they will thrive in that too, but it will be a good atmosphere and something that we can harness that energy and use it where it will turn into different things that they (Westfield) aren't use to. With all the new kids on that team, it will be an eye opener. We obviously want to hold onto that top spot. If we are lucky enough to host the championship game against Westfield, it could be an incredible game, maybe another double overtime game. If we are going to play them again, I definitely want to play it here."

EB- "With the overtime win that you guys had against them (Westfield) with Dave Walters' shorthanded goal, have you found that to be the highlight of the season thus far?"

CR- "It was pretty exciting! We honestly had no business being in that game with the amount of guys we had injured. We battled, and we found out a way, and we got a couple of bounces, and were able to put those bounces into the net. The excitement was definitely there, it was definitely the most exciting, but the highlights of the year are yet to come. The end of the year is pretty special, no matter where you are in the standings. But at this point, for sure it is the highlight."

EB- "Before that game, you guys had a four game stretch where you lost to Castleton twice, Oswego, and beat Babson. With that 1-3 stretch, did you find a lot of ways to improve off of that stretch alone?"

CR- "Yeah, those are very good teams. We were missing some key guys after the Oswego tournament and during the Oswego tournament, a few of our better players were battling sickness. It was an interesting time of the year, to say the least. We battled through it, and definitely came together. When you play those good teams, it allows you to see ways to improve, and that definitely helped us with the Westfield game, and even more so in the Framingham game; we were able to beat them 7-1. We were ahead of them 4-0 after the first, and that was when it really paid off. You always want to schedule good teams, you want to see what you are made of, no matter what time of the year, no matter what guys you have out, guys are sick or whatever. You have to find out what your team is made of, know who you can count on down the stretch."

EB- "With the Oswego game, I feel like that was the first time you have gone against a really superior opponent in a bit. Did you have that game circled on your calendar?"

CR- "Yeah, we scheduled it last year, and we were all looking forward to it. I am not sure that they were necessarily that superior, I think with all of the penalties that happened in the first period, that definitely gave them an edge, as their powerplay was fantastic. I think if we play a 5-on-5 period, we are pretty close. If we can play an even game with them as far as powerplay and special teams go, I think it's a close game. I think if it's a seven game series, I think it goes six or seven games. I like our team, I like our make-up, it is just a matter of getting everyone into the line-up that we got."

EB- "Since you were missing so many guys, did that give you that much more confidence looking towards the NCAA tournament, assuming you get that far?"

CR- "Yeah, we weren't scared, and that was the big thing. I didn't want the guys to be overwhelmed by any talent that was on the other teams no matter who we are playing. That wasn't the case, and I know that if we meet them again in the NCAA tournament, it is going to be a much better game, and a much different game. They know it wasn't a 6-2 game. There captain said to me "you guys are a good team", and I appreciated that, that was classy of him to say that, and their coaching staff said the same thing.

EB- "Alex Cottle and Kyle Greco are approaching 100 points on their careers (Note: Cottle achieved this against Framingham State last Saturday). How have they shaped the program to what it is now?"

CR- "Cottle has just been a straight play-maker since he got here. He has been on our top-two lines all four years he has been here, and been on our powerplay all four years. He is definitely a leader, and tells it how it is. He calls out guys in the locker room when they need to be called out, so he gains the respect from the guys from that aspect. He makes the guys that he plays with better, and there is a lot of respect gained from that, too. Kyle Greco is different; he wasn't here his freshman year, he transfered in. I had seen him play a lot in junior hockey, and I knew the success he had, he was going to be successful here. He had an injury his first year here, battled through it, and had an injury his junior year as well. He has been a consistent points producer at every level he's been at. It isn't surprising that they are both approaching 100. It is a testament to their hard work, battling through their injuries, and being guys that we could rely on for a long time."  

EB- "As far as the seniors go, there are a decent amount of seniors that get a decent amount of playing time. Talk about them, either as a whole or individuals, what they mean to the team."

CR- "JC Richardson means more then anyone just because of the command he gets in the room without saying a word. He can walk in, and everyone knows he is the dad. When he speaks, guys listen. He doesn't yell at guys, he doesn't call anyone out, he is very laid back. When it comes time for business, he is going to talk, and he is going to say the right thing, almost every time. If I am going to start a program, I am going to start with a guy like JC. Richie Zobak is right there as well. He has been a great guy for us for four years, and is a hard worker and battles, and is a great kid. Jack, in goal, has been special, very special for us. Every good team needs a great goalie, and Jack is a special kid. Being from Sweden, it was a big gamble for him to come out here, not knowing if he was going to like it, as far as different food and a different atmosphere, a different everything. He loved it immediately, and everyone else embraced him as well, and that really helped his transition."

EB- "His (Jack Astedt's) numbers this year, 2.34 goals against average, which is 19th in the country, and a save percentage of 92.5% is 9th in the nation. How has his performance this year helped you guys significantly?" 

CR- "He had a little bit of a slow start. He battled some injuries through the season, so he wasn't able to be in the weight room and wasn't on the ice with the guys. Once he got going, he was a catalyst. He will make those game-breaking saves that we need. We know he won't give up those soft goals. He is going to give up one every now and then, every goalie does, but we know it won't happen again for a long time. That is something Jack has always been, very consistent. When you have a goalie that will make those game-breaking saves, that is a big deal." 

EB- "So is there something you are looking for in the last five games of the season, or is it that momentum you were talking about?"

CR- "We need special teams to be better on both ends, and Jack is a big part of that with the penalty kill. He has been good for us. Special teams have to be better, and goal-scoring overall. I think once we get certain guys back in the line-up that have been out for a while, that is going to change. It is just a matter of finding the right chemistry on the lines to roll into the playoffs.

EB- "To wrap it up, what are your expectations for the rest of the year?"

CR- "The Frozen Four for Division III is in Lake Placid this year, just like it has been for the past few years. That has been our goal to get to Lake Placid. We want to be one of the last four teams standing at the end of the year. Last year, we were two wins away from doing it. This year, I know we are a better team, we have more depth. It is just a matter of getting those guys back, and counting a lot on their experience. The playoffs are a different animal; it is a one-and-done scenario. It is really difficult, and you are fighting for your life every night. Can we get there? Absolutely. The road to Lake Placid has been our motto. I really, really think we are close; only time will tell.