Latest / Coaches Corner / WHOC Coach Chris Mackenzie - Media Day Sept 29

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WHOC Coach Chris Mackenzie - Media Day Sept 29 · Coaches Corner

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: We have high expectations this year.
• 0:02
  Speaker 2: Back to back regular season champions.
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: In Hockey East.
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  Speaker 2: We have lofty goals to keep raising our program. A
• 0:11
  Speaker 2: solid opponent like Saint Cloud is a good measure nationally
• 0:15
  Speaker 2: to see where we're at, and we are looking to
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  Speaker 2: have a strong non conference record this year and hopefully
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  Speaker 2: have a great weekend against Saint Cloud.
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  Speaker 1: Questions with Tia.
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  Speaker 3: Obviously, she's been being a tandem with Megan the last
• 0:33
  Speaker 3: couple of years, So what does the strategy for goaltending
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  Speaker 3: look like this year with Tia and you know, a
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  Speaker 3: couple of other faces in the see we.
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  Speaker 2: Got we can lean on Tia for sure and her experience.
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  Speaker 2: Really happy with our other two goaltenders. They saw action
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  Speaker 2: in our exhibition game with Quinnipiac. But you know, when
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  Speaker 2: you're returning your first team All Star goaltender, I think
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  Speaker 2: that's something we're going to look to rely on right
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  Speaker 2: away and go from there. So I really like our
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: freshman Taylor Belchez. She's looked well. She'll need a little
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: more seasoning and then, but she'll get in this year too.
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  Speaker 4: What about picking up Julian Peller in the transferport one
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  Speaker 4: of the top freshmen league last year.
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  Speaker 2: How she impact you guys, She's got I think if
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  Speaker 2: you talk to our team, she's got a lot of
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  Speaker 2: speed and skill. Every practice she does something offensively that
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: you know, we we haven't had a lot of that
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  Speaker 2: on our team over the years, So I think it's
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  Speaker 2: a welcome addition. She's fit right in, working hard and
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  Speaker 2: part of the team.
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  Speaker 3: Coach, your senior class has stayed together all four years.
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  Speaker 1: What can you say to that experience.
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  Speaker 3: And just having that as a group of kids to
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  Speaker 3: leave them?
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  Speaker 2: And I would say that group, this group, here are
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  Speaker 2: these seniors they I think they know they've learned from
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  Speaker 2: some good leaders over the past years. They have experienced
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  Speaker 2: they can lean on, and they'll evolve as seniors from.
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  Speaker 1: When they were their freshman year.
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  Speaker 2: So I think any good measure of a team is
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  Speaker 2: student athlete led.
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  Speaker 1: They lead themselves. Uh and I'm.
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  Speaker 2: Just showing up and coaching. It makes life a lot easier.
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  Speaker 2: I think they know that. But no, this this group,
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  Speaker 2: they've they've evolved and we just have to see how
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  Speaker 2: we react when adversity hits and go from there.
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  Speaker 4: What does that say to.
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  Speaker 3: You, though, that you've been able to retain.
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  Speaker 4: Them with the culture that's been built here in the
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  Speaker 4: building makes them want to stay.
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  Speaker 2: And be here through their corporate You're going to have
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  Speaker 2: to ask them if it you know, if it was
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  Speaker 2: you know, I really don't know. You're making me blush.
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  Speaker 1: Uh, yeah, I really.
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  Speaker 2: I We try to create as as a coaching staff,
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  Speaker 2: we try to create an environment, uh, for growth, and
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  Speaker 2: environment that they enjoy the game they're playing and all
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  Speaker 2: the while understanding it's a challenging environment, but uh, you
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  Speaker 2: know that's that's part of it, and accepting it and
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  Speaker 2: being basically comfortable in an uncomfortable environment for growth.
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: When you're in the recruiting trail, how often and how
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  Speaker 3: exciting is it to be able to mention.
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  Speaker 1: The draft now and.
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  Speaker 3: Sort of say, hey, we get girls to go on
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  Speaker 3: and play professional hockey And that conversation wasn't five years.
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  Speaker 2: Ago that you were able to have that, right, Well,
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  Speaker 2: that's certainly for the growth of women's hockey. That's a
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  Speaker 2: great thing. It's really nice that some of our players
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  Speaker 2: are drafted. We're really looking to get to know players
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  Speaker 2: and I think they already know that information. I don't
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  Speaker 2: really have to even repeat it, but it's something that
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  Speaker 2: I think going forward is going to be more of
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  Speaker 2: a touch point. But yeah, we're happy that and those
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  Speaker 2: players are going to be coming back to training with
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  Speaker 2: us shortly too, so that's a good thing too.
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  Speaker 1: But yeah, we're on the holistic side.
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  Speaker 2: We're happy with the growth of women's hockey and I
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  Speaker 2: think that's we're a part of that in some way,
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  Speaker 2: which is great.
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  Speaker 3: With the growth of your program and the success, how
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  Speaker 3: has that increased the talentble of players that you're able
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  Speaker 3: to now get that maybe you couldn't get.
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  Speaker 2: It's actually it's funny, thanks for asking that. It's actually
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  Speaker 2: shrunk the number of people we've had to look at.
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  Speaker 2: So maybe traditionally we're looking at maybe fifty names.
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  Speaker 1: Now it's thirty. We can fill our class with less names.
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  Speaker 2: It's just it we're able to land those recruits a
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  Speaker 2: little bit maybe easier in some ways. So we're happy
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  Speaker 2: with our upcoming classes here, the one we'll be signing
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  Speaker 2: here in November, and even we're two years out so
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  Speaker 2: we finished that class already to for twenty seven, so
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  Speaker 2: you know, and then the transfer portal could potentially play
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  Speaker 2: a role there. You have to be open to that,
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  Speaker 2: and certainly that's been something that's helped this over the years.
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  Speaker 4: What about the current freshmen that you have, what do
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  Speaker 4: you like about that group and what have you seen
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  Speaker 4: from them.
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  Speaker 2: I'm just really happy with their work ethic, They're they're
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  Speaker 2: they're gonna they're gonna grow as the season goes on.
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  Speaker 2: We need our two freshman defensemen to really, you know,
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  Speaker 2: eight minutes up at some points this season.
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  Speaker 1: So yeah, it'll be a group.
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  Speaker 2: You'll see them, You'll see them evolve as the season
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  Speaker 2: goes on. We don't have to technically rely on them
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  Speaker 2: right now, but we're going to.
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  Speaker 1: Need them at some point.
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  Speaker 3: Did you know you were getting into eight straight years
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  Speaker 3: with the Grimley when.
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  Speaker 1: You started that whole process four years. Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a neat thing with the Grimley family, and
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  Speaker 2: they clearly established back here. This is their the bar here,
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  Speaker 2: this is the lounge. This is the Grimley Lounge. We
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  Speaker 2: call it because the whole family's there every weekend. But yeah,
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  Speaker 2: it's neat. Their parents if you don't know, their parents
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  Speaker 2: met here at Yukon and played so mom was a
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  Speaker 2: field hockey player, dad's ice hockey. Here we go, you know,
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  Speaker 2: a couple of children and they're both attending here. That's
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  Speaker 2: kind of a neat story. So they they probably love
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  Speaker 2: Yukon more than I do.
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  Speaker 1: I don't know. And is she one of the two
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  Speaker 1: defendmen that you're saying, yeah, yeah, they need to be going.
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  Speaker 2: We only have seven defense so we need all seven
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  Speaker 2: of them to play and contribute.
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  Speaker 5: Important that they have foundations clear and actually to build
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  Speaker 5: on to continue what you've done here.
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  Speaker 2: I think it's it's great to be able to lean
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  Speaker 2: on them.
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  Speaker 1: They're not even seniors yet.
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  Speaker 2: I can't believe it's actually his third year right now,
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  Speaker 2: but yeah, they we're going to lean on them a
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  Speaker 2: lot offensively and hopefully can provide that.
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  Speaker 1: And Claire's Claire's very.
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  Speaker 2: If your teammates described, we're very hard working, very committed,
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  Speaker 2: wants to get better, willing to do whatever it takes
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  Speaker 2: to just continue to elevate her game. So great first year,
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  Speaker 2: hoping to build on that or sophomore year.
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  Speaker 6: Does Claire's performance as a freshman kind of make it
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  Speaker 6: easier to push those freshmen that you need a little
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  Speaker 6: bit more out of coming into this year just using her.
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  Speaker 2: As an example, Yeah, I think it's it's an example
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  Speaker 2: of it doesn't matter how long you've been here, you
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  Speaker 2: can make a contribution at any point in your career.
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  Speaker 1: So it could be your freshman year, it could be
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  Speaker 1: your senior year.
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  Speaker 2: You're going to be able to have the opportunity to
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  Speaker 2: evolve and change your role. You're not just pigeonhole into
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  Speaker 2: something for the whole year. You're gonna be able to
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  Speaker 2: if you contribute and make it painfully obvious that you
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  Speaker 2: earn substantial minutes here, You're going to be able to
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  Speaker 2: do that as a freshman that she would be the
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  Speaker 2: best example of that.
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  Speaker 3: This may be a little in the leads, but in
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  Speaker 3: terms of Hockey East getting into be a conference that
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  Speaker 3: has multiple bids, Yeah, how did you navigate building a
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  Speaker 3: schedule and just sort of approaching that so that a
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  Speaker 3: regular season Hockey East championship should probably lead to a
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  Speaker 3: berth as well.
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  Speaker 2: In the NCAA Durnet as a league, we kind of
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  Speaker 2: we mirrored what the men have been doing for a
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  Speaker 2: number of years. We have an unbalanced schedule, so we're
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  Speaker 2: some teams were only we're playing three times, some teams
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  Speaker 2: were only playing twice. What that does is it opens
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  Speaker 2: up to ten non conference games. So now we have
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  Speaker 2: ten non conference games that we can use and build
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  Speaker 2: We used.
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  Speaker 1: To have seven.
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  Speaker 2: It wasn't really mathematically enough. Ten will give us a
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  Speaker 2: better chance at more bids in the NCAA tournament. We
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  Speaker 2: still have to perform, we still have to win more games,
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  Speaker 2: but collectively thirty more games for our league is going
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  Speaker 2: to give us an opportunity to you know, just a
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  Speaker 2: better mathematical opportunity to have more teams in a bid.
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  Speaker 2: It hasn't been selecting opponents on cover work out. It's
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  Speaker 2: up to It's up to each program and where they're at.
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  Speaker 2: We want to this will be this. The eight straight
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  Speaker 2: games we're about to play are probably the eight hardest
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  Speaker 2: I can think of as far as ranked opponents that
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  Speaker 2: we've had in the thirteen years I've been here. So
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  Speaker 2: we're you know, it sounds like a great.
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  Speaker 1: Idea right now.
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  Speaker 2: If you want to come back after eight games, I'll
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  Speaker 2: let you know where it's at.
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  Speaker 1: So we'll say maybe. But I think we're no matter what,
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  Speaker 1: we're going to.
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  Speaker 2: Grow and be better from it, regardless of what the
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  Speaker 2: record is. So I'm always looking ahead and we'll go
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  Speaker 2: from there.
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  Speaker 6: And if I told you thirteen years ago you have
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  Speaker 6: a schedule that you have now.
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  Speaker 2: The only thing I would agree is thirteen years ago,
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  Speaker 2: I would not have my hair.
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  Speaker 1: I already knew that.
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  Speaker 2: I didn't know I'd be sitting in this lobby with
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  Speaker 2: this utiful hockey arena.
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  Speaker 1: The schedule I know.
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  Speaker 2: I think I thought for sure if we could as
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  Speaker 2: a program build to that. I thought there was so
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  Speaker 2: much potential here and it's nice to see that it's
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  Speaker 2: coming to fruition.
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  Speaker 1: Do you just.
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  Speaker 4: Look at who you can get and try and get
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  Speaker 4: the best possible teams on the schedule, or do you
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  Speaker 4: have to try and balance the thought with well, I
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  Speaker 4: think we can play these guys competitively and maybe even
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  Speaker 4: get a win.
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  Speaker 2: You're trying, I think you want to have You want
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  Speaker 2: to find the best possible opponent and have success against them.
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  Speaker 1: So what you're looking for and you want it. You
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  Speaker 1: want to try to get.
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  Speaker 2: Teams from each of the other leagues if possible, So
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: W C, H A, E, C, A C. You know
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  Speaker 2: all of them, so if you can cherry pick out apart,
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  Speaker 2: you're in a good spot. It just helps your strength
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  Speaker 2: to schedule and that will help you with the national rankings.
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  Speaker 2: And then we're very familiar with Hockey East and what
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  Speaker 2: we need to do there and what we can do.
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  Speaker 3: There is that familiarity to with other coaches as far
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  Speaker 3: as building relationships to get those games.
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  Speaker 1: Is a hard schedule, I can yeah, but I think
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: this is a nice spot to come and play. I
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  Speaker 1: mean this is great.
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we coaches know each other and we all need games,
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  Speaker 2: so there's a definitely and most of the time it's reciprocal.
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  Speaker 2: So like next year, we will go back to Saint
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: Cloud just like they're coming to us here. So as
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  Speaker 2: long as you're doing that, I think you're in a
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: good spot, you'll be able to get games.
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  Speaker 5: So what excited you most about this year's team.
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  Speaker 2: It's just it's another chapter in a steady climb of
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  Speaker 2: our program. I'm excited with what we have. I see
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  Speaker 2: a lot of potential and I believe in the team.
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: And I wouldn't have booked a schedule like this if
• 10:38
  Speaker 2: I didn't believe we could be in a great spot.
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: So we were trying to be the best. We have
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  Speaker 2: to play the best, and we have to keep getting
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  Speaker 2: better as a program, and that's what we're doing.
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  Speaker 5: Is there a personality this program where this particular team
• 10:52
  Speaker 5: is kind of embraced a certain style attitude.
• 10:58
  Speaker 2: We have an identity about our on ice identity. We
• 11:02
  Speaker 2: want to play fast, hard, smart and with character. So
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: I think those words mean different things with that acronym FHSC.
• 11:10
  Speaker 2: If you look inside our jerseys, it's literally inside the
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: collar of it. But that's just a little inside there,
• 11:16
  Speaker 2: like that's something that we can always get back to
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: and talk about from time to time. That might be
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: the only thing I could think of right there. But
• 11:24
  Speaker 2: every year the team's different in some way. It's almost
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: like you're starting over every year. You have to teach
• 11:30
  Speaker 2: certain things every year. You have to evolve every year.
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: You might be starting from a higher position in a
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: different year, but you're basically almost doing the same things
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: every year. We've added a few things systematically that are
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: a little different, but again, we're starting over. John wouldn't
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: always said that, right, you start over every year. This
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: is coach McKenzie saying it. I don't know if I
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: have as much weight as him, but that's kind of
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: what happens.
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  Speaker 6: So kind of pickybacking off of that, is there something
• 12:01
  Speaker 6: in this group that you'd say, if you're coming here
• 12:04
  Speaker 6: to Scotto Family Ice Forum every weekend, this is something
• 12:08
  Speaker 6: you want to be here to see I think you're
• 12:12
  Speaker 6: seeing a nationally ranked team that is fun to watch, competitive,
• 12:17
  Speaker 6: will represent yukon the right way, and.
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: Fun to watch. I'll yell at refs if that makes
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: it better or I can do that, but yeah, it's.
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: You know, we've had some big crowds here. We've had
• 12:34
  Speaker 2: some really good attendance the past few years. I hope
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: that continues, and I and we're really we're just excited
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: to have an opponent that has never been here before.
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: So it's great