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UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN HOCKEY MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 30, 2015

Mark Johnson

Madison, Wisconsin

THE MODERATOR: Head Coach Mark Johnson is here. We will have opening comments, then take questions.

COACH JOHNSON: Thanks. Just reflecting on this past weekend, I thought Friday night's game, the early part of the first period, we got challenged. It was a physical game, and I thought our team responded real well and was able to win a hard-fought game, and I think, as I say, it did challenge us, and we responded really in a positive way and rebounded.

Saturday's game was probably the most complete game we have played all season, from start to finish. Our special teams were very good, and we created a lot of opportunities and certainly in the second period we were able to capitalize on some of them and finish the series off on a real positive note, and, as I say, it was probably our most complete game of this part of the season so far.

Q. Obviously there is a lot more to go to your season, and yet this is hard to underplay the "bigness" of this series with Minnesota. How important is it at this point of the year to show you can beat them?
COACH JOHNSON: Well, I think it comes at a good time, you know, from the standpoint of, you know, finding out more about ourselves as a team. Obviously, you know, they're a strong team, they've got good special teams, they've got a couple of special players, and so the challenge for us is to, you know, prepare this week and come out Friday night with the same energy we played this past weekend, and, you know, be more concerned about us than them, and, you know, coming out and playing you to our potential, doing the little things necessary against a quality opponent to give you a good opportunity to win the game.

As I say, we're in a good spot. It's just a matter of continuing what we've done up to this point and continuing to move forward.

Q. Mark, was Dartmouth your biggest test this year? Was it your sternest test, I should say, or have there been other opponents that maybe drilled a little bit more out of you guys?
COACH JOHNSON: I thought Friday night's game was good for us, because it was physical. There were parts that we were executing well and other parts that we weren't. They created some scoring opportunities. We played 1-1 for a long period of time, were able to get the second goal and then, you know, kill off some power plays. Ann had to make a couple of nice saves, we had scrambles in front of the net. Looked at times like they had good opportunities to tie, so we hadn't been in that situation for a period of time, and I think executing and coming out of it with a 4-1 win is helpful, and it prepares you, and it certainly will prepare us better for this weekend, having gone through it.

Q. You've never had a team with a better record at this point in a season, but have you ever had a better team at this point in a season?
COACH JOHNSON: I think if we go back to the first time I talked to you guys, you know, the one thing I like about this group is the chemistry, they get along well, they like being around each other, they take care of each other, so when you combine that with the work habits they have, you know, you have a special group, and then it's a matter of going on the ice and executing and giving yourself opportunities to win hockey games, and they've been able to do that up to this point.

Q. Is there any difference Gopher week, being a player versus a coach?
COACH JOHNSON: I think for both it's fun. There are some weekends you're scratching your head and trying to figure out what you can do to motivate your team because you're playing XYZ that weekend. History tells me as a player, when I played against the Gophers, it didn't take you much to get you motivated. You were excited whether you were playing here in Madison or you were playing up in Minneapolis, and I think from the coaching standpoint, the players are probably a little more focused in practice over the course of the week because they as players enjoy these type of weekends, too.

These are the weekends that you put all the extra work in the summer, the extra reps in the weight room, the extra skating. These are the fun weekends where you get to go out and showcase yourself against a real top opponent.

Q. Emily Clark has scored a goal in the last six games. What do you think is clicking for Emily?
COACH JOHNSON: I think having come back from, you know, the Four Nations and her experience with Hockey Canada, generally kids come back excited for those opportunities. She is now what you would call a veteran with the group, because she's been at a couple of them, been at World Championships, you know, being part way through her sophomore year, I think just being comfortable, being confident, and she is sort of what I call a "rink rat". She has a smile on her face all the time. She spend a long journey getting back to Madison from Sweden, and, you know, the first time you see her at the rink she's got a big smile on her face. She just likes playing hockey, and, you know, it's nice to see her have success.

You know, when you watch us play, there are certain people that are going to stick out over the course of the game, and she is certainly one that's been able to be recognized by our fans and our opponents because she is playing at such a high level right now.

Q. Mark, you're famously even keeled, but would your players say there is a difference about you going into a series like this against an obvious rival?
COACH JOHNSON: I would hope not. I hope my preparation is the same, but there probably is a little bit, you know, extra whatever, just because, you know, these are fun weekends. These are weekends that as a coach you're going to be excited. It's our job to manage their energy and make sure our preparation gives them an opportunity to execute and take care of, you know, things that we have to do Friday night. So it's a fun week. I can't wait until Friday night. I know there will be a big crowd, and those are the games and the days that are really exciting for everybody, especially when you play them in your barn.

Q. You probably have been on both sides of it where you've been on teams or coached teams that have beaten a team for umpteen years in a row, and you've been on the side of it where it's hard to get over a hump against a team for years in a row. What's the difference in mind-set when you're on both sides of those coins?
COACH JOHNSON: Part of it is confidence, and there is such a fine line with that, but, again, what's happened in the past, you learn from, and you move forward and try to maybe prepare your team this year, maybe just a slight difference from what you did in previous years. But history tells me in all those games other than maybe one that I can remember, they were all pretty tight, you know, 2-1, overtime games. We played better than they did, they ended up outscoring us and beating us, vice versa.

Our big hurdle is getting over the win/loss column and making sure we're on the right side of the ledger Friday night, and that's the object. You know, I don't think I will deviate from our preparation into Friday night's game compared to last weekend. We will do a similar routine as we've done in the past. As I mentioned earlier, we're in a good place; we're in a good position, it's just a matter of going on the ice and executing. We've come up short in the past, and hopefully we push ourselves forward enough Friday and Saturday to give ourselves a chance to be successful.

THE MODERATOR: Anything else for Coach? Thanks, Mark.

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