{"id":294,"date":"2008-03-19T18:26:16","date_gmt":"2008-03-19T23:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/blogs\/d-i-womens-hockey\/david-de-remer\/20080319\/experience-and-pressure-common-topics-at-womens-frozen-four.html"},"modified":"2008-03-19T18:26:16","modified_gmt":"2008-03-19T23:26:16","slug":"experience-and-pressure-common-topics-at-womens-frozen-four","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2008\/03\/19\/experience-and-pressure-common-topics-at-womens-frozen-four\/","title":{"rendered":"Handling Pressure at the Women’s Frozen Four"},"content":{"rendered":"

In any NCAA championship event, handling the pressure of the big stage is a major factor in determining the outcome. So it comes as no surprise that experience was a common topic of conversation in Wednesday\u2019s pre-game press conferences at the Women\u2019s Frozen Four in Duluth.<\/p>\n

Harvard vs. Wisconsin<\/strong><\/p>\n

In some sense, the first semifinal is the biggest mismatch in terms of Frozen Four experience. Wisconsin is the two-time defending NCAA champion, while Harvard hasn\u2019t played at this level since 2005 \u2013 the longest Frozen Four drought in a stacked semifinal field. But Harvard coach Katey Stone does not believe this puts her team at a disadvantage. She cited two reasons why her team would be able to handle the pressure\u2014the team\u2019s leadership and the overall looseness of the squad.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people have asked me about the youth of our team\u2014it\u2019s a reason why we\u2019re here,\u201d Stone said. \u201cThey don\u2019t think. They just play. Our dynamic is unbelievable. It has been in the past, but there\u2019s definitely something special about this group no matter what happens this weekend. It\u2019s probably one of the loosest groups we\u2019ve had in a long time. I noticed that early in November. They just figure out a way to win games and hopefully that is what will happen this weekend. \u201c<\/p>\n

Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson suggested that Harvard\u2019s freshmen added an element of uncertainty.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt comes down to getting on the ice and executing and performing in the Frozen Four, and they have a number of freshmen who have been big contributors for their hockey clubs, how are they going to react on the big stage?\u201d Johnson said. \u201cAs a coach, you don\u2019t know that until you get the puck dropped and see how they do react. \u201c<\/p>\n

But Harvard captain Caitlin Cahow expects her team to be loose and upbeat. The variety of personalities and talents on the team are what create that atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a hugely diverse group, which is fantastic for ice hockey teams because the season is so long, we spend so much time together, and If we didn\u2019t have different personalities and interests, we\u2019d be all over each other, and nothing would work,\u201d Cahow said. \u201cIt\u2019s easy for us to stay loose and unbeat, because no matter who scores, we\u2019re going to be celebrating on the bench like we just won the Stanley Cup, so for us every second on the ice is fun for the whole group.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, Wisconsin\u2019s epic 1-0 quadruple overtime win over Harvard last season could just as well have been a championship game, Cahow said.<\/p>\n

Although this is Badger team may be two-time defending champions, it is younger than recent Badger Frozen Four squads with three seniors and seven freshmen. It will be on the seniors, like captain Emily Morris, to help ready the younger players.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year being a senior and knowing we\u2019ve been in this position two ears previously, I still have those jitters in my stomach, but I know our freshmen and sophomores have the early ones I had, so I know now I can be more composed and give them the reassurance that this is just another hockey game,\u201d Morris said.<\/p>\n

New Hampshire vs. Minnesota-Duluth<\/strong><\/p>\n

The home crowd for UMD creates a different dynamic in the nightcap on Thursday. UNH knows full well what it is like to play the host in the Frozen Four, having fallen 5-4 at Minnesota in 2006.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be loud, and we\u2019re just going to have stay in control of our emotions,\u201d said UNH captain Martine Garland. \u201cMost of the people haven\u2019t played a single player on that team. There\u2019s a lot of unknowns. A lot of it\u2019s going to be adjusting quickly and using your first shift and learning as you go.<\/p>\n

UNH coach Brian McCloskey believes the adversity his team faced in road games this season\u2014coming back on the road and winning opening weekend against St. Lawrence, coming back and winning at Mercyhurst\u2014will be good preparation for Thursday night. Garland believes her team will carry momentum from handling St. Lawrence 3-2 in overtime last weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat game against St. Lawrence more than anything was a huge confidence builder,\u201d Garland said. \u201cThey whooped us lost year. Coming back twice and winning an overtime, that\u2019s a unique experience for any athlete.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minnesota-Duluth coach Shannon Miller noted that her team is facing pressure it did not last season. When UMD reach the NCAA final in 2007 and fell to Wisconsin, there were no expectations. Now there is more pressure, but UMD also has more experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s only one way to get experience, and that is to get experience, and that is exactly what we got last year, and I know we know what it\u2019s going to take to get maybe one more step this year,\u201d Miller said.<\/p>\n

Like UNH, UMD boasts its fair share of come-from behind wins.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re fortunate because we\u2019ve had to overcome adversity in a lot of games,\u201d Miller said. \u201cThis team knows how to persevere and get it done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miller said UMD was tight in the first two periods in its NCAA quarterfinal win against Mercyhurst, but hopefully her team has learned its lesson. She said she hopes to take some of the pressure off the team with a meeting Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy plan is to send them to bed very confident and relaxed and aware of their abilities and potential,\u201d Miller said. \u201cI didn\u2019t feel pressure last year. The only pressure I felt was to get here. Now it should just be fun for us.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In any NCAA championship event, handling the pressure of the big stage is a major factor in determining the outcome. So it comes as no surprise that experience was a common topic of conversation in Wednesday\u2019s pre-game press conferences at the Women\u2019s Frozen Four in Duluth. Harvard vs. Wisconsin In some sense, the first semifinal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":140328,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1425],"tags":[1449],"coauthors":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHandling Pressure at the Women's Frozen Four - College Hockey | USCHO.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In any NCAA championship event, handling the pressure of the big stage is a major factor in determining the outcome. 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