March 3 Press Conference
Emma Goldstein (Sports Information, Omaha Athletics):
Questions for Simon.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
All right. Simon, just kind of (your) general thoughts with the playoffs here and playing up at North Dakota — just the challenge that’s ahead for the Mavs?
Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):
I think it’s exciting. It’s the most exciting part of the year, I think. And going to NoDak (North Dakota) I think it’s fun. I’m excited. I think that everyone in the room is. It’s a good opponent to play against. And even though we are underdogs, it’s kind of good. I think that’s going to fit us well.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
In a best-of-three series, you can’t really count on stealing one game and making it work. So how do you think about consistency, both from the goaltending perspective and also as a co-captain?
Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):
Well, I think it’s still better than to play a best of seven. And if you steal one, you are up one-nothing. There is even more pressure for the other team then. And we’ve done it before. We did it in Colorado two years ago. So, it’s not something that we are not able to do. And yeah, consistency, I think that my game has been consistent, in my opinion. Maybe the numbers don’t show so, but I think that I feel pretty consistent. And I think that my game is in a really good spot. And I’m really excited for this weekend. And I didn’t get a chance to play there this season, so I’m even more excited to do that.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Do you like playing in front of that hostile crowd up there, Simon?
Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):
Well, it’s not easy, right? They have a good crowd and good fans. But sometimes that gives you energy. And they came to our place a couple of times, and they beat us here. So I think that it’s our time now to beat us there — beat them there, sorry. Yeah, I am excited. And I don’t have a problem playing in front of big crowds.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
You’ve talked a lot about leading with your performance, being that kind of consistent strength for the team. With the number of young guys and new guys — this is their first playoff series — how do you think you can be a good role model and leader for them in this situation?
Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):
Well, I think that my experiences say a lot about me. I think that I’ve been multiple times in these positions where — I wouldn’t say the team relies on me, but goalies usually need to carry the team if you are (the) underdog in the series like this.
And I’ve been in this position not just in Omaha, but even before in USHL when I played for Madison. (We) went from the seventh or eighth place right to the finals. I’m pretty sure that I can make it happen here again.
Tyler Doremus, UNO Gateway:
You talked a lot about consistency. Over the past month or so, your game’s been … you really elevated it. What’s kind of been the secret behind that?
Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):
I think just being more calm and connected. I think that I’m getting really good help from the coaches around me. And I think that just that — kind of it’s all coming together, in my opinion. All four years, the whole development that I have had here, I think that it’s all coming together. And I think that it’s coming together at the right time.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
The regular season maybe hasn’t gone the way the Mavs had hoped, Simon. But do you just kind of look at this as maybe a fresh start, and you’re just at the same level as everybody else heading into the playoffs?
Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):
I think so. I think it is a I wouldn’t say a new season, but it is definitely a new competition. And I think that we are ready, to be honest. I think that it’s a — as I said before, it’s exciting. And we can kind of close the door behind what we have done. But also, I think that we have done a lot of good things this season.
And I think that the things that we have been through helped us be ready now. And maybe some teams haven’t been through all that hard stuff as we had. And I think that it’s going to serve us well in the important games when we are under pressure because we have been under pressure for the last six weeks.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
You guys have faced North Dakota four times already. Obviously, you didn’t get much playing time (at the games) up there (in Grand Forks). What is the team’s mindset going into this, from that perspective?
Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):
Now I would come back to that as new competition, right? I think that we still played good hockey. And yeah, we lost four games against them. But now it’s not going to really matter. It (is) still the first game there. The pressure is on them. And as I said, I don’t think there is a lot of pressure on us coming into this series.
We can just gain from this. And I think that we are ready to go.
Timothy Rowher, UNO Blue Line Club Newsletter:
You mentioned earlier that you were on a team from…in seventh place that came back to win the top spot. So that must add even more optimism for you for this weekend. I mean, could that help with the team, you think?
Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):
Yeah. Well, I always like to believe. I think that I believe in myself, in the teammates, and in coaches. I think that we’ve been doing a really good job here. And yes, I know that I’ve done it before, and I know that I can do it again. I think that many people say it, right? Playoff is a different start, a different competition. And it doesn’t really matter. You win one game, and you are on the horse there. And that’s all that matters. So yes, I’m pretty positive that we can do it.
Emma Goldstein (Sports Information, Omaha Athletics):
Okay.
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Awesome. Thanks. Good job.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
Good luck.
Simon Latkoczy (Senior Goaltender, Omaha Hockey):
Thank you, guys.
Tyler Doremus, UNO Gateway:
Thanks, Simon.
Emma Goldstein (Sports Information, Omaha Athletics):
Questions for Coach (Gabinet)?
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Well, Mike, there was some question whether the Mavs were going to make the playoffs. Now you’re in the playoffs. So just what’s the team’s mindset heading up to North Dakota?
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Yeah. First off, just want to give our team a lot of credit. Like Simon said, we’ve been playing pretty intense games right down the last six weeks here — and found ways to get some big wins every weekend. And yeah, (it’s) exciting. Now we’re excited, man. You want to keep playing. You never want your season to end. And now we have an opportunity to keep playing.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
Simon mentioned, obviously, pressure. North Dakota is a very familiar opponent for us, both regular season (and) postseason. And he mentioned the idea of getting that first win and putting the pressure on them. But isn’t the pressure on them anyway just because they’re the number one seed? I mean, you guys have nothing to lose. You can go in there and play your game and maybe make a statement?
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Yeah. Again, I think the most important thing is that you’re laser-focused on what you need to do as a team. I think when you get too much about what “they should be feeling” or what ”you should be feeling,” I think that’s up to them on what they want to feel. And again, they’ve had a great season. They won the Penrose. They’ve been doing a lot of good things there. So I can’t tell you how they feel.
But I can tell you for us, we need to be laser-focused on what we’re about, and how we approach this series and be ready to go here for the weekend here. So we’re taking it as a big opportunity here. We’re excited to go. And the energy’s been great all week. And you can tell the guys put a lot of work into being in this position to be able to play.
And we’re excited to get that opportunity.
Tyler Doremus, UNO Gateway:
Coach, how important is it for you to not let this series turn into a special teams track meet?
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think hopefully — playoff hockey, I think the fans… I think everybody wants to see some five-on-five hockey. I don’t think anybody wants to see the officials take over a series. So that’s up to the players too, to make sure you’re playing with your stick on the ice and checking with your legs and doing anything you can in your power to make sure that you’re not giving them an opportunity to make calls.
So that’s our focus heading into the weekend here. And be disciplined and making sure we’re doing everything in our power here to play the game the right way and to have some good five-on-five hockey here.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
Looking back at last weekend, what were some of the things that you liked and that you’ve been working on all season that you can carry now into this playoff series?
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Yeah. Again, I think if you just even look at the Friday game after our first start there, just a lot of really good quality things by the team doing there. We managed the puck properly. We made sure we were doing a lot — without getting overly technical on you — on some things that we think we need to do again this weekend here. Just a lot of playing the right way, so to speak, to summarize it a little bit there.
And again, I think, like Simon said, just that belief. You’re just seeing some of these new guys that you can tell they’re hanging on the puck a little bit longer. They’re making plays. They’re smart with the puck at the right times, not trying — their risk management is getting better and understanding when to fight to live another day and when to make that play and try to make an offensive play.
And so again, I give the team a lot of credit. They’ve been coachable. They’ve been working. They’ve been doing the things necessary to improve. And you can see it in their game, both individually and collectively as a group. And (we’re) so excited to continue that trend of improvement.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Mike, in the past, you played North Dakota late in the season and then turned around and played them again right away in the playoffs. Now you haven’t seen them in a couple of months. Does that make any difference?
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
I like it. I like it. I think we’ve ad nauseum almost, right, had each other down the stretch here. And it’s intense games. And then you get up and play them right again. So I think it’s just fun for a new opponent here and a chance to play them again. I think it was before Christmas since the last time we played them, right? So we’re looking forward to — they’ve improved, we’ve improved. And looking forward to a really good competition here this weekend.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
Speaking of the new guys and improvement, talk about Jérémy Loranger getting named NCHC Rookie of the Month.
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Yeah. How awesome is that? I mean, again, just kind of I think, again, you could — I think probably single out a few more guys on our team too that just had some good growth here in the second half. And we knew that going in. It takes the time. It’s a big step when you come from a different league to this league. Everybody, I think, thinks they know … and then they get here. And even talking to the players, just how much less time you have with the puck, how fast things happen, just the intensity of the games, the intensity of the plays, shift in, shift out, period in period, period in period out. So you could see it in his game, right? He was having some areas of growth early on in the season. But when you stick with it, and you’re coachable and you take personal responsibility, you get better. And we’re seeing that.
So I’m a big fan of how he plays and just his growth we’ve seen here in the second half. And he’ll be a big part of our team here down the stretch here.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Mike, Simon was just in here. Just talk a little bit about his journey here and the importance of having him in the net this weekend.
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Yeah. It’s great. I think you can tell it — just his confidence in the process that we go through here. And he’s — I’ve said it from day one. He’s a very mature individual, both playing experience-wise and mentally-wise. And he has a real understanding of, I think, how hard it is as a team to perform at your best and going through this conference.
And so he’s just he’s one of those guys that understands the grind you have to go through as a team to be successful here and embraces that and helps his other teammates understand that, and how hard you got to work and how professional and how disciplined you have to be in your day-to-day approach and (he) does that.
And that’s why his play’s been as consistent as it’s been here. So again, went through that tough injury spell there. And I think you’re just seeing his game grow and grow, like he said here. And he’s just even the last couple of weeks and even practice, you’re just seeing that level of play that you know he’s capable of, which is exciting for us.
Tyler Doremus, UNO Gateway:
Coach, just with the ups and downs of the season, the fact that you’re even just in the playoffs now, do you think that that just shows how mentally tough this team is?
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Yeah. Again, right, I think I don’t know. You guys would know more than me. I think we finished with the second-hardest schedule in college hockey, right? And I think if you look at the top somebody was just telling me the other day, if you look at the top five strength of schedules in college hockey, they’re all below 500. So when you play a schedule like that — with a lot of new players and you don’t have the opportunity maybe to make some mistakes early, and still come away with some wins, you start behind the eight ball a little bit. And it’s not easy to do. And it’s easy to point fingers or to blame or complain. It’s tough to dig in and just take responsibility and find ways to keep improving. And I think that’s what the staff has done. I think that’s what the players have done. And we’ve always been in it together. And I think when you do that, I’m pretty proud.
There’s a good hockey team not playing right now, right? You look at ASU’s lineup. You look at CC’s lineup. You look at all these lineups. There’s a lot of talent in this league. And there’s going to be a good team not playing. And I thought it was just by us sticking together and really, really improving and growing that gives us an opportunity now to keep playing. So that’s something I’m really proud of. It’s not easy to do. And I think with this many new players, it’s challenging. And sometimes you reflect on your season as a coach or you think. And sometimes your best coaching is actually when your maybe results aren’t like they would be and vice versa. And I think for me personally, I know our results are the results. But I feel like we’ve done a really good job growing this team. And I think when you talk to the guys as individuals, they’ve really embraced that as well. So again, they deserve a lot of credit. It’s not easy to go through. But at the end of the day, our schedule is what it is. And our results are what they are. But like I said, man, I believe in this group. We got a lot of good kids in there that are working their butts off to get better and make everybody proud of us.
And I’m proud of them. And I’m excited, man. I’m excited for this weekend. And I know they’re (North Dakota) a good opponent. But I also believe in our group and what we’re capable of doing. And I believe we’re going to step up and do the right things when it matters the most.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
You celebrated the seniors during the Denver weekend. But really, Friday night was Senior Night. To see those guys that have been here all four years step up and put the team on their back and get on the score sheet, what does that mean? And how important is that going to be this upcoming weekend?
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Yeah. That was just great. That was just a great, great game by those guys. And (I) just couldn’t be more happy for those guys to see those guys step up, not only play well away from the puck, but contribute on the score sheet, and just how hard they play and Rollie (Tyler Rollwagen) is playing some really good hockey.
And obviously, great to see (Cam) Mitchell get going. He’s had a lot of chances down the stretch. And now he’s hopefully got that kind of monkey off his back. You can feel it in practice. Sometimes you just take one or two of those plays to go in and you get that juice going. You get a little bit of that confidence going here. And obviously, just heart and soul players there with all our senior group, which was great to see.
Okay.
Thanks, guys. Thanks for the support all season. Thank you.
Mike Patterson, Omaha World-Herald:
Thanks, Mike.
Tyler Doremus, UNO Gateway:
Thanks, coach.
Bridget Brooks, MavPuck.com:
Good luck.
Head Coach Mike Gabinet:
Thank you. Thanks, guys. Thank you.
