Ben Smith Quotations

We are a first-half team. ... Trying to hold a lead for 55 minutes is tough to do. We played hard today and so did Apple Valley.

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We're getting our starting point here and trying to put together the team in a step-by-step manner. We're developing the tactics and strategy we might employ while working on our skills on the ice and putting together what I believe will be the best 20 players.

Like all players, if they choose to try to play forever, their number is liable to come up. And in this situation ... (Cammi) and Shelley didn't have a chair when the music stopped.

She's one of those show-stopper-type players. There are times in a game where she has the ability to do something like that. I'm glad she's on our team.

She has not had the easiest time staying on the straight and narrow. When you have a lot of talent, you might take things for granted.

She had size and strength beyond her years. But I remember being at the training center in Finland, assisting her dialing home so she could talk to her parents.

She looked to be in top form. She looked like she was back to where Pam Dreyer should be on the depth chart.

Of all the players here, she might have the best chance of being here in 2010 or 2014 because of what the game means to her.

Natural-gas storage is one gigantic bear -- and each week it grows bigger.

Obviously, Canada is the No. 1 team on our hit list. But our team is shaping up quite nicely for a strong run at the (gold) medal.

Nobody came into our camp thinking they've got it made. That might not have been the case in 1998 and maybe even 2002.

I am glad we had a couple of days after the semifinals. We had a chance to regroup.

Great players are left behind when teams are selected. This team is no different than any other team.

Well, you saw why she's here. She's one of those players that's scored in every sport at every level she's played at. She's always had that particular knack.

I think it's a good thing for them to keep up. It opens your eyes to different aspects of biology.

I think, when you don't score on the five-on-threes, from the coaching standpoint, you really feel haunted.

I think we need more women in our leadership positions. I hope that day is coming, and I hope it comes soon.

I think anytime you can give yourself flexibility in this type of an event, it just gives you a way to take care of the unexpected.

It isn't the same game it was four years ago, or even one year ago. We're a much different team, and the Canadians have made changes as well. The rest of the world is getting better every day. You've got to meet those challenges head-on, or you're going to get caught from behind.

I was a little concerned that somebody we consider a pillar on our team wasn't ready when the bell rang. It was one of those, 'All ashore that's going ashore,' and she wasn't ready to go.

I think they're ready to except the responsibility of being the leaders of this team. The natural feeling for players is to hang on too long. But time marches on. We're setting the clock to players that are playing at the highest level right now.

I'm impressed with our team's effort. Josh is a powerful scorer. We tried to move the ball around and shake them up and Josh took advantage.

That's the million-dollar question we would all like answered,

We put in some things in practice this week that fit our personnel a little bit more than some things that I've been trying to force-feed to them recently.

We figured we'd get in one last bit of exercise before being cooped up for days.

We have had an arduous four months where we've been tested under fire and we're looking forward to bringing this group of 20 athletes together to make the final push. As Americans we all know what the objective is and this group of athletes gives us the best chance of accomplishing that goal.

We came to play today. ... I think we came together as a team and played well. We just want to take it one game at a time and keep moving on.

There are three guys - Matt Mason, Graeme Hick and myself - who have got to try to be role models to the rest.

Today was one of those games that lives up to the billing that these are the two best women's hockey teams in the world. I think the people who came here today certainly got their money's worth.

We start from the goal out, (and) we've got goaltenders that have both won at the world championships and have both beaten Canada. We're pretty strong and physically savvy on defense, and I think we've got a lot of strength down the middle. We've got a lot of options at the center position, and playmakers on both sides of the puck.

The players named themselves. They stepped forward with the way they played. I think we'll start to take on a personality now.

When you don't score on five-on-three, as a coach you feel haunted. That gave the Swedish team another lift and they played with even more determination.

What she did on the ice, with this as her last game, that's a great way to go out.

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We are excited with the talent assembled for our U.S. women's national team. The festival featured a deep pool of players and really highlighted the tremendous development of women's hockey in the United States.

We've got a lot of different guys that can score. ... And that makes things tough for teams to defend.

We had those early Olympic jitters, and their goaltender got into a zone, which made it a demanding afternoon. (Dunn's goal) gave us some breathing room.

When I stand up in that (locker room) in front of 24 athletes, there aren't a lot of reassured faces looking up. They did a good job of keeping that out of their everyday psyche, but it's got to be present in people's minds. Even some of the people that you think were locks, they didn't think of it that way.

There's plenty of miles to go before we sleep. It's just another game in the books.

As a young kid, she was an offensive whiz-bang.

The calls are always tough. We had the whole fall season to kind of figure this thing out. You want to get everybody healthy when it gets down that close so they can all show you what their value is. It becomes clear, but then what enters into it is the emotional human side. That's always gut-wrenching for everyone.

At times we showed an ability to mount an attack. But when you get behind that early it makes it hard to come back.

You saw why she's here. Even though she's young in age, she's mature in her ability and goal-scoring.

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This Canadian team is too good for us to make mistakes that turn directly into goals. That was a tough way to start.

They knew they'd be judged against hungry dogs who were pushing for spots. Sometimes, a role isn't there.

The young players coming up in our team are really remarkable. That's one thing I hope people will remember about this year for this team: That we gave several young players a chance to take ownership and assert their place for the United States. ... I realize everybody has an opinion, and a lot of those opinions favored Cammi. But that's part of my job.

It's a symbolic donation. We are having an impact even beyond our graduation.

It's fun to watch. To see someone grow, not just as an athlete, from a teenager to a mom. She's a great player who continues to be a pivotal player for the team.

It's been a very long, arduous road back for her. But in the last month, we've seen what we always expected from Pam.

They were nice to put a team up against us that was spirited and you could tell by the reactions that it meant as much to those kids as it does to us. Hockey is hockey. I think the people liked it. It seemed like a nice crowd and just a wonderful evening.

They jumped on us quickly. It seemed like we were caught uphill right off the bat. They defended beautifully, blocked shots, made it difficult for us to get a foothold.

That's as tough as it gets. She just missed out. Talk about resilient. I've probably had to cut her more times than any player I've been around, and she just keeps coming back.

The core is pretty much intact from the world championship team. We think we have players of equal or greater ability. We still have a lot of experience. Their hockey knowledge is solid because of their backgrounds.

I hope we don't see you again. Have you seen enough of us?

I love Franklin Field; I'm hoping this protest will drawn national media coverage.

In the scheme of things, there was plenty of time.

In Shelley's case ... she's left parts of her body in rinks all over the world. Now it's up to the players left in the program not to fill that footprint -- those are special players -- but just to be able to line up alongside it.

I didn't see any podiums out there today so I think we'll stay calm.

Hopeful is how I'd put it. January was warmer than I would have liked. But the buds are still tight and closed, so that's a good sign.

You could probably tell from the early beginnings maybe a tenseness and the pressure that was on the home team. We never have that luxury.

The goalie might get into their heads. When goalies play well, it gives their team more reasons to compete. And Sweden did compete.

The goalie might get in the head of the players. That's credit to their (Sweden's) team spirit. When goalies play well, it gives their team more reasons to compete, and Sweden did compete.

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