Matt Thomas Quotations

We're excited that the Sharks made us a part of this process and for the chance to see some of their young talent play in game situations. Not only will we be able to get to know some of the guys that might be assigned to us in the future, but we'll also be able to get a first-hand look at guys that we might want to recruit in years to come.

When he is announced, the crowd really goes nuts.

He has a second-to-none work ethic. He takes very good care of his body. He's the first guy on the ice and the last guy off.

It feels good. It's been a little frustrating (not playing), but you have to do what you can when you get an opportunity like this.

We're trying to take all the traditional aspects out of tea.

We would go to the coffeehouse on campus, and there wasn't much of a tea selection. When we went to the tea houses, we found them to be mostly formal and food-focused.

We know what to do in close games now.

What does a Northern European, Native American and Southeast Asian mixture look like? That's a fair question. We're told the photographs are extremely helpful.

We've heard about the type of crowds they get there, and I think it's going to be exciting to play in front of a large crowd with that type of energy. It's great for our league.

As long as they invented football, I'd be OK.

A lot of people who've had hotel reservations for months have had them canceled.

This is going be a rivalry for a very long time because of the locations of the teams, but I've done my part to get the rivalry going. We've had great games with them, even though we won the series, and I know they want to beat us as much as we want to beat them.

I like the fact that it is free and there is food.

I'm excited to work with a franchise as strong as San Jose. They've had great success the past few seasons going far into the playoffs, and to create the opportunity for some of their NHL prospects to play on our team is not only beneficial to us on the ice, but also exciting for our fans.

I try to make everyone in authority aware of the problem here, but I guess no one is going to take us seriously until a child is attacked.

He's extremely strong with the puck. When he goes into the corner, I'll take him nine out of 10 times. With him, it's sometimes not the prettiest goal, but he does what a lot of others don't like doing. He goes to the net hard and bangs away at rebounds. He plays mainly a checking role and plays against other teams' top players. His potential is unlimited.

Gardner is a good player, and he'll help a team. He didn't get many opportunities in Idaho, but he will in Stockton, and he will take advantage of them.

You could tell Jake was hurting out there, but he was great. Stockton really came to play, and Jake kept them in it.

It is the beginning of a regional rivalry, plus when two teams play each other four times in five days, it can get pretty physical. I think you're two tough teams which play hard.

It's a divisional rivalry and a regional rivalry, and it's natural that things are going to heat up. The games have been very competitive.

I can remember driving by the park on the bus in high school and making fun of those guys out in the woods. I came back from college and my dad had started playing. I went out with him and the next thing you know, I'm buying my own discs.