Postgame Quotes Nashville Predators vs. Buffalo Sabres January 18, 2020
Nashville Predators Quotes Head Coach John Hynes On his thoughts of the team’s performance from start to finish… I give a lot of credit to the players. We didn’t necessarily like what our game was like against Anaheim. I addressed some things yesterday and worked on some things. These games are always a little bit iffy because there is a break. I thought that the mental focus, the effort, the intensity level, the commitment to play the game the right way, managing the puck, puck battles, shot blocking, defensive structure – those things were all there. One of the biggest things we wanted to see was our intensity level in the offensive zone rise for extended time, grind the team down, getting more net-front traffic and pucks to the net. We did that tonight. When you play that way, you have to play hard. You have to be committed. Tonight, we had a committed effort and got rewarded for it.
On the team's response after losing in Buffalo… The response was better and that's another area that we talked about, even after our press conference after the Anaheim game, was about mental toughness and fortitude and push back in your game and that's what it takes to be a to be a team, that you have to earn your confidence. We went out and even though we were down, the way that we were playing, that gives you confidence that if we stay with it and stick with it and don't veer off it, that we'll be able to get another one and we were right in the game. It wasn't like we're getting outplayed, we gave up a goal. That was one of the biggest things we talked about in between periods, we talked about staying with it and not veering off what our game plan was, the commitment level we wanted to play with, and we got rewarded for it. And it's also good to see, we've worked hard over the last 12 days here on our special teams, and sometimes things don't click right away, but special teams were a big difference in the game tonight. It's good to see that take a step, and not only take a step, but get rewarded for the work that players put in.
On utilizing Ryan Johannsen Jo [Ryan Johannsen] probably played his best game that I've seen with him. He had a tough assignment – he was basically matched against (Jack) Eichel’s line all night and he was good on faceoffs. I thought he moved his feet. The other part, I think he's been pretty good defensively so far since I've been with him. Tonight, he was more of an impact offensively too. He had the puck you could see him he made some plays. He was playing against the top line, but he didn't have to defend all night. And that's something that you want with a guy like him, is if he can play against other teams’ top lines and make those guys defend, I think we're going to be able to grow as a team and that's the role that we need Jo to play.
Goaltender Pekka Rinne On how good the win feels tonight… Really good. Huge win. Big two points. The way we played the game feels good, too. I think we needed that kind of game. It’s a close game, it’s a one-goal game, we came from behind, we had to play good defensively, had to grind it out and had to kill some penalties. I think in all the areas that we want to improve, we did an extremely good job. So, I think that makes everybody happy. At this point in the year it doesn’t matter how these wins come, but the way we played makes it feel better.
On playing up to Coach Hynes’ expectations tonight… He’s very direct. There’s no question marks on the way he wants us to play the game. I think the Anaheim game was emotional or whatever reason it was, it was a flat game. Then, we had long meetings, talked about things and worked on things on the ice. There’s no question marks for anybody in our game and that’s the way it should look. When we had to kill the game or when we had to kill the clock, I think we did an extremely good job at the end of the game.
On if he’s excited for the bye week… I’m very excited, but at the same time, I’m already eager to get back playing. Hopefully it’s a good time for us. It’s going to be so important for us when we come back, and hopefully we can use this win to enjoy the break, but at the same time, come back refreshed, energized and ready to go.
Forward Craig Smith On getting the win heading into the All-Star break… Good, good. Going into a break as long as it is, if you don’t play the way you want, it’s a bad taste in your mouth. It’s a good effort by everybody. I thought we played really well. I thought we took care of the puck and I thought we hung onto the puck, which is hard to play against. We were able to create some opportunities off it and easily could have had a couple of more.
On what he saw on his power-play goal… It’s just really a quick hit, spread them out and find a lane and try to get a stick. It’s just part of our power play that we’ve kind of been working on lately. It was a good pass by (Turris). It was a good heads up play.
On the timing of everything falling into place with the Bye Week and All-Star Break… As a team, we had a segment put together. I thought we took care of a bunch of the objectives, but going into the break, it’s a step in the right direction. I thought we played a really good game and now we can kind of detach a little bit. We have a lot of games coming up in February and coming back with a win, it feels good and it puts you in the right mind and direction.
Forward Ryan Johansen On how good it feels to get the win tonight… Great. It feels great. I didn’t like our last game and really didn’t want to go into the break without executing a good game plan. We executed a good game plan tonight. We’ll go and reset the batteries a little bit and come back fresh and back to work.
On the timing of the break and being anxious to get back… When I arrive for my break that will be on my mind the whole time – us collectively as a group understanding the job we need to prepare for when we get back. That’s what we’ll do, but also kick the feet up a little bit and rest up.
On how he feels about his play recently… I felt good tonight. That’s all I’m going to focus on. It’s been what it’s been for me, and I know what I have to do to be on top of my game. I liked my game tonight, so I’m going to try my best to continue to do that.
Buffalo Sabres Quotes Head Coach Ralph Krueger On the goaltending in tonight’s game… It was a very good hockey game. They definitely came out with their A-game, we expected that. They came out extremely strong on the forecheck and we weathered that storm early and actually liked the way the game was then being managed until the final 10 minutes. We had a couple of really long d-zone shifts where we needed to clear them and get out of our zone and once they felt that they seem to get a surge of energy, and I think we gave it to them. In the end the power play that they scored on and the power plays we didn't is the difference in this game, which for the neutral viewer is a great game, but for us very painful right now.
On his team’s defensive play recently… I'm really happy with the commitment of the guys to play without the puck and really work together as a group. Of course, every team will create chances as we do, no matter how you play, but just for us, it's not the habits now or the team concept that's a doubt, it's just once in a while details. We could have had some better sticks defensively early for instance; there were a couple of shot lanes in the third period we could have got into to maybe kill those shifts that got a little long on us. Those are details that you're excited to work on because the fundamentals are there, and they're really becoming habits in our game. We are going to get some good players back after the break and if we can continue to build on the defensive game with the added firepower that's coming back at us, we should be excited about what's ahead.
On his message to his team going into the break… My message to them was that there were 49 games that have tested us, and strengthened us, and taught us. We've enjoyed the challenge. We would have liked to have a few more wins but everybody's liking the process and they've bought into the process. I told them to go and spend time with people that give them energy and go to locations where they can get some energy. Let's come back batteries fully charged with a hunger to build on this this team game that's evolving here. That gives us an exciting chance to be a competitive part of this League right through the season.
Defenseman Jake McCabe On how even the hockey game was… I think any time you go into the third period on the road, especially a tough building like this, (with the score) 1-1, you put yourself in a good spot to win a hockey game. Unfortunately, we didn’t come out on top tonight, but I liked our compete throughout the whole game.
On the growth of the team as a group… We’re starting to figure out our play in the D-zone a little bit more and our play away from the puck. That has carried our game the last little bit here. I like the fact that we didn’t have too many ups and downs versus the last few games; our second periods haven’t been great. With all that being said, it's time to recharge here and have a big push after the break.
If having a big push after the break is the message going forward… Our schedule, I don’t think I’ve ever had one like this in my time here. It was a tough first 50 games. We’ve put ourselves in the spot to be playing meaningful hockey games and be in the mix at the end of the year. It’s time to recharge your batteries, step away from the game a little bit, clear our heads and then come back and be really ready to go.
Forward Sam Reinhart On if this was an evenly played hockey game overall… Yes, I think so. It’s frustrating because I think we had our opportunities and just didn’t find a way to capitalize. I think both teams played a tight game and there’s a momentum swings throughout it, but they were able to find that last goal to go ahead.
On where the team is going into the Bye Week and All-Star Break… It’s pretty obvious what we need to do. We just have to keep chipping away. We’ve been setting goals internally try to keep meeting those goals and chip away and put points up on the board. This one is a little disappointing, but we’ve got time to regroup and re-energize, and come back fresh and ready to go.
On why the road play has been improving recently… I’m not sure. I think we’re trying to find consistency no matter where we are playing. We are trying to play within our systems, and we have been doing that better as of late. We have had a couple of tough opponents, but we have been able to put some wins on the board.
Forward Kyle Okposo On the waived off goal… I pushed his pad and it's a no goal, pretty simple.
On how even the game was… I thought they (the Predators) came out, they played really well. I thought that was some of the best hockey that they could have played. I thought that we, for a lot of the game, matched it and we just missed a couple opportunities to take a stranglehold on the game. In the third, they came out with a push and we just weren't able to survive.
What is the message heading into this week and then the team goals coming up… We still have some long-term goals that we set that we can still achieve. It’s tough to swallow right now. That is a really tough game, we wanted that one bad. We have to move on and shut the brain off for a week. That’s the goal for everybody, is just turn the mind off and come refreshed and ready to win some hockey games coming out of the break.
On the team defense… We’re playing well. We’re keeping them on the outside for the majority. I felt Linus (Ullmark) made five or six unbelievable saves tonight. He’s done it all year. I like the way we’re playing; our identity is there. We’re doing it more often than not. I like the way that we are going. It is tough when you don’t get the W.