SHELDON KEEFE

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: After a pretty wild second period, what did you see from your team down the stretch that you liked that got them out of here with two points tonight?

Sheldon Keefe: I thought we just settled the game. I didn’t like the chaos that was the second period. Once we got our lead, we’ve got to do a better job with that. In the third period we were really good in that regard and we just sucked the life out of the game, which is what you want to do when you’ve got a lead against a team like this, especially a fresh team that we knew was going to have lots of legs in the third period. We needed to slow the game down and the guys did a good job of that.

Q. David Alter, The Hockey News: Not to take away from a win, but I noticed wasn’t on for the last 8:45. Was that situational, message sending, injured or trying to get other guys into that situation?

Sheldon Keefe: I would say a little bit of all of that except for the injury.

Q. Luke Fox, Sportsnet: Just following up on that, how would you assess Willy’s play this season?

Sheldon Keefe: I’m not going to talk about his season. I think we’ll just talk about tonight’s game. I thought both tonight and last game he’s had a lot of really good stretches where he’s got good legs and he looks real dangerous like he’s ready to break out. I didn’t like some of the things here today once we got the lead. As a team, I didn’t think we did great things in the second period, but in the third period we really got it going the way we wanted to and I didn’t think Willy matched that.

Q. Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun: A key point there was the challenge. Did the referee’s first review give you a good chance to look at that because it looked like one you really had to study to throw the challenge flag so to speak?

Sheldon Keefe: The fact we got more time allowed us to get more views of it, different angles. That was the biggest thing probably, the initial angle we had was just the overhead and it was a tough decision based on that. We got a couple more looks at different angles that made me want to go ahead with it. It’s one of those ones that based on all the studies that we’ve done and all the historical stuff with it, one that we weren’t really sure which way it would go, but felt confident enough to at least give it a with a two lead. Worst case we’re going to have to dig in and kill a . The one angle in particular from ice level, I thought there might be a good chance it could get turned over. Fortunately, it did.

Q. Josh Clipperton, Canadian Press: You’ve got 19 other players to worry about on the bench and lots of stuff going on during the game, but are you able to take stock of what Auston’s doing? If so, what are you seeing out there from him?

Sheldon Keefe: Just an elite player doing elite things. He and Mitch obviously have got a lot of great things going on. I do think it’s important – Auston is setting new standards it seems every day for himself and thus our team as he’s carrying us to great things, but I think it’s also important that we recognize the play of Mitch Marner here and how he’s really teamed up with Auston and they’re pushing each other to new heights. It’s been fun to watch that. Obviously, Jumbo since he’s come back has brought a lot to the line as well. Q. Jonas Siegel, The Athletic: I’m just wondering what you’ve seen out of Pierre at centre the last couple of games?

Sheldon Keefe: I thought he was really good today. The biggest thing that I’ve seen, frankly, is the playing centre part has been somewhat irrelevant because, especially tonight, that line was on the offensive side of the red line most of the game. When that’s the case you’re really not playing in positions, you’re just on the puck and playing on offfence and tracking and getting back above it. It’s just more one, two, three versus centres and wingers. He was really good. I thought that having Zach Hyman back here today and you could see – he’s far from 100 percent here, but getting a game off it seemed like he had a little extra legs today, especially in that third period. He was putting on a clinic with how he was on the puck. I thought Pierre and Mickey with their speed -- those three guys didn’t seem like a lot of fun for Montreal out there tonight on a lot of their shifts.

FREDERIK ANDERSEN

Q. Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun: What’s it been like in these big games? Certainly, the team is showing up, Montreal a big rival, of course, you want to put some space in between you two clubs.

Frederik Andersen: Yeah, for sure. They felt good probably about the last game we played and had a lot of time to sit and rest and get ready for this one. I think it was a good test for us to come out and play really well and obviously win. That was our focus before the game, just try to show them that we wanted to come and play for real today. We get away with the two points.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: Last game in Montreal afterwards you mentioned having a short memory is important. If you make a nice save, if you let in a goal you want back, you can never work on it enough. How do you go about working on that and the mental side of the game?

Frederik Andersen: I think it’s a long conversation we can have later, but I think just have someone you trust and work with outside of hockey. On a personal level, just keep getting better at it. Like I said before, it’s not something you can ever perfect but it’s something you can be as good at as possible. When you do make mistakes you’ll come back quicker and recover for the next play. It’s huge for goalies, it’s big for players as well.

TRAVIS BOYD

Q. Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun: You not only get to move up with this team, you get to be on the power play, get a front row seat to what Matthews and Marner are up to. What’s all this been like for you?

Travis Boyd: It’s been fun so far. Obviously, it’s fun to be out there with guys who make plays and get put in situations like tonight where you kind of get rewarded and I was lucky to get that one backdoor tonight. It was a great play tonight from Matty to Jumbo and backdoor to me. Good play.

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: We’re having trouble finding adjectives to describe but you played with Alex Ovechkin and you saw what his one-timer is like. Is there a comparison there that you can make for us?

Travis Boyd: They’re both pretty darn good at scoring goals that’s for sure. I think they just kind of get into a groove. Obviously, they have the ability when they get chances to just score. We’re seeing that right now with Auston and the streak that he’s on and I was fortunate enough to play with Ovi the last few years and I got to see him get on some rolls too. It’s always fun to kind of have a front row seat to watch those guys go out and there and do that.

ALEX KERFOOT

Q. Luke Fox, Sportsnet: How would you compare your start this season to your start here last season?

Alexander Kerfoot: I think I’m more comfortable this year. Obviously, it was my first time being traded and you never really know how much of an adjustment it is until you go through it. I think this year I feel a lot more comfortable with the guys, with the organization and obviously our team is having a lot of success so that helps out. I feel good on the ice right now, playing in different spots similar to last year, but for the most part I feel better than last year.

Q. Mark Masters, TSN: How have you felt when you’ve been out there with Tavares for a couple games here?

Alexander Kerfoot: I think we can still get better. We’ve had some O-zone sequences I think but tonight we gave up a few too many odd-man rushes against and we’ve got to tighten that up. Fred was great again tonight. Those two guys are great players and it’s a lot of fun when I’m able to go out there play with them and I just try to bring a little bit of energy, bring my speed, get in on the forecheck and retrieve some pucks.

MITCH MARNER

Q. Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun: You mentioned the attitude in the room and how much that's contributing to how well things are going right now. What is it like to come to work every day for you guys?

Mitch Marner: A lot of fun. I think when we do get on the ice, we know how competitive it is to keep each other honest. It's 100% work ethic, whatever we're doing but when we get off, it's a lot of fun, a lot of joy to be around everyone. Winning is always fun but like I said, we're when we are on the ice, we're competing. We're making sure we're doing the right things and we're trying to get better every day.

Q. Josh Clipperton, Canadian Press: We’re running out of words to describe what Auston's doing right now. Can you just put it into context what he's doing?

Mitch Marner: I think no one can. Get him the puck. It’s like (the movie) Kicking and Screaming – get the ball to the Russians, I think it is? Get the puck to Matts. The guy’s on fire right now, obviously, but I think his overall play has just been really good for us. Helping in the D-zone a lot. I think when our line comes out of the zone with the puck in our hands we're feeling pretty confident that we can do some pretty good things in the offensive zone. We just want to keep working together, support each other, talk to each other. Everyone's been saying his shot’s been pretty special for a couple years now so it's no surprise now to me.

AUSTON MATTHEWS

Q. Kevin McGran, Toronto Star: Another big night for you offensively, is it even possible for you to describe the zone that you’re in right now?

Auston Matthews: I really don’t try to think about it too much to be honest with you. I think night in and night out the recipe for our success is us competing and working hard and really just working to get that puck back. I think we’ve just been focused on that and it’s been working. We’re winning games right now, which is the most important thing. As long as we’re winning, I’m happy, we’re all happy. We just want to continue that. This is obviously a big game for us tonight.

Q. Luke Fox, Sportsnet: Can you describe the impact that Alexander Kerfoot has had on the team this year?

Auston Matthews: He’s been unreal. He’s very versatile. I feel like he can play up and down the lineup, really wherever. He can play penalty kill. He can play power play. You can really stick him wherever and he’s been doing unreal for us. He gets up there with JT’s line and obviously, big goal for him tonight but I just feel like he’s been all over the puck the last couple games and he’s just been playing really, really well. He’s obviously a really key piece. When he’s playing the way he has been, it really shows.