POSTGAME QUOTES BOSTON BRUINS VS Saturday, December 10, 2016

BOSTON BRUINS HEAD COACH CLAUDE JULIEN POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE Opening statement on the departure of Bruins Director of Communications & Content Eric Tosi… Before we start here guys, I just want to take a minute to thank Eric Tosi who’s worked with me for 10 years – since the first day I got here. As probably most of you guys know he’s moving on and I want to wish him the best of luck but thank him for all those years spent with me and certainly has become a good friend and hopefully we’ll see him down the road [applause].

On whether he sensed a frustration-level setting in after the way the first period went … Well I think the frustration level happened when they scored that first goal. When it was zero- zero we were still in it, but at the end of the night – as I just mentioned on air – it seems like every game we’re out-chancing teams – chances for versus against – but we don’t outscore teams. That’s where the biggest issue is right now. Our scoring is not there and if you don’t score goals you don’t win hockey games and because of that we criticize everything else in our game – but our game isn’t that bad. If we were scoring goals people would love our game right now, but that’s the biggest part. There’s not much more I can say here except for the fact that if we don’t score goals it’s going to be hard to win hockey games.

On whether he would consider swapping David Backes with David Pastrnak to balance scoring… Well I think there is one line that is scoring right now for the most part. It was nice to see [Brad] Marchand score. Like I said – it’s exactly like I said - second-guessing starts when you don’t win hockey games, you don’t score goals. I don’t think it’s because of lines because the chances are there, the scoring chances are there. Every line is getting scoring chances but nobody is finishing, we could change lines to please everybody – doesn’t mean the puck is going to go in the net. When you look at individual statistics and you look at the number of chances they’ve had and you look at the number of goals they’ve had it just doesn’t add up. It really isn’t about lines, if it was I wouldn’t hesitate to make changes. We are moving guys around at times as you can see but one line that has been pretty steady for us and is scoring goals is the Bergy [] line.

On whether that finish is going to come from guys in the room now… Well it has to I think. When you look at the players that [aren’t scoring goals], Bergy I think he has four or five goals, he had 30-something last year. Marchand had 37 goals. Things are going to come around we just need them to start scoring soon here so that we can get rid of that frustration of playing hard and for the most part not giving the other team much and at the same time everything is dissected because we’re not scoring goals. We’re looking at this guy made a mistake on this goal against or that goalie didn’t stop the puck, yet it’s not even an issue if we score some goals, that’s part of the game.

On whether there are guys in the bottom-six that just aren’t finishers…

What are you going to say about [Dominic] Moore? He’s got what six or seven goals? [Tim] Schaller has scored some goals, he’s on that line now. We definitely need more scoring throughout our lineup, there’s no doubt about that. You want to spread your scoring, our third- line needs to give us some production, doesn’t matter, it just seems whoever has been on that line we haven’t had a lot of production there. It’s got to be spread out, but at the same time I don’t care who scores them we just have to score.

On whether the finish is more lack of scoring touch or failure to get in front of the net… We’re getting chances, we can dissect all we want like I said. We’re getting chances, I’m going to dissect the game and I’m going to tell guys we need greater presence in front of the net, we need to jump on those loose pucks – we talk about that all the time. Sometimes it is there as you saw tonight – makes the big save. We’re not scoring goals, there’s times too we have players that miss the net too much, they got to start hitting the net and that will help as well.

BOSTON BRUINS FORWARD PATRICE BERGERON On dominating on shots and chances but it only resulting in one goal... Yeah, I think it’s lots of chances – the first chances are there, but then we don’t pounce on the second and third opportunities and obviously goalies are too good in this league if you don’t make it hard on them. So, I think that’s, a lot of it is that and yeah, that’s it.

On how teams have broken out of these tough stretches in the past... Well, breaking out of it is just by – keep doing the same thing, bearing down and really kind of not squeezing the stick when we’re close around the net. I know it’s cliché but it’s – bottom line is having confidence, you know, we’re here for a reason; we know we have to get some results and find ways.

On his offensive play and if he feels the lack of production falls on his shoulders... Yeah, I mean, I have high expectations of myself so I don’t think I necessarily need to tell you that I know. I think I’m well aware of it and the only way to get out of it is by believing and keep, like I just said, keep going at it and finding ways.

On if the younger guys on the team are losing that belief that the team will bounce back... No, they do. Like I said, it’s a great group of young guys that want to learn; they want to be better and no, they believe.

On the goals against going up in the last few games... Yeah, I think a lot of it tonight is giving them the chances that they got early again. I think lately our system has been good when we keep things simple, especially in our zone, and break out of it quickly and going right back. I think tonight was the perfect example, you know, they capitalized on the chances we gave them. We’ve got to do a better job at, when we see the simple play just kind of take it and go from there.

On if the team isn’t converting on secondary scoring chances or if they aren’t getting to them... Well, a little bit of both. I think at some – on some of them we don’t get to them and on others we failed to put it in. so, I think it’s a little bit of both.

On if he’s having frustrations with his personal game... Yeah, it definitely is. You want to – I’ve always said that I want to do whatever – all that matters ultimately is to win and to help the team. So, obviously offense is part of my game, so yeah, you want to find it and it’s up to me to do it.

On having a lot of scoring chances and shots... Yeah, and there’s lots of shots that I wouldn’t change a thing on those shots, so I’ve got to keep taking them and they’re going to go in.

On what the team needs to bounce back... I think it’s probably a little bit of both. At some point, you know, last two games on our starts we definitely needed the kick in the butt and that’s what cost us the games. Tonight, I thought probably loosen up more and go out there and play. So, it’s a little bit of both, but you know, it’s adversity that we just have to overcome.

BOSTON BRUINS FORWARD BRAD MARCHAND On if it’s difficult to battle offensive frustration at this point… Yeah, it is frustrating, especially when you have a good game and the score ends up being 4-1. It is frustrating to know that we’ve had a lot of opportunities, we had a lot of good opportunities that really could have changed the game around and we didn’t. So, we’re going to have to find a way, like you said, collectively, to be better and score more goals.

On if he thinks the scorers are already in the room to help get more goals… Yeah, definitely. We have a lot of guys that can score goals all the way through our lineup. We have to collectively come together and, whether it’s just get back to trying to be a little dirtier and get around the net a little more instead of trying to get pretty goals all the time. That’s normally what you do when things are going great and that’s what we’re going to have to get back to.

On if the younger guys on the team believe in themselves during the slump… Yeah, I think we have a really good group. I thought we’ve showed a lot of character battling through adversity at different times this year, and this is another opportunity to do that throughout the whole group. It’s not just young guys; it’s old guys, but I think the young guys have really good heads on their shoulders, They’ve come a long way over the last couple years, so it’s great to watch them grow and be better players and this is another opportunity for them to become a professional and to go through a situation that you may not always be comfortable in. That’s what it’s like to be a pro.

On if he is mystified by Patrice Bergeron’s lack of production… Yeah, and it’s going to come. He’s going to break out and go on a tear. He does every year. But, there’s so much more to his game than just scoring. He’s such a dominant player all over the ice. Whether it’s going in for him or not, he’s still so valuable to our team and he will continue to be.

BOSTON BRUINS FORWARD DAVID BACKES On frustration at this point with a lot of games where they can’t score goals…

I think offensive frustration is warranted at this point; we just haven’t done a good enough job scoring goals. We played a heck of a first period. We limited them to two shots and we had an opportunity to have a team that’s coming in here that’s a younger team, to really put them behind the eight ball. Instead, they think they got a second lease on life and they were able to capitalize. All of the sudden, they were up 2-0 and we’re fighting an uphill battle again rather than – we have that opportunity to play a heck of a first period and we don’t find a way – it’s easy to talk about, but it’s going out there and doing the job and putting it past or through the goalie, or however it needs to happen. You’ve seen our goals; you want to do a study on it unless you’re Pasta [David Pastrnak] with the one-timer on the side, it’s been ugly, it’s been rebounds, it’s been greasy goals and that’s our equation and we need more of it, and we didn’t do it. They did a good job of being in front of their net and boxing out, eliminating those second chances. But, we’ve got good players in here that need to create more and find those second chances and win those battles, find those loose pucks, and throw them in the net.

BOSTON BRUINS GOALTENDER TUUKKA RASK On the frustration of having good scoring chances but the puck not ending up in the net... Yeah, it was one of those games again and I think early on in the season a lot of times we’ve kind of, we’ve won the games because we’ve kept the puck out of our own net and then somehow scored one or two goals, you know. But today we fell down by two again and then it started to catch up and when you’re really working, you score goals, and just try to get yourself going, but you know, we battled and it wasn’t enough.

On chasing the score in the past few games... It’s tough you know, especially when we try to score that first goal and play with the lead and then the last couple of games we’ve been letting in two or three goals for the other team and then trying to catch up and today was kind of one of those. And, you know, it’s not easy. It’s mentally – it takes a lot out of you, but then again, we made it a one-goal game and then killed a penalty in the third and then the second penalty somehow the puck went in the net and then it’s a two-goal differential again. So, it’s frustrating a little bit but we’ll battle through it and we’ll get the results I’m sure.

BOSTON BRUINS FORWARD DANTON HEINEN On the transition from the college to professional level… Yeah, I think there’s a little adjustment period, definitely. It’s a little faster, but I thought I did alright with adjusting in the start, and I had a little bit of a tough third, but you know, just trying to get better every game.

On the difficulty to convert a goal... I think there are a lot of scrambles around the net, and you’re just not getting the bounces or whatever it was, so I think you can’t get too frustrated.

On lessons the team is learning after struggling to score... I think, right now, they’re just not going in, that kind of thing. It sounds cliche, but, you know, sometimes guys are grabbing sticks or whatever it is, but sometimes they just walk in, so hopefully we start doing better.

On the adjustment to the faster pace... Yeah, I think I started alright. Definitely a little adjusting, but I thought I started alright, had a little bit of a tough third, but then just had fun.

BOSTON BRUINS FORWARD NOEL ACCIARI On the transition back into to the lineup… It’s good to be back with my linemates, and you know, I think we kind of picked up where we left off, but there’s definitely things we need to work on, and that’ll come with a couple more practices and games together.

On what the team needs to work on... I think just kind of shooting with a purpose. I mean, there’s a couple times we just put it in his chest when we should have been shooting it in his pads for rebounds, but just keep getting more shots and guys in net for rebounds. It’s going to come in dirty areas, so make sure we get our nose dirty.

On what the line needs to work on... Just kind of getting back to our familiarity and kind of get back to where we were before I got injured. It was a good start tonight, but we definitely just weren’t clicking like we used to, but that’ll come. I think that will come. Like I said, a couple practices and just kind of getting some games in. I thought we were pretty good tonight, but, you know, should get more pucks to score.

On the game’s physicality... Yeah, I mean, the hits will present themselves, and when they do, you take advantage, but you don’t want to go running around looking for them, so, you know, when they’re there, take it, but when they’re not, you don’t want to take yourself out of the fight.

On the importance of playing well in his first game back... Yeah, you know, you can’t think about it, because once you start thinking about it, that’s when you hurt yourself again, so you’re out there, you play your game, whatever that may be, and that’s what I tried to do tonight.

BOSTON BRUINS FORWARD AUSTIN CZARNIK On their scoring woes… Yeah, we’re getting opportunities; we just need to bear down. I think, myself, I had three or four; I just need to bear down. It’s just unacceptable at this level. It just needs to happen. We’re working hard as a team; we’re getting our opportunities at least. It’s not like we’re not getting them. We just need to be able to bear down and find the back of the net.

On how close he came on some of his scoring chances… Real close, but close isn’t good enough at this level, so I need to focus on my shot, worry about that more, and be more hungry.

On if his shorthanded chance summed up his night… Yeah, you could say that. I had three or four good chances there. I just couldn’t get it up, I don’t know. I was in tight and was trying to figure it out quick and it just didn’t work.

On what he wants to be different when he says he needs to bear down… I think it’s just being hungry. Obviously, I want to score goals, I just have to will it in pretty much. The one-timer in the slot where I just completely missed it, that just can’t happen. That’s what I kind of mean by that.

On trying to fight frustration and not letting that happen… Yeah, it is frustrating at times. You expect to score goals, everyone does. When you don’t then you’re having to come back every game and it’s just tough on the team. We just need to get our confidence back with scoring goals because we can do it, obviously, and just focus on that.

On if not scoring is contagious… Oh, I’m sure. Obviously, everyone wants to do the best they can do to produce the most that they can, so it’s frustrating for everyone I think. We just have to switch the mindset and focus on hitting the net.

On how he has broken out of slumps in the past… Just hard work. Doing the right thing every single day, working on your shot every single day, things like that. Things that will make you successful if you like and you have to be determined to want to get better.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS HEAD COACH On the game… Yeah, I thought the first period we didn’t do anything, we didn’t win any battles, and we didn’t skate. I thought we were way better in the second, skated and had much more of the play. And then in the third period, obviously it was great to get the win. Andy () played real well, especially early in the game for us. Gave him the one there early in the second, but was able to battle hard in the third.

On the team building on their road wins… Yeah, I guess. I never thought much about that, it was just winning the game and we feel we’ve been getting better. The last three games the first period kind of did us in, we didn’t start on time and it was nice to see that we started, we were able to hold on. It wasn’t the start we wanted but we didn’t give up the goals, not because we had any, but because the guys battled. And then we were able to execute a little bit.

On being a catalyst on the line… Oh, huge. I thought (Connor) Brown with (Nazem) Kadri, but I thought he was skating right from the get-go. You know his buddy (David) Pastrnak over there is obviously playing real well, and so it’s always nice to play real well against your buddy, and he stepped up tonight and it was important for us.

On Frederik Andersen’s goaltending tonight… Well I thought he did a good job, especially early. I mean obviously they played the puck there at the end of the second and he really had to battle but I thought he did a good job. (Antoine) Bibeau gets his first start tomorrow so that will be fun too.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS GOALIE FREDERIK ANDERSEN On how he is feeling physically… Pretty good, yeah getting used to it and this last week has been pretty easy though but yeah there are ups and downs to schedules where you get more time to rest and take advantage. So it’s been pretty good.

On how his record against the Bruins is 6-0… I don’t know, I think it could be a lot of things but like yeah it’s fun playing in this building, and obviously it feels pretty good.

On how he felt in the first period with having less shots on net… I mean I don’t think we gave up too much, even though we didn’t really produce anything I think we, we got through the period. Zero-zero is pretty good for a road game. We came out a lot better in the second and third so I thought it was good that we were able to turn it on.

On if he thought he got good puck support… Yeah that was good, the team was able to clear the rebounds out of the crease and the slot area so it’s always good so that way we can produce offense and get on with the show.

On what he thought of Zdeno Chara’s game… Yeah he’s a big guy, long reach so he’s going to look to shoot or pass every time...

On if he is ready to play again tomorrow... Yeah we’ll see…

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS FORWARD On if he felt his line clicking tonight… Yeah for sure, I think especially during the second period. Yeah that first one, the first period we were kind of back on our heels, not you know pushing the pace and playing our game. We were back on our heels and they kind of took over so that second period was a big bounce back period for us. We scored a couple goals, [Zach] Hyman getting a way to get to the net always, and open up a lot of space for us and we were able to capitalize.

On improving throughout the game… Yeah for sure you want to play a full 60 minutes obviously every night, but yeah definitely that first period towards the end you kind of started to get back towards our game and just playing better positionally, not giving them those odd breaks. So their first line is obviously very skilled, they were getting behind our D and being able to make a lot of plays so I think that was a big key for us in the first period to change.

On how Frederik Andersen played… Absolutely, I mean Freddy was the best player on the ice, he’s making huge saves especially in that first period. You know things were kind of not rolling for us, we were giving up a lot of opportunities and he stood on his head so that’s huge by him and he was solid for the rest of the game.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS FORWARD On getting better at the game went on… Yeah, definitely. Freddie (Frederik Andersen) made some big saves in the first to keep it a game and then we kind of picked up our plays as the game went on. I thought the third period was our best period.

On what makes the team play so well against a very good penalty-killing unit… Yeah, that’s what you said. I think we moved the puck around and tried to make plays towards the net and tried to get them to compress towards the net, and get those second chances.

On how they will benefit on the road from ending the game on a great third period… Yeah, I mean it had kind of been something we’ve struggled with so far this year, but hopefully we can use that and go off of that.

On what it means to get a victory in such a place like the TD Garden… Yeah, no question there, it’s a hard building to win in. Again, like you said, hopefully we can use that as a positive, build off of it and keep growing our game.

On the boost the win will give them going into Toronto… Definitely, it’s a big win. We know we need to keep pushing forward tomorrow and we know they’re going to be a hungry team that we’re playing tomorrow.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS HEAD COACH MIKE BABCOCK PREGAME PRESS CONFERENCE On what the key is to a good start here tonight against a wounded team… Well, I don’t know if they’re any more wounded than us. I thought their game was exactly like our game. When you do foolish things with the puck, you dig it out of your net and you spend the whole night outplaying the opposition, in the end, you lose and you’re disappointed. So, start on time, execute well in your own zone, don’t turn pucks over, and you normally go home happy.

On why Auston Matthews scores more on the road than at home… Yeah, I don’t know that. Does he get a harder matchup on the road than at home, I don’t really know. Since we put [Connor] Brown on that line, we don’t really worry about matchup against him as much. Good question for you, I think his ice time is pretty similar. I didn’t check road and home for sure. I know they had it going big time on the power play early. That group doesn’t have it going as good on the power play for whatever reason. I just know that he’s played real well. He did a lot of really good things through two periods last game. He didn’t have the puck as much in the third because they didn't win any faceoffs, but he’s done a lot of really good things.

On how valuable of a player Patrice Bergeron is… Yeah, he’s an elite player, elite hockey sense. Marchy [Brad Marchand], and [David] Pastrnak now, but Marchy really helps him. Elite speed. He’s a good faceoff man, doesn’t cheat, knows how to play right, and is bigger in the big games. Good player.