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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: LIGHTNING v RANGERSMay 18, 2015Alain VigneaultNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Game Two Q. For our millions of viewers across Canada, would you be so kind as to give us your strategy for tonight's game and make the answer last longer than ten seconds? COACH VIGNEAULT: Well, we're going to try to put our best game on the ice (laughing). You know what? We're playing against a really fast team that plays a really good system. We're going to try and execute and make the right plays with the puck when we have the puck, and we're definitely going to have to defend well. That's 11 seconds. That's all you get. Q. For you, what is it like to be coaching against Rick Bowness at this stage so deep into the playoffs? COACH VIGNEAULT: You know, Rick is a friend. Last year at this time we were meeting up with Montreal and I had worked with Michele, and that was a very special time. But I worked with Michele as I was head coach and he was coaching our farm team. With Rick, I was his assistant for three and a half years and we worked together for seven great years in Vancouver, so he saw my kids grow up. There is a huge friendship there, but it's hockey time right now. He's going to do whatever he feels is necessary for Tampa to move on, and I'm going to do the same for the Rangers. But it is special to hook up against a very special friend. Q. You've had that experience of going to the final with Vancouver and going to the final here, a different cast of characters, different pressures. But what is the difference for you in terms of kind of the pressure that the city puts on you in both contexts? COACH VIGNEAULT: You know what? I don't think the city puts any more pressure on us coaches and players and management than we put on ourselves. We came into this season with very high expectations. We mentioned on a number of occasions that we knew we were going to be judged by what we did in the playoffs and now we're in the Conference Final. Our expectation, just like Tampa I'm sure, is to move on to the next series. We understand it's going to take our best hockey to have that opportunity, and we're in the same mindset as we've been since day one, one game at a time. We're focused on tonight's game. Q. What can you tell us about Zuc taking a twirl today, and how encouraging is it that he's back out on the ice? COACH VIGNEAULT: Yeah, he's just going through the process of getting healthy. He's skated a little bit on his own today, and I'm assuming that's going to get a little longer here as we move forward. Q. Also, I know how Step would want you to answer this, but when you look at him, do you see a young guy or do you see kind of a veteran type of guy? COACH VIGNEAULT: Step? You're talking about the hair or are you talking about‑‑ Q. How do you perceive him? I mean, he's a young guy, but he's got a lot of experience at this point. COACH VIGNEAULT: He is definitely one of the players in our dressing room that I ask his opinion on a number of things. Very bright, very articulate, good person, knows what it takes to be successful and wants to be successful. He's got a great read in our room on who needs help and who he can touch in a positive way. So he's definitely a guy that I lean on. Q. Are you a believer that teams that win close games or play well and pull them out as often as your team has done that you get better at it the more you do it? Do you think your team is one of those? Like what kinds of things have they gotten from winning so many close games? COACH VIGNEAULT: I don't think you can win in the NHL on a consistent basis if you cannot play in these situations. Teams are so close. There is so little separating us that most games are tight games. Most games are one‑goal games. You might get the odd one there that there's a little bit more offense. But for our group, we're very‑‑ I don't know if comfortable is the word to use, but it's just the way that these games have unfolded and we've found ways to win them. Q. Can you just provide an update on Jesper and do you anticipate him playing tonight? COACH VIGNEAULT: Who? Q. Jesper Fast? COACH VIGNEAULT: Yeah, he's fine. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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