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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: LIGHTNING v RANGERS

May 19, 2015

Alain Vigneault

TAMPA, FLORIDA: Practice Day

Q.Â You said you needed more from you top guys, what exactly do you need?
COACHÂ VIGNEAULT: Well, we've played against good teams prior to Tampa, and those good teams have had great players. Tampa obviously has some great players. By our calculation, Tampa had five scoring chances in the first, and Johnson had all five of them. So there's no doubt that we need to raise our level here. We've got another challenge in front of us both defensively and offensively. We've been able to do it in the past. The past doesn't necessarily dictate the future, but I've got a lot of confidence in this group that we can raise our level of play. There's no doubt that Tampa has done that, and now we need to do the same.

Q.Â Is this Tampa team the best youÂ’ve seen so far?
COACH VIGNEAULT: There's no doubt that they're a good team. They're very confident in their goaltending. Their goaltender has been able to, in the first two games and the games I've been able to watch in the past, make some big saves at key moments, which permits probably the rest of their group to go on the offense and go on the attack quite a bit. So he's obviously a big part of their team. But we've got a very good goaltender also, and we've got a lot of confidence in him. Yesterday, can't take anything away from how well Tampa played. Now we've got to pick up our game at both ends of the rink.

Q.Â After watching the game again, anything else that stood out to you?
COACHÂ VIGNEAULT: No, I mean, they scored three power-play goals. They scored another goal where a penalty was just expiring. They scored a shorthanded goal where we were five-on-three. So there are definitely points that I haven't had the opportunity to address with our team yet because we've been travelling, but I'll address it with them tomorrow before I address it with you. But there are definitely areas of our game that we can be better at and we'll work on that.

Q.Â Last year you said Nash was working really hard buy may not have gotten paid off, what is your assessment of him now?
COACHÂ VIGNEAULT: I mean, again, he's working extremely hard. He's getting physically involved. He's getting some looks. Would I like him to finish on some of those looks? Yes. Do we need him to finish on those looks? Probably, yes. He knows that. But this is a team game. It's a team concept. We need everyone to be better, from our goaltender out. Our defensive group needs to be better. These guys have got obviously great offensive lines, and our forwards need to meet the challenge of their group also, not just Rick Nash.

Q.Â Are you surprised how uncharacteristic a game that was at this point in the season?
COACHÂ VIGNEAULT: If it wasn't Game 2, because we've had our issues with Game 2 for whatever reason. I would say I was surprised. But in Game 2 of every series since I've been here, I just don't know. It's just one of those things.

Q.Â Chance Zucc might skate with the team down here?
COACH VIGNEAULT: Down here, I would say no.Â

Q. You like Hayes on that line?
COACH VIGNEAULT: Yes.

Q.Â Any adjustments if Zucc comes back?
COACHÂ VIGNEAULT: Like I've done throughout my time here, regular season and playoffs, I work with the players that are available. I don't worry about the ones that are not. I just love having Zuc around because he smiles a lot, but other than that I'm not thinking about him. He's not ready to play.

Q.Â What are they doing on the power play that is giving you problems?
COACHÂ VIGNEAULT: Obviously, they've got a great skill level. You can break down each of their goals and say it was a specific thing. But give them credit, they've got a lot of skill level. Thanks, guys.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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