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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: LIGHTNING v RANGERSMay 21, 2015Ryan McDonaghTAMPA, FLORIDA: Practice Day Q. How would you describe the importance of this next game? RYAN McDONAGH: Well, I mean, it's absolutely a huge game, you know. Being tied 2‑2, going back to MSG or being down 3‑1 is quite a hole, but you don't want to look too far ahead. You want to focus on doing the right thing to prepare here, and it starts with our meetings and our team getting together here and getting the right mindset and preparing for another hard‑fought game. Q. What is (No Microphone) not necessarily (No Microphone)? RYAN McDONAGH: Yeah, I mean, they did a good job of clogging up the neutral zone against us. We didn't put enough pucks behind them and make them defend as much, and we didn't wear them down like we did in Game 1, where they were spending a lot of time in their zone. I thought that because of the fact that they weren't having to defend as much, that they were able to utilize their speed, their transition game and get back and play in our offensive zone. So in that aspect, I think we can get back to doing what was the strength of us in Game 1. Making them go the whole length of the ice, and trying to wear down their defensemen and their forwards by making them defend. Q. (No Microphone) given how fast they were skating and how fast they were passing the puck, were you really having trouble (No Microphone)? RYAN McDONAGH: Oh, we feel we have to be a lot stronger in front of them, for sure. They're getting some open looks and some rush plays. We definitely are having our breakdowns in front of them, so that's stuff that we can control. Like I said, we're going to continue to look at things on video, and ways that we can counter act that and make sure that we're giving ourselves that best chance to win. Q. Did you find in that game (No Microphone)? RYAN McDONAGH: Yeah, like our huge foundation is our defensive play and not giving up offensive chances against as much, so it is a little bit shocking, but it isn't shocking in the sense of the way the games have been played. We haven't defended the way that we normally do, and they're very skilled and very creative and they deserve a lot of credit for that. But I think we can still improve and continue to get back to having good numbers back, having good positioning in the defensive zone where we're strong from the net front out, and those aspects are going to help us get back to the way we want to play as a defensive group. Q. (No Microphone)? RYAN McDONAGH: No, I mean, as crazy and as up and down as this series has been with the goal scoring and back and forth play, it's still 2‑1 in the series here, and we understand the importance of this next game being on the road here of trying to have a good start and continue to build off that. We had a good start last game. Got out to a couple goal leads and couldn't quite finish off through the period there with that two‑goal lead. Definitely gave them a little bit of momentum there going into the second. But we've got to trust our instincts here, trust our structure. We've been in this situation at times before being down in the series, so we've got to continue to do what gives us the best chance to win. Q. Before the series started, players were saying, well, we haven't seen them for six months (No Microphone). But the last two games, would you agree they were similar to the way they played you guys in the regular season? RYAN McDONAGH: We see a lot of goal scoring and those are what I can remember from the games, a lot of skill plays by them where we're giving them too much time and space and letting their creative instincts take over. For us it was a good example of going back to Game 1 of being in good position a majority of that game and not allowing grade A opportunities as much. So if we can reflect on that and use that as motivation and as a strength going forward here, we know we can do it, and it's a matter of us getting to that. Q. So it looks like they really haven't changed that much (No Microphone). RYAN McDONAGH: Have they changed since the regular season? Q. No, I'm asking that of you. Do you sense a change from them since the last time you played? RYAN McDONAGH: I mean, it's tough to say exactly. But they rely on high‑octane, high, fast‑paced plays taking what you give them. I mean, if you're going to give them an opportunity to make an extra pass and then create an opportunity in front of the net, they're going to look for that. So, as the opposition, we've got to try to minimize those offensive looks for them, try and minimize that extra play that they've been making against us. Q. Ryan, are you eager to get back out there tomorrow? RYAN McDONAGH: Absolutely. We understand this is a huge opportunity, the Eastern Conference Finals, and you find yourself down 2‑1, but it's still a ton of fun playing in this series and being able to say that we're still playing hockey at this point in the season. So our group, we understand the situation we're in. We understand that there is no use getting upset anymore over what happened last night. That's what the few hours after the game are for, kind of letting yourself vent and get that frustration out of you. But you understand you have a job and another opportunity tomorrow night to even this series up going back to MSG. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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