|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: BLACKHAWKS v LIGHTNINGJune 9, 2015Brandon SaadPatrick SharpJonathan ToewsCHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Practice Day THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Your record Game4 through 7 is good under Joel. What is it about as the series go on, you seem to get stronger and better? JONATHAN TOEWS: I don't know. I think maybe it's part knowing what we're up against, part just us raising our game, getting better and better as the series go along. Obviously we don't draw it up in some situations when we get down in a series, it's not part of the plan. But I think we have confidence when we get in those situations that we can take it one game at a time, focus on the next game, continue to put pressure on the other team. It happens sometimes. You're up against good teams that are working hard, doing all the right things. You're not always going to be in complete control of a series. We've been up in series, we've been down in some series, especially this year. Here we are down 2‑1. I think we're confident we can go out there and find a way to even it up tomorrow night. Q. Patrick, you were in the same situation against the Ducks. Same situation against the Bruins in the '13 Cup Final. When you're in a situation like that, do you use history to generate some confidence? PATRICK SHARP: Yes. It's not necessarily a situation you want to be in. The fact this group of players and this organization has been down that road a few times, has been able to persevere has been good for us. We're going to try to draw from that experience and play better games going forward. Q. Jonathan, what do you remember about the first time you were trailing in a series, how you treated it mentally, versus now? JONATHAN TOEWS: I mean, I think it goes with anything. Whether you win a game or lose a game, I think earlier in my career, I think Sharpie would agree, too, even Saader, the emotions are so high, so low. One day you win a game in the first round, you get that feeling you're going all the way to the Cup, nothing can stop you. The next day you lose, all of a sudden that thought crosses your mind, Better luck next year, that's the way it's going to go. I think now you have that experience, you've played a lot of those games, you realize you don't have to kind of ride the rollercoaster that way. You can dig deep and find a way to bounce back after tough games when the feeling isn't so good. You realize you don't have to waste any of that emotional or mental energy off the ice in between games. You shut it off and make sure you're ready for the next one. Q. Many of us have watched the series so far. After the way Game1 went, are surprised you the series is now 2‑1 Tampa? How surprised are you with the way the series is right now? BRANDON SAAD: I don't know. You know, they're a good team. Game1 we strike twice pretty quick there in the third, end up getting the win. No one on our team thought it would be easy. I don't know how surprised we are. But we're not in a position we want to be in. At the same time they're a good hockey team. It's going to be a good series. It's a marathon series. We got to focus on our next game at home. Q. Jonathan, can you win the series if you and Patrick don't score? JONATHAN TOEWS: Sure. I think the two of us always feel that expectation, maybe that pressure to contribute offensively. We got a lot of guys who can do it. As long as we're playing smart two‑way hockey, we're creating, bringing energy, eventually something's got to tip. I think that's the way we're looking at it right now. But I think as a team, we got a lot of guys who can contribute in that way. We're confident that it doesn't matter who scores the goals, we're going to find a way to win as a team. Q. Jonathan, the rollercoaster, going back to '13, you talked about confronting Chara, what he was accomplishing for the Bruins, turning the tide there. Is there something about the Lightning that you feel you need to change to have success in the series? JONATHAN TOEWS: I don't think so. I mean, we all know how skilled and how fast they are, how good they play as a team, their system, the way they move the puck, their power play. They don't have any weaknesses, if any. At the end of the day I think we to a certain degree know they want to get better, we want to get better as the series goes along. I think it's just about raising our game and not letting them do what they want to do. I think we've put ourselves in a good spot in third periods the last couple games. We kind of for a minute or two get away from what's making us a good team. We let them play their game a little bit too easily, it ends up hurting us. We can do the things we're doing, but keep on raising them to another level. Across the board, I think every guy knows there's more in store. If we bring that, we'll find ways and create the bounces we haven't gotten the last couple games. Q. Patrick, you are pretty good at figuring out an opponent as a series goes along. You enter the series not that familiar with Tampa Bay. Do you feel by this point you kind of have a handle on them or can figure them out? PATRICK SHARP: I don't know if saying we 'have a handle on them' is the right way to put it. From the start of the series till now, playing nine periods against each other, you certainly get a feel for how teams can play against each other. We got a lot of respect for what they're capable of doing. They're dangerous in all areas. We heard a lot about their speed and skill, but we are seeing how well they can check and defend. We'll take today to formulate a game plan, try to execute as best we can tomorrow. Q. Jonathan, you said there's a little less pressure for you to score that you're putting on yourself. Has your experience in the playoffs helped that? In the beginning of your career did you feel more pressure to score? JONATHAN TOEWS: No, I don't think I'm putting less pressure on myself now. If anything, there's definitely more. I think as you grow older, have more experience, you learn how to deal with that a little bit more, and you welcome it at the same time. For myself, like these two guys here, it's a challenge that we embrace, that we enjoy. That's the great thing about playing this time of year, is there's a lot to lose, there's a lot on the line. That's why we play the game. That's what it's all about. It's exciting. If you don't want that challenge, if you don't want that spotlight almost, then you shouldn't be here. I think we all work for that. We want to play those important games. So for me, as far as scoring goals and contributing the way I know I can, yeah, it's frustrating, it's tough when it doesn't happen, but you just keep going and have confidence that eventually something will happen and work out in your favor. Q. Jonathan, you've seen an awful lot of Victor Hedman in these first few games. Your impressions of them? Is it almost like their Duncan Keith? JONATHAN TOEWS: There's no doubt with his size, his skating ability, I mean, he's been making plays, he's been offensive. In a lot of ways, yeah, he is a guy like Duncan who makes more times than not the players he's out there with better. He's a catalyst when he's in his own zone or the offensive zone. He's definitely a guy we need to get on a little bit more. Q. You haven't played with the lead very much, Patrick, in the series. Is that just compounding the frustration at this point because you're a team that tends to get out in front a lot? How does that mentality change? PATRICK SHARP: It shouldn't change too much. I think we play a pretty similar game all the way throughout. Obviously late in the game when you're down, you kind of change things, you're chasing the game a little bit. The Hawks play a certain style of game. It's always nice to get that first goal. We've come back and won plenty of games not scoring first. But obviously it would be nice to play with the lead and sustain that for some period of time. They do a good job of striking quick, as they did last night. But that shouldn't change the way we approach every shift. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, guys. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|