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NHL STADIUM SERIES: RED WINGS v AVALANCHE

February 27, 2016

Jeff Blashill

Denver, Colorado

Detroit – 5
Colorado - 3

Q. What did you see on Richards' goal?
COACH BLASHILL: I saw, after that, he found a way to get obviously just the puck up and over there. It was a weird game. I think it was my same experience when I was in an outdoor game, the American League. I think it's a little bit of a hard game for the goalies.
Not that either or‑‑ both of them were good. But it was the puck seemed to bounce a little bit more. We just tried to keep talking, getting pucks in the net, and find ways to get in from the side and things like that. So in the end it went in. So we were very happy.

Q. Goals from Tatar and Nyquist, how big could that be going forward if they were able to get going a little bit?
COACH BLASHILL: I have Richards for that as well. I think Dat and Nyquie, I know they're going to get going. I don't think they're going to get going; I know they're going to get going. It's just a matter of when.
Obviously for us sooner than later is better. They're two good players and proven scorers in the league. I've had both of them for a long time.
I know to make sure to give them enough time, and they've got to continue to play at a high level. If they compete at a high level, they're going to score. If they're both competing I think real hard, they'll score.

Q. Just your view of Richards' goal there, how the play unfolded?
COACH BLASHILL: Richards, we thought, just again, it was‑‑ we thought he was trying to follow the puck to that area and he found a way to get it up and over a little bit.
I haven't seen it a second time yet, so I don't have an unreal feel for it. But certainly happy when he found the back of the net.

Q. The third period, the winds swirling, the (indiscernible) swirling, did that have an effect, or did that have an effect on this play at all?
COACH BLASHILL: We thought developing before the game, when you play events like this, a lot of things happen. You have to be prepared for weird stuff to happen. And you have to stay poised.
I don't think it really had an effect. There was just a few moments where that happened. But what a great event. I thought it was awesome. I thought the crowd was awesome. I thought it was a great setting. I was real thankful to be a part of it.

Q. Throughout the season, you guys‑‑ coaches always look for wins that they think might help their team take off. With a minute left, it's one of these types‑‑ could this be one of those wins for your team?
COACH BLASHILL: I think the points are, as you know, unbelievably critical right now. I think to find a way to get two points that is critical. Every night right now. I think we have 20 games left. We have to compete and find ways to get points. I don't believe necessarily in big, huge steps, I believe in a bunch of small steps.
Everything I said yesterday, I think the game, they take steps forward and get back as soon as you can end up being a real good team. There's certainly moments you can look back on as critical moments. But finding a way to get the two points was huge.
Will it be a big moment? It will if we build off of it and have a great outing in Dallas and continue to move forward. I think as a team we did some good things and got to continue to do get better.

Q. Is (indiscernible) a personnel move or is he injured?
COACH BLASHILL: He's not injured. I think we have good energy on our team. I had to make some hard decisions on plays. And I played the six that I thought was going to give us the best chance. We'll continue to evaluate it.

Q. This game is so intense. You're playing one of the biggest rivals you've ever had in the conference and in the NHL. With this going against Dallas, them having lost two games, do you see the success that keeps going?
COACH BLASHILL: Also with the NHL now is, every single night is a play here and play there, that's what it is for me. There were some shots that were tough for our team, not just our team, but all teams.
We're going to go to Dallas, play great, have an opportunity to win. They're a great team, one of the best teams in the league. For us to have a chance to win, we have to play great.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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