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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL: DUCKS VS PREDATORS

May 19, 2017

Anaheim, California - Practice Day

Q. How confident are you in your team being able to handle one of the more pivotal games that this franchise has ever faced?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: They're all pivotal. Every game is so important. And, you know, there's a lot of confidence in our group and the way we played the game, the way we've played it all through the Playoffs, the way we played it through the second half of the year. And I think there's good confidence when it comes to being successful.

So the important thing, I think, is always turning the page. And last night was tough. Guys battled hard and fought back after a tough start and put themselves into a position to win a game. But you get into overtime and it just takes one funny bounce and the game can swing in a different direction. So we're turning the page, heading out to Anaheim, looking to get back going in the right direction.

Q. How important has the neutral zone been in this series, two teams that have been very good at clogging up the neutral zone so far in the Playoffs?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: Yeah, they were good off the rush last night. But I said this before, a lot of it is not just from neutral zone defense, it's more from them sprinting to offense from our offense. So we're in the offensive zone and they pick up a puck or collect a puck and break out. So it's not really about neutral zone defense at that point.

But I do think that the team that's had the jump and able to put numbers into the rush usually can control a little bit of the tempo and get into the offensive zone and create some plays and some pucks that are going at the net and some scoring chances.

Q. What can you guys do to generate more on the power play? Viktor was talking about maybe not getting the quality of shots that you guys are used to.
COACH LAVIOLETTE: Yeah, we got a lot of shots last night. I mean, I think the one we probably would like to have back is the 5-on-3 for the minute and a half. But the power play had a lot of shots and a lot of opportunities but it didn't click.

Their goaltender played well. Their penalty kill is good. But I think at the end of the night there was probably eight scoring chances on the power play. It's not like we didn't generate anything. I think we did. But certainly we always try to get better.

Q. Do you think the first period last night for you guys was just an anomaly --
COACH LAVIOLETTE: We hadn't really played like that. I mean, it happens. You watch all teams in the Playoffs, at some point you're not happy with something, a period, a game, whatever it might be.

The fact that we were able to bounce back in the second and the third and get back into the game, I think, showed strength in our club -- again, that confidence and belief that we can come from behind and still be successful. And we put ourselves into the position we just weren't able to finish it out. But it happens.

Q. After having gone through that and talking to them about it would you be surprised to see that type of start again just knowing what they have to do to come out of the gates with?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: Yeah, you never know what's going to happen. But certainly our guys have played pretty well here in the Playoffs and been pretty consistent with their game. We need a better start.

Q. You guys are heading into a building where you've had a lot of success over the past couple of years. What's the mindset now that the series is tied 2-2 heading back to Anaheim?
VIKTOR ARVIDSSON: It's a best of 3 now, and we've gotta get ready for a tough game down there. It's going to be fun.

Q. What can you guys do to generate more production on the power play?
VIKTOR ARVIDSSON: I think we've got to shoot the puck more and create opportunities that way. And we have been successful when we are shooting the puck and getting on rebounds and stuff like that.

Q. Viktor, how does the team kind of respond to last night; get the overtime and now you have to hit the road trying to bounce back off of a loss? Biggest game in franchise history tomorrow night.
VIKTOR ARVIDSSON: I feel so too. It's going to be big, as you said. And we just gotta be prepared and reset our mind and go from there.

Q. What do you do to make sure that you guys come out with a better first period than you did last night?
VIKTOR ARVIDSSON: We know we can do better and we've got to look at each other in the eyes and be prepared to attack the game in the first period and the whole game.

Q. How do you handle the Ducks physicality? They definitely were trying everything they could possibly last night to get you all off your game. How do you try to counter act that?
VIKTOR ARVIDSSON: Of course we've got to be ready for that. We knew they were going to play physical. They've done that every game so far. So, I think we are ready for it and we just gotta dial hard and get to those areas.

Q. Going into a building where you've had some success. What's the mindset now that the series is 2-2, best of three?
YANNICK WEBER: Like you said, we went there in the first time knowing that we can win on the road, we have to win on the road. And at the same right now, they have their home advantage back. So, for us it'll be the same mindset for us every game.

I thought we played well Game 1 and Game 2 and Game 3. Yesterday we had a little bit of a slow start, but I think the last 40 minutes I thought we did play the way we wanted to play, and I thought we did have a pretty good pushback.

So we don't have to change much. I think we know if we can play our game and our style, I think we can be successful.

Q. The first periods for this team have been better on the road. How do you prolong that, though?
YANNICK WEBER: I think yesterday was just, just tough to explain what really happened. They were really desperate and we just couldn't match their intensity. But we were lucky to go down only one in the first, and we knew we had to be better and it will be important tomorrow.

It's in their building. They're definitely going to be motivated and ready to go. So we'll have to be ready as well. But we know that once we use our speed and our attack mode, we can work this, too.

Q. Correct me if I'm wrong, I felt the assessment after the game last night was that you didn't play your best. If you had you played at the level you were capable of is there some confidence there knowing if we go back to the way we've been playing?
YANNICK WEBER: Definitely, if you look at the second and third period and even parts of overtime, I thought we were the better team. We used our strength. We used our speed and we definitely got them on their heels. So, I know it's good to know that in every game we have parts where we're dominating or maybe they dominated us. So I think we got tons of confidence going into Game 5.

Q. How much confidence do you guys have in Forsberg's ability to score that clutch goal for you guys?
YANNICK WEBER: We kind of call him Mr. Clutch now. So he's been great. The whole year, we always know that he's going to bring something special to the table. He could have had a couple yesterday. And at the end that clutch goal was huge, just unfortunately the game went into OT.

He's a very talented player, not just offensively, but defensively. He's a smart player and his skill level is really high, one of the best in the league. It's definitely great to see him being on his peak at the right moment.

Q. How important has the neutral zone been in this series, two teams that are very good at clogging up the neutral zone and making it difficult to have clean zone entries?
YANNICK WEBER: I think that's kind of the thing. Yesterday in the first period we just didn't get the puck deep and making turns. So every time you turn over the puck in the neutral zone, they're coming back at you again, and that tires you out. So I think that's going to be key tomorrow for us to get pucks deep and be clean through the neutral zone, to put them on their heels and not give them any chance to come at us right away.

Q. How much confidence do you guys have going into this building, a place you have a lot of success now the series is 2-2, best of three?
JAMES NEAL: I think you need to have confidence, I think just the confidence in our group that we can win games there. And just have the belief in your teammates and the guys you sit beside to just play a little better and get a win. So that's really all you're focused on.

Q. What can you guys do to have more production on the power play?
JAMES NEAL: We need to shoot the puck a little bit more. We had a few good looks, but at the end of the day you've got to put the puck in the back of the net. And just move the puck around a little bit quicker. Keep a good net front and deliver the puck.

But we gotta definitely score when you have an opportunity like that. And every guy would say the same thing. So that's on our power play and we have to be a little better.

Q. This is the biggest adversity this team really has maybe faced this whole postseason. How confident are you in the response now that it's the best of three?
JAMES NEAL: Well, it's 2-2. Nothing's going to be easy. That's why it's the hardest trophy to win in sports. And we should be confident in our group. We have a chance to go in their rink, win a game, and come back with a chance to win in our home building. So put a smile on our face, enjoy it, get ready, and feel good about a tough game in their rink and what can come from that.

Q. How important is that, James, just emotionally being lifted going in and not dwelling on what may have been?
JAMES NEAL: I think over the past few years we've grown and we've learned that you can't dwell on things. And we gotta look at our game, be honest with ourselves and we have got to come out and have a better start. You don't want to put yourself behind in games, have to fight back.

But that being said, we did a great job of tying the game up, giving ourselves a chance to win in overtime in our home rink. And that's a good thing. But we'll be ready to go tomorrow afternoon.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL: DUCKS VS PREDATORS

May 19, 2017

Peter Laviolette

Yannick Weber

James Neal

Viktor Arvidsson