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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL: CAPITALS vs LIGHTNING

May 20, 2018

Tom Wilson

Washington, D.C.: Practice Day

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Braden was saying last night you guys never make it easy on yourselves. Why do you handle adversity so well?
TOM WILSON: We've had a good amount of it this season from the start. A team that had new faces, veteran guys going down early in the year. You find a way. That can make a team better. Obviously an opportunity to get up in the series, now we're kind of do or die. It's kind of time to show up, get the job done.

Q. Is it hard to move on from the disappointment of not taking more control of the series, being in this situation?
TOM WILSON: Yeah, I mean, playoff series, they can go so many different ways. That's why it's best of seven. Early on we still won two games, it's still a close series. Just seems like they've won most as of late.

We just got to get back to that feeling, get the win. That's all that really matters at this point, is the next game.

Q. Does how you got here really matter?
TOM WILSON: I mean, in the long-term it does a little bit. It makes you who you are a little bit. In short-term, this series, we know, we're confident. We've played really good hockey at times. Maybe like Holts said, we didn't make it easy on ourselves. We come out, get behind the eight ball right away.

You have to play all 60 at this time of year. The teams are too good to just play 40. We probably outplayed them for 40 minutes. You don't get the win, so... You got to make sure you're ready to go. You got to make sure you're playing your best hockey for the full 60 minutes or more if you need it.

Q. How do things feel differently on the ice when you're facing elimination?
TOM WILSON: Maybe you think about it a little bit before the game. Once you're on the ice, it's just like any other game. You're playing, you're doing your job, you're focused on the little things, on the details, on the systems. You're focused on the team.

It's probably always there. You know it's do your die, your back is against the wall, all those clichÃ©s. That being said, it's a sport we've played our whole lives. We're familiar. We just have to make sure we do our thing, execute the game plan and we'll be all right.

Q. Playing at home, does that make any difference in this game? Can it be a positive even though you haven't had success lately?
TOM WILSON: It can be a positive, for sure. You go home, you're in the comfort of your own rink, your home, your own fans. There's going to be a ton of energy in that building. We're going to have to use it.

They did a good job coming out and scoring on the first shift, creating that atmosphere in their building. We're going to have to do the same. It can be hard to play a road game when you get stepped on early. We can maybe take a page out of their book, make sure we get on them early, make sure we play the full game.

At this time of year it's always fun to play at home. Your fans, it's sold out, it's so electric that it's awesome. It's why you play. It's the fun time of year, for sure.

Q. That resolve that you're talking about, have you felt that develop throughout this year? It feels like you guys really do kind of relish in meeting every challenge that comes at you.
TOM WILSON: Yeah, I think we're a good hockey team. We're a good team first, which is important. That's why you get to this time of year. That's why we've had success. It's a fun group in there. We want to keep playing.

It's been a long year. You play 82 games. Comes down to one bounce or one game. We got to make sure that we're doing everything we can to create the chances, earn our luck a little bit. I mean, hockey, you look back on kind of every year you get knocked out, it can be one bounce, one inch, one little play that cost you your season or makes you move on.

You got to control the game. You got to execute your game plan, give yourself the best chance to win. Over the last couple games, we've played good hockey, but we haven't felt like we controlled the whole game. We got to make sure we're pushing harder, earning those bounces. I think if we do, we're confident we can do this.

Q. I don't think you guys have lost four straight all season. What is the process you go through to move on from a loss and respond in the next game?
TOM WILSON: Yeah, in the playoffs, you try and look at it as one game. Whether you've won a couple in a row, whether you've lost a couple in a row, it comes down to one game. Both teams are going to have that mentality. That's why it's the most important time of year.

Maybe it's a good thing that we haven't lost four in a row, but Barry, you've heard him say it a million times, you don't lose two in a row, you don't go on a skid in this league. You have to stay consistent.

It doesn't matter, it's not the regular season now, it's probably going to come down to one game. We'll get that one and hopefully we'll refocus on the next one.

Q. You mentioned controlling the game. How much does having a lead play a part in that?
TOM WILSON: Yeah, it helps, for sure. I think it's always nice to play with a lead. That being said, there's ups and downs. You got to make sure that you're always pushing. We were down three, and you almost come back and get into it.

I think we're going to focus on our start. We've had some pretty solid starts throughout this post-season. The last one wasn't good enough. I think controlling those big moments that we've kind of talked about, first shifts of the period, stuff like that, shifts after goals, those need to be better from us. As a whole, the last 40 minutes, you play pretty good hockey, but you let your guard down a couple quick seconds, it's in the back of your net.

We'll be better from that standpoint. Like I said, every little play matters, every chip, every little battle. Got to make sure you're in it. Got to make sure you're controlling your outcome.

Q. What does it mean to you when Matt comes out and says all three goals is his fault yesterday.
TOM WILSON: I mean, it's not easy to do. Nisky is one of the best teammates. He doesn't say much obviously. He works so hard. He's a huge factor for us. It's not easy at this time of year to come out and say that. I think he's probably being a little bit dramatic. There's five guys on the ice. I didn't see it that way. I don't think many guys did.

If he feels that way, I'm sure he'll be stepping up for the next one. That's what leadership is. He's definitely a big-time leader. We all got to have each other's back, go into this one as a team, make sure we get it done.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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