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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: KINGS v COYOTESMay 22, 2012Dave TippettPHOENIX, ARIZONA: Game Five Los Angeles – 4 THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach Tippett. Q. Start with general thoughts. Looked like the first period was the best of the whole series. You didn't get what you needed out of it. COACH TIPPETT: We didn't capitalize on a power play early, a couple other opportunities. Couldn't push the game along. We knew it was going to be a tight game. It ended up that way. Just couldn't get on top of it. Q. (No microphone.) COACH TIPPETT: Yeah, you wonder why people get frustrated. You know, it is what it is. It's the game of hockey. It moves fast. I'm just really proud of our players, how hard they worked to get here, what they've done for this organization, not just tonight, but for the whole year. This has been an unbelievable group to work with. You know, it's too bad it ends so suddenly like that tonight. There will be some frustration for a few days. But ultimately I think our players should look back and feel good about a lot of the things that they accomplished this year. We have a lot of young players that this experience has been unbelievable for. Players Boedker, Ekman‑Larsson, that this will help them grow, continue to strengthen our organization. I think we all recognize what Mike Smith has done for this organization this year, giving us real stability at that position. The frustration will go away and the building of a new team for next year will start very soon. You know, I just think these guys here should be really‑‑ I think the amount that this team gave to get us to this spot I don't think should be taken lightly or forgotten easily. This is an incredible group. How hard they worked to get here should be well‑recognized. Q. Your players were very vocal after the game about the officiating. There were some suspect calls. You have been quiet throughout the playoffs. When a game eliminates you on a play like that, your players end up making those kind of comments, what are your thoughts? How do you react on a play like that? COACH TIPPETT: It's not going to do any good right now. I think you guys should just write what you saw. If you write what you saw, you'll see why people get frustrated. You know, the players, I mean, there's a lot of blood, sweat and tears that go into this. There's a lot of emotion in the game. It is what it is. L.A. played well. Early in the series they played very well. Ultimately, the last two games, I thought were our best games, but they were too late. L.A. beat us. That's what should be remembered, not the refereeing. Q. (No microphone.) COACH TIPPETT: Yeah, whatever it is, it happens and it's frustrating. It's disappointing for the players that are on the ice. Q. Dave, when you made the comment that it just took too long to get going in this series. Was it Game1 and Game2 where you fell too far behind? COACH TIPPETT: I thought we had a lot of players that were a little bit awestruck in Game1, you know. Young players, we talked about the bar getting raised, and you're going to have to be better. In Game1 I think we stood around and watched the game a lot. Game2, first half of the game I thought we played very well, got ourselves in it, got ourselves in penalty trouble. Really for the rest of the series after that, it was very tight. You know, I think part of it you got to give them credit for what they're doing. They're playing a pretty complete game there those first few games. We went in, played a strong Game4. Smitty gave us a heck of a game. Doan gave us a heck of a game. And I thought it was a very competitive game tonight. There's plays that dictate the outcome. Everybody wants to play hard, but there's plays that dictate the outcome usually. We were able to dictate it in Game4. They just had more plays in the first two games of the series. They had more plays to attempt to dictate it. We didn't have enough. The last couple games, we had more, and it was close. Q. Can you talk about Smith this post‑season, what he meant in getting you guys to this point. COACH TIPPETT: Well, he was certainly our most valuable player on our team without a doubt. You know, he's been an incredible story this year, of a guy that came in, was looking for an opportunity. It's one thing to give a player an opportunity; it's another thing what he does with it. What he's done, he's come in, established himself as a top goaltender in the NHL. If there were any questions after the regular season, there should be no questions now because he was our best player in the playoffs. The reason we got to this point is because of his play. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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