|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: DEVILS v RANGERSMay 24, 2012John TortorellaNEWARK, NEW JERSEY: Practice Day Q. (Indiscernible). COACH TORTORELLA: Well, he's gotten better as the series has gone on, so hopefully he'll play his best tomorrow night. Q. (Indiscernible). COACH TORTORELLA: We've been through these situations a lot this year, including in the playoffs. So I'm very comfortable as far as our mindset as we approach. Today was a good day for us. As we approach our game, I'm very comfortable in where we're going to go. Q. Why do you feel the team has played so well with its backs against the wall in elimination games? Is it adrenaline? COACH TORTORELLA: No, it's a good group. It's a group that stays with it. They showed that last night through a little adversity early on. So there's not a lot of panic there. They just go about their business and we're a pretty good hockey team. Q. Is it more important being a young team that you got that experience of being down 3‑2 early in a series playoffs than if you had a more veteran team? COACH TORTORELLA: Well, this is all really good stuff for our team as you go through. This is how you gain experiences by going through it. We've played a number of games, a number of playoff games. Some guys have thrived in it, some guys haven't. These are all situations you look at as an organization as far as what guys are in these types of situations. So the more you're in it, the more situations that you go through, the better. That's how you gain experience. Q. What's been your experience? You talk about the team's resilience as a whole. But what's been your experience when Hank's coming off a game even if it's not the best game he's played? How have you seen him transition to the next game and kind of push himself? COACH TORTORELLA: He'll play his best game tomorrow night. Q. Do you think as a team you need to play your best game of the season tomorrow night? COACH TORTORELLA: I think as you keep on going through here, you need to get better. That's why we've gone back and forth. I don't think we've been consistent there. I think the most important thing that happened last night after a pretty screwy start is that I thought our mindset changed. I think that's really important for our team. I think we were us last night for a lot of the game. I still think we have to elevate. Some guys played really good last night. I think they're going to have to play better. Some guys didn't play well, and they'll have to try to find their game. Q. Were you happy with all the results you got from all the line changes you made? COACH TORTORELLA: Some of them. I'm not going to tell you which ones it was and which ones it wasn't. But, again, just to answer the last question, I still think we have to be better. Q. I know what youÂ’re feeling is about '94. All around the series outside there is a lot about '94. Do you want your team to seek that out? COACH TORTORELLA: What? Q. The '94 Eastern Finals. COACH TORTORELLA: I don't even‑‑ Q. You don't know what I'm talking about? COACH TORTORELLA: No, I don't. Q. The Messier guarantee and all that? COACH TORTORELLA: Oh, crap. Q. No, around here, it's a major‑‑ COACH TORTORELLA: Around there. Out there, yes, around here. Q. Well, the fans? COACH TORTORELLA: Yes, yes. Q. Does your team‑‑ are they aware of it? COACH TORTORELLA: Not for a second. Not to disrespect what happened are there, but that has nothing to do with how we're preparing, I guess, is the best way to put it. Q. Over the years as a coach, you've overcome the 3‑2 deficit more than once. When you do try to do that, what is your greatest challenge as far as motivating and preparing your team to overcome an obstacle? COACH TORTORELLA: I don't have to motivate the team. I think our team is motivated. I don't look at it as overcoming a 3‑2. We need to win a hockey game. We're preparing to try to win one hockey game, and we'll see after that. So we prepare as we always do. There's no magic. There are no special speakers coming in. There is none of that. I think we found our game last night, and I think that was mostly a mindset. We played more on our toes. We played to who we are. We have to do that tomorrow. Q. You look at what you call Hank's best games of the postseason so far, the shutout earlier in the series, the Game 3, the triple overtime game where you lost. The games where he's seen the most shots that he's seen over the course of the season. Is that true with any goalie that they get better with all the action they see? COACH TORTORELLA: I have no idea. I just know Hank will play his best game tomorrow night. Q. Some coaches who don't even talk to their goalie at all? COACH TORTORELLA: I don't. Unless I'm pissed off about something, but I really don't talk to him about his play, because I know nothing about it. As a coach, I just want him to stop the puck. He knows that. I don't need to say that to him. So I don't spend too much time speaking to him. Q. During the series you said Richards has had his ups and downs. I think there is a general consensus that last night may have been one of his less than stellar games. Does that go with the pattern? Does he come back and rebound? COACH TORTORELLA: I expect him to play his best game too. I do. I understand his make‑up, and I think he'll find a way. I think Ryan Callahan helped us tremendously last night along with a few other guys. I think Brad Richards will find his way tomorrow as far as winning the game. 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
|