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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: KINGS v BLACKHAWKSMay 17, 2014Anze KopitarCHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Practice Day THE MODERATOR: Questions for Anze Kopitar. Q. Two seven‑game series for you guys, how much has this schedule been a grind? ANZE KOPITAR: Yeah, it's not the best situation, but it is what it is. Everybody knows at this time of year, it doesn't get easy. It's not ideal for us. We had a good little skate today. We'll be ready for tomorrow. Q. From the emotions of a Game 7 going back to a Game1, is it easy to carry that momentum you had last night with how quickly this game is coming back up? ANZE KOPITAR: We just have to refocus. Everybody will tell you in the playoffs you can't get too high or too low. Obviously we were pretty excited last night. But that's what happened last series. New series is starting tomorrow and we've got to refocus. Q. Since you're playing the team that eliminated you last year, does that bring extra emotion into it? ANZE KOPITAR: Yeah, I think we had a good series last year. We're looking to be on the other side this time around. We just have to focus. Can't get too carried away with what happened last year. Just stay and stick with our game plan. Q. They had your number over the last couple of years. What makes them so difficult to slow them down? ANZE KOPITAR: They have a lot of skill, good defense. Usually when you play run‑and‑gun in a game with them, it's not going to turn out very good for you. We have to play our style, grind them, try to forecheck as much as we can, put pressure on them. Q. Same game plan as against Anaheim? ANZE KOPITAR: Anaheim had a really good team right down the line really. You had to be aware of everybody that's on the ice. It's not any different here in Chicago. Just have to be focused and ready for it. Q. You're playing with your backs against the wall. Last year you had time off. Does it make a difference to you guys? Would you have a preference? ANZE KOPITAR: Well, we'd rather play with the lead than trailing. But sometimes that happens. I think we've showed a lot of character in the first series, even the second series we came back. I think we kind of showed it to ourselves that we can do it. Therefore, we feel better about it. Q. Adding a guy like Gaborik is a big boost. Pearson and Schultz, how have they been for your lineup? ANZE KOPITAR: They've been good for us. They've added depth to our lineup. It's about four lines this time of the year. Everybody's got to produce. Everybody's got to be on their game. They've certainly stepped up to the plate, you know, and given us some good results. Q. Your last series against the Blackhawks, the offense wasn't what it hoped you would be. The offense is a lot stronger. Does it feel like those things are clicking a lot more for you now? ANZE KOPITAR: Yeah. I don't think we're trying to do anything different. It's just playing hard. This time of the year it doesn't matter who scores as long as we do. We've had scoring, I guess, spread out, if you can call it that way, and we're going to need it going forward. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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