On the significance of the victory:
“It was a big game for us. I think the last game in Vancouver there we didn’t have our best effort. We came out, and I don’t think we started the game particularly well, but we stuck with it and played some pretty good hockey in the third period.”
On Nashville’s ability to “bottle up” the Kings through two periods:
“They do a good job of blocking. We probably would have had a lot more if we got pucks past their D and to the net. To our credit, we didn’t get frustrated. We stuck with it. It’s pretty easy against them to get frustrated when they’re stepping in front of everything and we’re not getting much to the net.”
On the difference in the third period:
“We had a little more speed to our game. We were getting on pucks in their end and playing physical, and it was opening up holes for us.”
On what led to his breakaway goal:
“I was just kind of playing in the middle there and was able to get a stick on it. I kind of [took] a good guess on which way he was going and that was another lucky one because Weber got my arm there before I shot it.”
On what the hat trick means to him personally:
“It’s nice. It’s always fun. Some big goals for the team gave us a little bit of a cushion there. It’s good.”
On his acclimation:
“I’m comfortable here now. It’s great. I feel like I’m in a good position. I have a great team and [want to] keep it going.”
On resuming his scoring:
“That’s what I’m here for, I guess, is to put the puck in the net. I think I’ve just kind of settled down. You say with injuries and trades, you just feel like everything’s kind of in place now, and it’s going good.”
On getting pucks and bodies to the net:
“Yeah, it’s something we talked about. I don’t know if it really happened until the third period, but we had what, six shots after the two or something like that? So it took a little while to get it going, but we showed when we actually do it, good things happen. We did a good job of just kind of wearing them down throughout the first 40.”
On what has improved in Slava Voynov’s game:
“A lot more confidence, for sure. He’s obviously been great all year. You can see the confidence that he got from playing in the minors there during the lockout. Just skating the puck, making plays, holding on to the puck, looking guys off. It’s pretty good.”
On the power play’s general improvement this season:
“We switched things up a little bit and just kind of went back to just lines. But we’ve worked on it a lot. Kopi’s line really moves it around well. They’ve had a couple nice ones there in the last couple of games. We’ve just got to keep at it. It doesn’t matter if its mice or a greasy one. They all count.”
On his first goal being a “greasy” goal:
“Yeah, that was real ugly. I was trying to pass it backdoor there. That’s probably why I’ve got two assists all year.”
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