With two days between games and Friday’s media availability accounting for the glut of the series-specific content provided by Darryl Sutter, the Kings’ coach on Saturday spoke for several minutes with a much smaller media contingent on topics that weighed heavily towards vintage National Hockey League buildings and environments.
On whether there’s anything he’d like to see different from the team in Game 6:
“Nope, we played well enough up there. We were beat 2-1 twice, and had we scored another goal we might not be going back there.”
On whether multiple games makes it easier to withstand HP Pavlion’s environment:
“No. I mean, I’m used to it. What’s the big deal about it? Why is it louder there? It’s not. Our building’s been loud. You know what? I’ve been in a lot louder buildings than that one. I don’t think it’s an issue. I don’t think anybody bases their game on how loud it is.”
On the best environment he had ever played in:
“Chicago Stadium. [Reporter: Anything close to that?] Nope. No.”
On being able to “feel the noise” at Chicago Stadium:
“Yeah, vibrating. If you’re thinking San Jose is close to [that], I would say it was significantly different.”
On whether the old buildings were harder to play in:
“Well, it’s the biggest reason why there’s not as much changes in buildings, right? Because you have to remember two of those Original Six buildings were 185 and 187 feet long. That’s 13 feet to 15 feet different. So it’s not about the noise, it’s more about the courage. [Reporter: So the noise doesn’t get you.] Well, if the noise bothers you, plug it off. 15 feet’s a lot of difference. Think about it.”
On playing at The Forum:
“They had bad ice. Commercial flights. It’s a long ways. The first time I got called up, I fly from Moncton, New Brunswick to Los Angeles, so you’d leave there at dark, fly through wherever it was – Toronto or Montreal – and then get to Los Angeles. A lot of old guys on their team. [Reporter: It was an older league back then, though, right?] No. They were an older team. I remember the old jerseys, too. That’s why I like when we wear those jerseys. Purple and yellows. I wish we did it more. Well, I think we will now, right? Because it’s a legend jersey, I think everybody is supposed to have a third jersey that has to be used so many games. I think it would’ve come into effect this year, except for the 48-game thing.”
On whether he’d ever want the team to play an exhibition game at The Forum:
“Well, you’d have to have good ice. [Reporter: They took out the ice making.]…I think about it when we fly over it all the time, because you stayed out there. I liked going to the racetrack, and now that’s [closing]. And if you ever had a day, because you’d practice in The Forum, or in – where was that place that had the ice, it was the practice ice? [Reporter: Culver City.] Culver City. Because you’d always come back and change at The Forum, but then I’d walk over if there was something going on at Hollywood Park, I’d go to the races, but everyone said ‘Don’t walk. You shouldn’t walk.’ But now that’s going to go away, too…Changing of the times. It’s like asking about those buildings.”
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