October 8 practice quotes: Sutter, Lewis, Fraser

Trevor Lewis, on how to “clean things up”:
I think just being quicker and cleaner and executing more. A couple of sloppy plays, and I think just executing a little bit more and maybe in the breakout or the neutral zone, and getting on the forecheck, executing plays in the offensive zone to get some shots in and generate some second chances. I think the main thing is just to execute better and quicker, and more efficient.

Colin Fraser, on the team’s execution:
We all know the systems. We all know what we need to do. We just need to do it better. We need to tighten it up and execute it a little bit more and a little bit sharper. I think we showed signs of that, but obviously not enough, and certainly not last night. The bottom line, we’ve got to I think put it behind us, move forward, and regroup, and we’ve just got to be better tomorrow night.

Fraser, on the team’s response in the dressing room following Monday’s loss:
Of course we talk, but at the same time you can’t beat the dead horse, either. I think everybody knows that it wasn’t acceptable, and [having] two losses in a row isn’t acceptable. Especially on home ice, we talk about being homers all the time, and I think that was our worst outing of the three. We’ve just got to regroup, put it behind us. I mean, we can’t sit here and dwell on it, of course. Move forward, and we’ve just got to play. Just play the way we can.

Darryl Sutter, on the keys to sustaining a forecheck:
Most important part is numbers of speed. That’s the key. If it’s just a chip…or a chase-the-puck-around, we’re really good at it. We’ve shown it in probably three periods. But it’s not always as easy as it looks. [Reporter: Was the first period in Winnipeg the best you’ve had, you think?] Our third in Minnesota was really good. Quite honest, the first period and a half in Winnipeg, and then probably the whole third period in Winnipeg we were really good. We were good, depending on who was on the ice last night. Our defense had trouble getting the puck – it’s a fine line now. If you don’t make an attainable pass, there’s an icing. An attainable pass used to not be there, and it was a great forecheck. So your defense have to pass pucks on the stick, or else you get to lineup back by your goalie.

Sutter, on whether there was too much separation between forwards and defensemen:
You know what? Our defense was turning pucks over. Very simple. Willie Mitchell and Muzzin and Drew and Slava, who are four guys that are kind of looked at as puck movers, were not even close last night. Usually that creates a gap. We want our forwards to get going, which means that our defensemen have got to get them the puck. When they don’t get them the puck, then there’s a gap there, and then there’s guys standing around. And then you’re playing in your own zone, and most of that is a result of after we had the puck on our stick.

Sutter, on whether he has noticed any difference with the shallower nets:
I’ve seen zero effect today and three games. Zero. As in I haven’t seen it do anything. You know what? The best way is to ask the guys to see if they have. But I’ve seen nothing.