March 17 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter

On Phoenix being a desperate team in the third period:
I think we could’ve been a little bit more desperate on the two goals they scored in terms of making plays in our own zone. It’s been back-to-back games where we’ve done that. They’re basically checking mistakes in our zone.

On whether Los Angeles took too many penalties:
What’d it end up, four each? I thought we did a pretty good job being able to come back, so it’s disappointing to make those errors in the third.

On the game being a four-point swing:
We’re trying to make the playoffs. I’m not a philosopher. We’re trying to make the playoffs, and so are they. [Reporter: Whatever it takes, basically?] Obviously you need some more out of your top guys, and it’s got to filter through your lineup.

On the reworked defensive pairings:
They’ve all played together. They’re not new, I wouldn’t think, Jon, are they? [Reporter: First in a while.] It’s not new.

On Jonathan Quick being disappointed after the game:
You know what? He got better as the game went on, and I thought he made some big saves. Quite honest, the score should’ve been quite a bit higher both ways. It was probably two or three goals more, both teams, if you look at it. Mistakes were made, and [there were] big saves the goalies had to make.

On whether he was surprised that the game was “wide open”:
No, I think that I wouldn’t call it ‘wide open.’ I would call it ‘errors.’

On giving up four goals in the loss:
Phoenix is very quietly a very good offensive team. Anaheim is obviously a top offensive team. We’ve played three in a row at home here, and we’ve made too many mistakes. I know it’s really sexy, everybody talks about goals scored again, but you’ve got to be able to check in this league to win and to make the playoffs.

On whether he’s happy with the power play:
Gaborik scored tonight on it. There were times where I thought Pearson and Toffoli were really good. I think we’d still like our defense to shoot pucks a lot more. You see Marty shooting pucks. I think the two right-handers for sure back there have to put the puck on the goalie a lot more. We usually have somebody around the net.

On Tanner Pearson’s goal:
Yeah, it got us back in the game.

On it not getting “any easier” with Washington visiting on Thursday:
No, it doesn’t. They’re a high-end offense with that type of a game, too.

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