March 29 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter

On the win over Winnipeg:
Both teams had a high pace to their game. I give our guys credit for coming all the way back and having a team that was basically waiting for us. [Reporter: No practice yesterday to get the junk out of the legs either, right?] Well, that’s what you’re trying to do at this time of the year, manage it. We keep trying to do that…I thought our guys did a really good job of that, getting ready and having their focus. They did a good job.

On Willie Mitchell’s blocked shots and two assists:
He blocks a lot of shots. We don’t play a lot in our own zone, so that’s where a lot of it comes from – blocking shots and getting pucks and beating forechecks, things like that.

On whether momentum is gained by clinching late, as opposed to “coasting in”:
I don’t know if anybody coasts in. I mean, actually, if you look at the team that went to the Finals last year on the other side, Boston had it rough after the deadline, and went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. So I don’t think there’s any coasting that goes on, period, because the teams are too close. I mean, if you lose two or three games, you know what? You’re just trying to refine parts of your game, that’s all. Very simple. You’re trying to take care of your own business first. You’re not a playoff team until you’ve clinched a playoff spot. That’s really important. I’ve said this from last summer – a hundred points is still what you need to declare yourself a playoff team…so there’s going to be seven for sure.