Opening statement:
Supposed to be a fast track in the Kentucky Derby. Bet on California Chrome.
On whether the play in the Game 5 win in San Jose could carry over to tonight:
You know, you’ve got to win on the road. We learned that last year in St. Louis. You’ve got to win on the road at some time. With the divisions, the way they are, you’re going to have to win on the road and win in your division so you’re really familiar with the rinks. That’s the way it is now. Those teams are talking about winning the Stanley Cup. I think first off, you better figure out how to win in your division.
On whether Matt Greene will play:
Yep. [Reporter: What’s the prognosis for Willie?…What does it look like?] Obviously, he’s not playing tonight. Hopefully there’s a chance that if there’s some sort of miracle that we could win tonight, that maybe we could get him back again this year.
On what Greene brings:
A lot of what Willie brings, except he shoots right.
On what the difference has been from the earlier games in the series:
Six, seven, four, three, zero, one. Goals against. I think that’s right. Six, seven, four, three, zero, one. [Reporter: Does that have to do with your goaltending, or more of the team’s system?] I think a combination of a lot of things. It’s not one thing. The team just doesn’t rely on a goalie, or a team just doesn’t rely on one player. I think it’s the whole package.
On whether allowing 13 goals over the first two teams “woke some guys up”:
No, I thought we played really good in Game 2. I think, quite honest, at the end of the day, San Jose thought they were going to beat us easy.
On whether line changes or other factors have sparked the turnaround:
You know, Bret, it’s not just the line changes. It’s minutes played. This series was set up – there were four days before the start and then a two-day break between one and two, and I think that really affects not just us, but both teams, how they use players, because if you’re healthy, you think your top end’s going to get two or three more shifts during the game, or maybe two or three more minutes out of somebody, and it shortens other guys up. But I think as the series go along, and you guys know, as the series go along, it puts importance on more players being involved. So your guys who maybe only playing seven or eight have got to give you 10 or 12, and your guys that, other than your Doughtys and Thorntons and Kopitars, maybe those guys who are in the 20s are back in the 17, 18s. I think that’s more important than the line changes. I think that both teams have…guys that play a lot of positions, and that’s something that we’ve seen against each other a lot, not just this year, but then you have the playoffs last year, too.
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