Dowd scores OT game-winner, Monarchs take 2-0 series lead

Nic Dowd, on the overtime win:
Yeah it was good, I thought J.F. kept us in it probably the whole game. A couple of guys on their team said yesterday that they could have stolen one from us. Well, you know, it can go both ways tonight, we have stolen one from them. The stick save Berube made in the second period was one of the best I’ve ever seen. I thought our D were good in the third, I thought our forwards got back on top to get pucks in deep, so it was definitely a team game tonight.

Dowd, on the play that set up the goal:
Just the fact that we didn’t have to play any more OT was the best thing. I think everyone was trying to get that game over with quickly, but you know, it was a team game, we made a lot of good plays going up the ice that led up to that goal and I just happened to find myself in front, and was just the one who was able to put it in.

Dowd, on his overtime goal:
Well, Grabs made a great play in the neutral zone, I was able to get it up to Vandy, Vandy got it in deep, and I was just kind of pursuing the puck. I think there was a little bit of confusion with their D and forwards going back and I was able to get to the puck first. I got a little lucky, I threw it, you know, blind in front, kind of a hope play and it bounced off the back of the net and came back to me, and I was able to just kind of get out in front, stick with it, and bang it in.

Dowd, on whether this is the type of game to expect in the series:
Yeah, I mean, at this time of the year, although it’s my first time, there’s hardly any ice out there and you have to work for every inch of ice that you get, that’s why it’s so hard to score five-on-five, that’s why special teams play such a key role. We had a power play goal tonight, you know, and our PK was really good, and once again J.F. was our best PK’er, but special teams is going to continue to play a factor on in this series, and ice is going to continue to be hard to get.

Dowd, on playing back-to-backs after a long layoff:
[My legs] were worse last night, I felt a lot better tonight than I did yesterday. For whatever reason, hockey players are like that. Some days you don’t know why you have it, some days you kind of figure it out. I think everyone obviously felt a lot better tonight, I think we played a much better game tonight, minus the hole in the second, but we had great goaltending to back us up, so we were pretty fortunate. I think that long layoff, although it was great to get some rest, did play a factor in yesterday’s game, but we’re not going to let it play a factor the rest of the series.

Dowd, on whether his goal was bigger than his OT goal with St. Cloud:
Yeah, I think so. I was telling Forbort, there’s no other job out there where you can emulate that feeling that you get either when you score that goal, or you have a teammate score the goal and you’re on the bench, I mean there’s just nothing like it.

Dowd, on how to sustain the team’s winning streak:
I think we just need to continue to play well, we have to play smart road games. You have disadvantages, you know, you’ve got to put your stick down first on faceoffs, they have the last change. Just like they did tonight, they played a smart game, they capitalized on opportunities and we’re going to have to do the same thing.

Nic Dowd, on Game 2:

Zach O’Brien, on the Monarchs seizing control of the game in the third period:
We just used our speed, I think. We’re a fast team, and if everyone’s moving their feet, all four lines, we make stuff happen and we play more time in their zone instead of ours, so that’s the key to our success for sure.

O’Brien, on little, unheralded plays:
In the playoffs, it’s all about the little things, the little details, whether its blocking a shot like you said or just chipping a puck out, finishing hits. Dowd on the last goal, he was on a mission, he wanted to end it and he made a great play and that’s nice to see.

O’Brien, on his first period redirection goal:
Dowd made another nice play on the entry and Backs (Backman) took a quick look in front of the net to see me there and put it right on my tape and it ended up in the net.

O’Brien, on whether the team changed its game entering the Final:
I’m just trying to move my feet, if I get my feet going I’m able to create chances, and both of my line mates they’re both great players. Nick Shore, you know, he’s a hell of a player and Kempe came here and … the guy is so fast, he creates so much with his speed, they’re both great line mates.

O’Brien, on home ice success:
Well, we said right from the beginning that we need to take care of home ice. We played well all year to get home ice advantage all playoffs, so to take care of home ice is huge for us.

O’Brien, on the team’s confidence heading to Utica:
We just have to play our game, play a simple road game, chip pucks in and keep playing our game.

Zach O’Brien, on Game 2:

Sean Backman, on Game 2:

Mike Stothers, on Game 2: