January 5 postgame quotes: Detroit

Jeff Blashill, on whether the win was a result of the Red Wings driving to the net and executing:
Well you could tell me. I mean our net presence was way better. In the first period you could see right off the bat we had guys – Anthony Mantha was on the net the whole night. It’s hard to score in this league and you’ve got to go to the net and I thought we had a way more concerted effort of getting to the net and doing a good job of that so I thought we had pretty good jump. I mean they had their chances, for sure. I don’t want to make more of it then it is, and I thought Jared Coreau was very good in net but I thought our guys came with a real determined effort.

Blashill, on Athanasiou’s play vs the Kings:

He was excellent. Excellent in the first, excellent in the third. I thought maybe in the second he didn’t skate quite as well but he was excellent in the first, excellent in the third. When he’s that determined he’s got big-time talent. You guys know it, I know it. As I said to them today, ultimately we’re a better team when AA’s going at a high level. He was going at a high level tonight so now the challenge for every player is to follow that up again Saturday at San Jose.

Blashill, on whether he liked Anthanasiou’s back check against Pearson before the penalty shot:
Yeah it was a great track by AA. Great track. No they did call it on DeKeyser and he did hook him so I understand the call but it was a great track by AA. I thought he was skating. It’s not an defensive thing, it’s not a offensive thing, it’s a skating and a battle thing and I thought he was big-time engaged in the first period right from the beginning of that period.

Blashill, on Coreau’s calm demeanor during the penalty shot:
Yeah I thought Jared played good all night. I thought he looked calm during the penalty shot and I thought he was real strong around the net. LA makes it real hard on you around the net. They’re strong, big bodies, they jam the net hard and I think he does a real good job holding his ground in those areas.

Blashill, on whether it was nice to see Coreau get the shutout:
Yeah for sure. I think obviously the win matters by far the most but then as you get to the end of the game and you know you’re going to win you can tell by the block Jensen had that the guys wanted to preserve that shutout so it’s good for him. I thought he deserved it tonight.

Blashill, on the chemistry between Nielsen and Vanek:

Yeah Nielsen and Vanek have been good together. Vanek thinks at an offensive level beyond most players and Nielsen can give-and-go with him and I thought AA gave them speed on that line so I thought it was a real good line. I thought right from the onset, Jeff Carter’s a great player in the league, they were up against Carter a lot in the night and I thought they did a good job.

Blashill, on Mantha’s consistency:
Yeah I didn’t think he was quite as good the other night or last night but I thought he was really good tonight so that’s 3 out of 4 games where I thought he’s been really good. I thought his net presence was great, I thought he moved his feet great, obviously it was a big 4th goal there but I just thought his approach was really good so 3 out of 4 games where he did a real good job. It’s hard to be a go-to player every night in this league, extroardinarily hard, but you look at his numbers right now, I think that was his 10th goal in 24 games or something like that. That’s a heck of a pace.

Blashill, on winning the game without Smith or Kronwall:
I thought our D-core was excellent tonight to be honest with you. I thought Marchenko came in and did a real nice job for being out, I don’t know I think he was out 4 weeks. I thought Jensen was excellent, I thoguht Ouellet was great, I thought Ericsson was great, I thought DK, I mean really you go down the line I thought they were all really really good. I thought they moved the puck better, I thought they skated better then they did last night and they had to defend against a group that I think is extremely hard to defend against so I was really happy with our D-core.

Andreas Athanasiou, on playing against the Kings after being a healthy scratch:
I didn’t try to do anything different, I just stuck to my game, you know not try to do much so I was fortunate.

Athanasiou, on the penalty shot called against him:
No I think they called it on, I think DK got his stick on his arm there. It’s kind of iffy there but I mean it’s one of those plays that the refs got to make a judgement call there and they called a penalty shot and Jared made an unbelievable save.

Athanasiou, on whether he tried to make a defensive play against Pearson on the breakaway:
On the penalty shot? [Reporter: Yeah.] I got the puck there. I think I actually might have yelled at DK there just to let him go and I got the puck there so it’s just kind of an unfortunate play there to get the penalty shot. I don’t know if it was but the ref’s got to make a judgement call and you can’t do anything about it.

Athanasiou, on what playing with Vanek and Nielsen does for his own game:
I mean those are two unbelievable players so obviously my speed can compliment their game and open up ice for them and I think right off the bat we had it in the offensive zone going and the puck moving well and found the back of the net first shift which is always nice and kind of build off that the rest of the game.

Athanasiou, on whether that was one of the Red Wings more complete games this season:
Yeah definitely, like you said you score 4 goals and have some good goaltending and most of the times that will pay off.

Thomas Vanek, on his first goal and the pass from Nielsen that led to it:
Yeah like I said the good thing with Fransy, I kind of know his game so once he kind of took and we looked at each other I think I knew I could just box out my guy and there was a good chance the pass would come and it came.

Vanek, on Coreau getting his first career shutout:
It was great. I think the biggest thing for him, what I like is he battles. He battles hard and again, I think every game he’s played for us he’s gave us a chance and to get his first shutout like this, a tough building, is special.

Jared Coreau, on getting his first career shutout:
It’s just, I guess a little bit of an accomplishment personally but we got the win and sometimes you’ve just got to shut it out so it’s good.

Coreau, on the Staples Center crowd:
Yeah it was a pretty good crowd I thought. They got the music going and it was exciting. They’ve got a loud horn and I thought we had a lot of Red Wings fans though too so it’s good to see.

Coreau, on the last few minutes of the game:
You know I don’t know, once there was less than a minute you feel comfortable that you got the win. You’re going for a shutout but you just want to get the game over I think.

Coreau, on the penalty shot:
A little surprised at first because I thought they were calling AA but DK in the room said he got his stick around his shoulder so I guess they called that. But Tanner Pearson’s a good player and he’s got a lot of goals in this league so I was ready for anthing, you know, deke, shot, whatever but I think those are good just to get momentum on your side.

Coreau, on the Red Wings defense:
Yeah our D were incredible. There was one in the first, I made a save and it went to the right of me and I had no idea where it was. They tied up some sticks, there was a backdoor attempt in the third and another great stick by our D so it was good.

Coreau, on the feeling of getting three goals in the first:
It’s a good feeling but like in the Toronto game, I got scored on four times in one period so I didn’t get too comfortable. Just, you know, treat it as a one goal game.

Coreau, on the feeling after his first shutout:
It feels good. I don’t think a career is based off shutouts but I guess it’s a feel good thing.