February 21 postgame quotes: Budaj, Pearson, Toffoli

Peter Budaj, on playing two strong games in a row:
Yeah, well, it’s crunch time and I think the guys are playing really good in front of me. After they got a lead very early in the second period, it’s never easy to give up a goal the first 30 seconds in the period and we just bounced back. The guys played really good, I think our penalty kill was very strong. I think the Avalanche have a very skilled power play and it’s always nice and it helps a lot when players block shots in front of you and I think we had at least I would say six to ten blocked shots on their power play so that’s big.

Budaj, on getting a big hug from Drew Doughty at the end of the game:
It means something to the team, you know and I think, I don’t know. Have you seen the standings? I’m just kidding. But yeah, the standings are tight and we need every point we can get and it just felt good because both teams played really hard. I think the Avalanche played hard, we played hard and it came down to the wire by one goal so it was a big win for us.

Budaj, on old memories from playing with the Avalanche:
Oh yeah a lot of memories obviously. You know it’s so funny every time you guys play the same music when you’re stepping on the ice so I remember those times when I was here. It’s cool, it’s always fun to play here and it’s a great building, too. I enjoy coming back here. [Reporter: Friendly goal posts, too.] Oh yeah, a lot. I think four or five times I think tonight. A couple times pretty heavy. I think Landeskog had one, I think Mitchell had one. Oh yeah, Barrie had one in the third period so sometimes you need that luck. Thank God it didn’t go in, you know. Sometimes you get the bounces so it’s great.

Budaj, on elevating his game in the first ten minutes of the third period:
I felt good, you know. I think I just try to challenge. I try to get out there, cut the angle and I was able to make some good saves and we were able to withhold that pressure that they came out swinging for the third period ’cause they know that it’s crunch time so it’s a good start for us in the third and I felt good, thank God, and guys played good in front of me.

Tanner Pearson, on the significance of the win:
Yeah I think, you know, we’ve just got to get that first win obviously. Getting two 5-on-5 goals obviously helped and we haven’t had a lot of those in recent games so to get those two goals was big for us.

Pearson, on whether things get easier after breaking the losing streak:
Yeah, I think you know, obviously we’ll look at the good stuff we did and we’ll probably compare it to other games and look at that kind of stuff and move in to Thursday against Boston and hopefully we can keep it going.

Pearson, on Budaj’s performance:
Yeah, he did his job tonight, that’s for sure. When he plays that like that, you know, we’ve got to do our part and help him out and we did a good job of that, too.

Tyler Toffoli, on the win:
I think it was good. I mean, obviously you don’t want to be playing from behind so to get that and after obviously a tough start to the second period it was good and really capped it off with a beautiful goal.

Toffoli, on whether he was worried they would disallow his goal due to his position in the crease:
I got pushed in so I knew it was going to be a goal.

Toffoli, on whether running in to the goal hurt him:
I was fine. It’s just hockey, everyday thing.

Toffoli, on the importance of breaking the losing streak:
Yeah it’s good. We were talking before the game, we need to win some games and kind of get a streak going so we can get in the playoffs here and be comfortable and not be waiting ’til the last game of the season so it was a big game for us tonight. Got to refocus and think about Thursday now.

Toffoli, on whether a win like this helps break through “a wall”:
Yeah, I mean, they’re a good team. They’ve got a lot of skill. Obviously their record doesn’t show a whole lot for them but their forwards are really good and can create a lot of offense and really hold on to pucks so we battled hard and came out with a good win.

Toffoli, on Budaj’s performance:
Yeah, no he’s been like, he’s been solid for us all season so he’s made the big saves for us and we tightened up a little bit and came away with it.

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