Game 2 vs. San Diego postgame quotes: Mike Stothers

On whether he thought the Reign got enough chances:
Yes and no. We had some chances there in the second. I think Henner had a couple that just rolled from post to post through the blue paint, stuff like that. But I think the shots ended up 24, 24, pretty tight. It’s playoff hockey against the Gulls. I look at it as you’re not going to have much room out there.

On whether he thought the game had a slower pace than in Game 1:
I didn’t think it was slower. Looked pretty fast to me. I know I can’t skate that fast. Again, there’s not much room out there. You’ve got to give some credit to the defending and the checking side of the game, too. I don’t think you’re going to see either team try to really open it up and play run and gun. Neither team’s done it all season long so I can’t see that’s going to change in the playoffs. That’s usually the way it is. Twenty-four, 24, 2-1 game. We just fell on the wrong side of the two.

On San Diego’s hot start:
I thought they did what they do, they come out quick. That’s been their M.O. all season long. That’s part of their success. They come out fast and hard and they did. We talked about it, we wanted to prepare for it knowing full well that we got the first one in there so expect a hard push at the start. They didn’t disappoint us in that. We were expecting it but again, give some credit to your opposition. They played well.

On the break before Game 3 and how it affects the series:
You make it to anything you want. You can choose to make it as a positive in the fact that it gives us the time to regroup and again, we’ve got some guys that we would like to try and get healthy. The fact that there’s a few days between Games 2 and Games 3, maybe it helps us, maybe it benefits us. Maybe it benefits them. I don’t know. Whether you play every other day or you play the way it is, it’s not an excuse, you just get ready to go.

On the shuffling of lines in the third and if that will carry over to Game 3:
Well, you know what, they got a good start and sometimes you’re limited as to what you can do to get your team kick-started. Just thinking back to there was a stretch of the season where Mersch and Teddy were real good, maybe you get those guys together. You’ve got Maillet, pretty gifted and speedy and throw him with Kempe and Brodz and it kind of shuffles. The beauty of it is we’ve got four lines that can play against anybody. You don’t worry about when somebody hops over the boards and who they’re playing against, you know they can get the job done. Again, you’re playing back-to-back, you want to make sure you’re playing everybody. You’re hoping to tie it up, you’re hoping to get it to overtime so you don’t want to gas anybody. I thought it was good. So, I don’t know come Monday, Lindsay, I get a chance to move those magnets around, but I did like it. I did like the way it finished up.

On Amadio’s goal and his play throughout the season:
He’s like most of the young guys. It’s been up and down. Some nights he looks great and other nights he still looks like there’s some growth that need to be had. I think the way he finished up the season, which was strong the last few home games and whatever it is it’s good for him. Playoff games, got a goal, be that much better for it on Friday. [Reporter: You mentioned he needed some growth, what were those areas?] Just experience. He’s got to great stronger. Learn to play a harder, heavier game. But it’s no different than anybody else.

On the keys to picking up a victory in Game 3:
Score more goals.

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