December 21 postgame quotes: Brown, Martinez

Dustin Brown, on how his 1,000th game unfolded:
The big picture is really nice and probably something for me, a memory, it’s nice. But on a day-to-day, which is the main focus and how you get to 1,000 games, we didn’t play very good. But good teams find a way to win when they maybe shouldn’t. Had a big hole in the third, the fourth line got us a huge goal, and overtime’s overtime nowadays with three-on-three.

Brown, on what the team could have done better:
A lot of things. I think, quite honestly, our compete wasn’t where it needed to be, which maybe [was] the first time all year where our biggest problem was our compete level, at least through the first 40. I thought we started competing more on pucks, and as a result we spent a lot more time in their zone in the third. [Reporter: Does it have to do with getting behind or something? It seems like you play better once you go behind.] We’ve been behind a lot this year. I think our first periods haven’t been our best. Our third periods have been really good. We’ve got to learn that it’d be nice to play with a lead.

Brown, on the 44 seconds of overtime:
That was kind of a crazy overtime, really. They didn’t really get anything at our net, but they had a chance at a couple breakaways. It was really sloppy for three-on-three. I think when their guys tried to get a change in when we had position, that’s when I found a hole.

Brown, on whether he started to get a feel of his own ceremony while watching Marian Gaborik’s:
No, I just tried to enjoy his moment. The funny thing about it is just how many different roads there are to 1,000 games. He played with four different teams, battled a lot of injuries. I played with one team and, knock on wood, have been relatively healthy. It’s a good accomplishment for Gabby.

Alec Martinez, on what Dustin Brown means to the Kings:
I can’t say enough about Brownie, and I’m not just saying that because he’s in audible distance of me right now. No, in all serious, though, Brownie has been an unbelievable leader and a huge part of this organization ever since he was drafted when he was 18. He’s been through a lot with this organization and had a lot of ups and a few downs, but he never wavered. He’s poured his heart and soul into this hockey club. I guess I’ll just say that things have their way of working out, and I think tonight was definitely one of those instances.

Martinez, on the feeling when seeing Brown bear down on net in overtime:
I mean, anytime you see a guy like Dustin with the puck and he’s got a clear lane to the net and I guess somewhat of a semi-breakaway, obviously you have the confidence in him that he’s going to finish the job. He’s been doing it his entire career, all 999 games, and he did in his 1,000th tonight, and I don’t expect anything to change from here on out. Who knows, maybe he gets 1,400, I don’t know.

Martinez, on Brown persevering through the grind of hockey seasons to reach 1,000 games:
1,000 games, there’s a lot that goes into that. It’s health, it’s taking care of your body, it’s having help with the trainers and things like that. Brownie’s a professional in every way of the word, both on and off the ice. It’s just a testament to him. 1,000 of anything is a lot, but NHL hockey games, I mean, I could use an expletive here, but wow. [Reporter: Mentally, too, and just that hunger, and every off-season you’ve got to build yourself back up from what it took out of you the last season.] Yeah. You look at him, when he came into the organization, we were in a rebuild and there were some tough years there. Then, obviously, the ups of the two Cups. He’s a captain for a long time, and he’s been one of the biggest leaders for this club ever since I’ve been here. I can’t say enough about the guy – he’s awesome.

Martinez, on his game-tying “knuckleball” and getting a puck to the net:
Knuckleball? [Reporter: Fluttering shot?] I don’t know, you’re selling me short here. I don’t know about you, but I was picking a corner. No, but I think that was one of the things in the first two periods, we thought we weren’t getting enough shots to the net, and that was one of the things that we talked about after the second. Especially as D, you’re not going to beat the goalie clean if he sees it. Really, that goal was just a testament to those three guys – Mitchie’s line. I think Andy and Brodz down there, they were winning battles, and I just tried to get it through and fortunately it went in. But a tip of the cap to those three guys – that’s all them.

-Lead photo: Adam Pantozzi/NHLI