March 12 postgame quotes: Dustin Brown

On being ahead of last year’s pace at the halfway point of the season:
“I think it’s important for us to realize that we got off to a rough start and we’ve been playing better hockey as of late, but we need to continue to [do so]. If you look at the standings, any night you’re not getting points, you’re falling, and that’s just the reality of the Western Conference and the shortened season. We need to have the ability to kind of put this one away and get ready and focus on San Jose, because there’s nothing we can do about tonight’s result. We’ve got to just keep moving forward.”

On being able to get Phoenix twice more over the next week:
“The next week, 10 days are going to be pretty important for this group, considering how many divisional games we play. I think including this one, the next six games are all divisional games. That’s where you can really separate yourselves from the pack, because you’re playing the teams that are kind of mix, especially in the Pacific Division. I think we’re all playoff teams.”

On what he liked about the power play:
“Right now it’s just our movement, and a lot of that is our players up top being able to make the right reads and the right plays. I mean, we have a lot of movement. If you look at our power play over the last 10 games, the movement has been pretty good. A big part of that has been putting the passes in the right spots for guys to capitalize.”

On whether it’s frustrating playing against a team that blocks a lot of shots and clogs lanes:
“No, I mean most teams are like that nowadays. It’s a matter of just trying to get the puck through. I thought we had some great opportunities, not only power play, but five-on-five. Smith played really well for them and made some big saves.”

On Mike Richards:
“With Rick, he’s always pretty consistent. He’s going to give you the same game every night. He’s really big on the wall battles, and he always finds a way to get it to the open guy. Everyone talks about how hot Carts is, and a big part of that is Rick getting him the puck.”

On the shortened schedule and the lack of separation:
“I think with the exception of maybe Chicago and maybe Anaheim – I’m not sure, I think they’re nine points up – besides Chicago, everyone’s going to be in a dogfight. That’s where these divisional games become huge, because you can jump to third place [in the conference] beating your divisional opponents, especially Anaheim right now.”

On the challenges of a first period against Phoenix in the second night of a back to back:
“We probably didn’t start as well as we’d like, but that’s just about preparation. It’s part of playing at this level with the schedule. Everyone talks about the shortened [schedule] – even in an 82-game schedule, you’re going to have games where you’re going to have to fly and back-to-back and play, and that’s just the reality of playing in the NHL. You’ve got to be ready to play.”

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