Kopitar, Clifford preview Phoenix

Anze Kopitar, on clinching the third spot in the division with a win over Phoenix:
One goal that we set before the season is obviously making the playoffs. I think we’ve been in that third spot in our division forever. It really was pretty much the whole season, but it’ nice to have fate in your own hands with a win tonight. Put everything away, all the calculations. It’s a division game, which is obviously huge. We know them, they know us, so I’m sure they’re going to be fired up.

Kopitar, on paying attention to the race between San Jose and Anaheim:
No, not really. I mean I check the standings once in a while. I think Anaheim has the edge right now. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. There are good teams that are making the playoffs, so if you want to go all the way you have to beat them somewhere at some point. So if it’s the first round, the second round, it doesn’t really matter. I think we’re focusing as a group here on our game and our preparation towards the playoffs.

Kopitar, on what he expects from Phoenix:
You just said it, they’re going to be desperate and they’re going to throw it all out on the table. As I said before, when we’re in a mode where we want to prepare ourselves and work on our game to get ready for the playoffs and I don’t think there is really a better test than when a desperate team comes in and fights for the playoffs. For us, we’ve got to be ready for that intensity and the emotion they’re going to bring. I’m sure it’s going to be a fun game.

Kopitar, on being locked into the third position:
Maybe in some ways it’s maybe a little better because then it takes all the thoughts off for first place, second place. Like you said, we are locked in and now we have to make sure we sharpen our game up as best as we can for I guess two weeks that we have left, and we’re going to do that as best as we can.

Kyle Clifford, on how much he pays attention to the standings:
I think it’s important to be aware of what’s going on around the league and with other teams, especially the last six games here are all division, so they’re definitely important. I think we’re definitely keeping an eye on it.

Clifford, on Phoenix:
We just know that it’s a solid game they play and what they’re capable of, so we have to be ready for them tonight.

Clifford, on how Phoenix’s style of play has changed over recent years:
They’ve got some guys that can score and they’re good around the net. We’re aware of that and we’re ready for them, and we’re going to play our game.

Clifford, on Phoenix’s forwards:
They play a complete game. Both ends of the ice, it’s pretty honest. Like I said, we’re aware of what they can do and we’re ready for it.

Clifford, on any motivation derived from having lost to Phoenix three straight times:
Yeah, you definitely, especially division games, you want to win the majority of them, if not all of them. We play them five times a year, so there is definitely a little bit of a rivalry there.