Doughty, Pearson, Kopitar talk Game 4

Drew Doughty, on the team’s Game 3 improvents:
We weren’t making turnovers. We weren’t allowing as many odd-man rushes. We cleaned up, pretty much, that entire part of our game. So our defense was better, we still gave up too many goals. But besides that, we had better possession of the puck. We were keeping the puck in their zone, cycling, trying to get pucks to the net, get to the goalie and that’s what we have to do tonight again.

Doughty, on the team feeling like they can handle any challenge:
Oh yeah, we’re not missing too many guys from that cup run. The majority of our top guys from that run are still here and we know exactly that feeling and we want that feeling again. Right now, playing a rival in the San Jose Sharks and being down 3-0, now it’s our turn to sweep them. We need to win four in a row. That’s the bottom line. Take it one game at a time, but we have full confidence we can do it. No one in here is going to tell us that we can’t. We all believe in each other and believe in ourselves as a team. We know we can do it.

Doughty, on Anze Kopitar’s defensive play:
…Maybe in the past he wasn’t the first PK for five-on-three or things like that. Now he is and he’s obviously going to be out there in the last minutes if we’re up by a goal. I’ve seen, just with experience and being in the league longer, he’s got better in every aspect of his game. That’s what you want as a player. All of our forwards, all of our players can learn a lot from him and should.

Doughty, on Darryl Sutter:
I think in the playoffs he’s always the same. He doesn’t act much different. He’s the same Darryl. He wants the best out of us and he hasn’t got that from all of us yet. Tonight, we’re going to all have to show it.

Tanner Pearson, on utilizing his speed in Game 3:
I was kind of a fresh body. I didn’t play the last couple of games and I wanted to get in there and use my assets to my advantage and I thought my legs were pretty good. Unfortunately, noting kind of went my or our way and we lost that game.

Pearson, on how last year’s playoff experience prepared him:
I was definitely more comfortable this year. Playing however many games over the course of the season and not jumping right into it. Obviously last year, the experience kind of helped me prepare for the last game. It was kind of an easier transition and I knew what to expect.

Pearson, on limiting San Jose’s offense:
I think that’s kind of the objective every game. Them scoring four goals, it’s going to be hard to win. So we have to limit those chances and play good defensively. I know what’s at stake. It’s a do or die game and we have to be really, really focused on this one and get the win.

Anze Kopitar, on what the team has to do to win:
Just manage the puck all over the ice. I think not giving them the opportunities off our mistakes and try to control as much as we can and attack as much as we can.

Kopitar, on finding a balance between playing ‘loose’ and ‘desperate’:
We know how to play desperate, too. We’ve done it over the course of a couple seasons now so we’re familiar with that too. I think desperation tonight is going to come in handy.