On a low-scoring game against an offensive power like Texas:
I just didn’t think we played very well. I don’t think we played hard enough, I don’t think we played well enough. I don’t think we played with any desperation. I think we played four bad periods in a row as far as I’m concerned. So, yeah, if you look at it and go, OK, it wasn’t seven-six like it typically is against Texas and I think the shots were 23-22, I guess that’s a good thing if you keep Texas to that few a shots, but we didn’t generate much.
On not being able to register shots on net early in the first and third periods:
Oh, man. First period we didn’t have any shots at all. We even had a couple power plays and we lose faceoffs and got to go all the way down and regroup and then we go offside or there was not much movement on our power play. There were spurts there in the third period towards the end where it was like, ‘oh, boy, we better get going here because it’s a one-goal game and we’ve got to try to find a way to pull this one out.’ Well, play with that desperation right from the opening faceoff. So, as spirited as our practice was yesterday – it was outstanding – we came out and I thought we were very mediocre, at best.
On Kempe’s power play goal and how the power play can improve after a 1-for-5 performance:
Well that was a great shot by Kempe. That was a power play goal and we got it and he got it away in a hurry. I think it was off the post and in if I remember right. We didn’t have enough chances. We didn’t make plays, we just tried to beat people individually, one-on-one, and that never works. Our D were hanging onto pucks instead of moving it, head-manning it and taking advantage of our forwards’ speed and our forwards managed to go offside quite a few times. I don’t know the exact number but … I don’t know. We weren’t very good. We needed to be better. I think that was a game that we could have had if we played the way we were capable of playing, but it’s over now, so there’s not do-overs on that one.
On losing two games in a row and how to fix it for the busy stretch ahead:
Everybody talked about we won, I don’t know, how many in a row. But they were all decided in overtime, close games. I had a meeting with our core group just the other day to say there’s a real fine line between a winning streak and a losing streak. Now we’re officially in a losing streak. We lost in OT the other night and now we lost, so that’s a losing streak. Close games, one mistake or overtime goes the other way. So, don’t start patting yourself on the back because you won a couple close games. Now it’s time to dig down, get back on the winning track. Maybe going on the road again is the thing we want. I don’t know. We’ll get into San Jose and like I said, it’s a fine line. Losing streak. Winning streak. But right now, two is long enough as far as I’m concerned.
On whether Michael Latta was a healthy scratch:
Yup. [Reporter: Is Rob Scuderi still sick?] Yup.
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