February 19 postgame quotes: Kopitar, Quick, Andreoff

Anze Kopitar, on the takeaways from tonight’s game:
You know what, I thought we had a really, really good start, arguably one of the best periods we’ve had. Second period, found a way to get a power play goal. Gave us a little cushion. And then third period, got to give them credit, they made plays. Could we have played better? Yes, but in the end we got the two points.

Kopitar, on being in position to finish the trip over .500 with a win at the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow:
It’s great. Anytime you can come home with being over .500 it’s good, and that’s where we’re going.

Kopitar, on what was working well in the first period:
Yeah I mean, you know, historically we’ve had some pretty bad first periods. So you know, I think obviously the focus has to be on the start too and we’ve done a pretty good job, but then again we’ve got to sustain it. So maybe the third period wasn’t the way we wanted to play, but we got the job done.

Kopitar, on what he was thinking on the faceoff with Toews in the last forty seconds:
Well you go in there, at that point you’re really just trying not to lose it clean. And then it’s a scramble, everybody’s getting in there. You eat a few seconds off the clock, but I think I ended up winning it, so that was a bonus.

Andy Andreoff, on his goal:
Yeah I mean, I said before, it started with the d-zone. You know, Folin made a great control against the other guy, he created a turnover and it ended up being three-on-two. Amadio and Brodzinski made a nice play to me and I tipped it up so it ended up well.

Andreoff, on what his line has been able to contribute recently:
Well, I think our forecheck has been pretty good. It’s been creating some turnovers and some o-zone chances so I think that’s what definitely helping us.

Andreoff, on whether they had to “empty the tank” to finish tonight’s game:
Yeah, absolutely. You know, every game right now, with twenty-something games left, I think we’ve just got to bear down right now. We’re battling for a playoff spot. So we’ve got another game big tomorrow in Winnipeg so hopefully we can regroup and get ready for another one.

Andreoff, on how John Stevens challenges the fourth line to step up offensively:
I think the forecheck’s been really good for us. It’s been helping us. He wants the fourth line to be insistent guys that are going to get it. So if we’re creating o-zone chances and turnovers deep, then we’re getting on them. So I think that’s what’s been working for us.

Andreoff: on whether the team’s third period has been a concern recently:
I mean, it’s huge right now. We’ve got to bear down. These points are so crucial right now that we really need them. We, Calgary, Anaheim, we’re all pretty tight. So every game counts and I think we started with a great first period today and then in the third they were kind of putting some pressure on us. Quickie shut the door on some and everyone was kind of helping each other out, so I think that’s what worked for us.

Andreoff, on starting the season as a “third period team,” but having the third be a challenge as of late:
I mean I think that’s just part of hockey, you know? It’s part of the momentum game. When we have that jump, when they have that jump. So I think that’s just part of the game.

Jonathan Quick, on how the team played:
We got the win. That’s a tough building to play in and a really good team, so a big two points. You move on. We’ve got another game against another good team tomorrow, so we’ve got to get ready for that one.

Quick, on how important the starts have been in the last few games:
Yeah I mean, that’s the team doing their job and getting ready to go at the start. Looking back over the course of the season, we’ve had a lot of games that haven’t had great starts. It’s good to see that we’re on top of it now.

Quick, on what the takeaway is from the last few wins:
Just the fact that we got wins. We need wins and so we’ve just got to keep trying to get them any way we can.

Quick, on how the team was able to fend of the Blackhawk’s third period push:
We played great defensively. You know, they were good all game. Cleared out some rebounds when I left them there and blocking some shots. They were good.

Quick, on Thompson and Mitchell’s contributions to the penalty kill that might go unnoticed:
No, people notice it. We notice it. (Reporter: How much does that help you?) You need it. You need it. You need guys who are willing to do that. If you don’t have guys who are willing to do that, you’re not a playoff team.