ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL FOR GERARD GALLANT.
HERE IS HIS PRESS CONFERENCE. INTERESTING.
YEAH. IT WAS.
HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH GETTING IN AS LATE AS YOU GUYS
DID? I HOPE IT DID.
BUT, NO, I DON'T KNOW. IT WAS TOUGH TO WATCH THE FIRST
PERIOD FOR SURE. SHORTHANDED GOAL CHANGE THE
MOMENTUM OR THE MOMENT CHANGING? THAT WAS THE BIG ONE.
SHORTHANDING GOAL WAS BIG FOR US.
DEFINITELY A MOMENTUM CHANGER FOR SURE.
WARM-UP? YEAH.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
UPPER BODY? UPPER BODY.
UPPER BODY. DAY-TO-DAY.
LAST MINUTE? YEP.
YEP. UPDATE ON FILIP CHYTIL?
HE IS DAY-TO-DAY LOWER BODY. THE MOVE TO START THE SECOND
PERIOD PANARIN, WAS THAT GET SOMETHING GOING ONCE?
CREATE OFFENSE? LIKE I SAID SOMETIMES IT
WORKS. SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.
THEY JUST WANTED TO CHANGE THINGS UP.
THEN WE LOST THE FIRST PERIOD ALSO.
JUST GIVE ME A CHANCE TO GO WITH THREE LINES FOR MOST OF THE GAME
AND HE ROTATED THIRD AND FOURTH LINE WITH ROONEY GOING BACK AND
FORTH WITH BOTH OF THEM. JUMP-START AND GOT THEM GOING.
IT WAS GOOD. JACOB TROUBA WAS TALKING
ABOUT HOW HE -- THE TEAM DOESN'T WANT TO TURN IT OFF LIKE IT HAS
BEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF GAMES. TO SEE HOW THE TEAM HAS SCORED
IN BUNCHES. YEAH.
IS THAT ENCOURAGING? WE HAVE A TALENTED TEAM.
WHEN THE BIG GUYS COME, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE SECOND OR THIRD
PERIOD, THEY PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THEM AND THEY HAD
GREAT SCORING OPPORTUNITIES AND WE GOT A COUPLE OF BREAKS TOO.
BUT LIKE I SAID WHEN YOU WORK HARD AND COMPETE HARD AND YOU
GOT THE SKILL THAT WE GOT AND WHEN THE POWER PLAY STRIKES LIKE
THE WAY THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THINGS WENT RIGHT IN THE
SECOND OR THIRD PERIOD. YOU KNEW CHRIS KREIDER WAS A
GOOD PLAYER. HE IS ALWAYS A SCARY PLAYER
EVERY TIME YOU CAME IN TO COACH AGAINST HIM.
YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T THINK HE WOULD BE GOING NECK-TO-NECK WITH
A ALEX OVECHKIN FOR GOALS SCORED
THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. HIM AND HIS LINE PLATES ARE
PLAYING REAL WELL TOGETHER. THE POWER PLAY IS CLICKING AND
HE KNOWS WHEN IT SCORE GOALS. HE IS AROUND THAT NET AND SHOOTS
THE PUCK REAL WELL AND SKATES WELL.
HE KEEPS HIS GAME. HOW IMPORTANT HE HAS BEEN TO
THIS TEAM? 100%.
HE SCORED MOST GAMES FOR US. BUT HE IS DEFINITELY A GUY THAT,
YOU KNOW, WITH HIS SPEED AND HIS TALENT AND HIS SKILL AND WHEN
MIKA IS PLAYING THE WAY HE IS PLAYING THE LAST -- WELL, ALL
SEASON, THEY CREATE A LOT AND THEY MADE SOME GREAT PLAYS
TONIGHT. KREIDER IS A COMPLETE PLAYER.
HE IS DOING A GREAT JOB KILLING PENALTIES FOR US THIS YEAR.
HE PLAYS THE GAME THE RIGHT WAY. KREIDER DIDN'T GET A LOT OF
ATTENTION TONIGHT PUT. HE IS OUTSTANDING.
REAL GOOD. SHOOTING THE PUCK.
REAL HEAVY SHOTS. THE WAY HE DEFENDS AND PLAYS
ALL-AROUND GAME. IT LOOKED IK EARLY ON MAYBE
SOME OF YOUR TEAM WAS A LITTLE SLOW.
YEAH. A FEW GUYS BUT PACE AND
ENERGY? DEFINITELY HE PLAYED REALLY
STRONG AND WHAT HE DOES. WHY HE IS A LEADER AND CHARACTER
OF OUR GROUP. HE SHOWS IT.
DO YOU SEE THAT OFTEN FROM HIM WHERE HE SORT OF JUST FOR
LACK OF A BETTER TERM TONE SETTER TIMES?
YEAH, WE HAVE SEEN IT A LOT. EARLIER IN THE SEASON, HE HAD
THE BIG HITS. YOU KNOW?
AND HE SETS THE TONE AND, YOU KNOW, WAKES US UP SOMETIMES AND
HE IS A BIG PART OF THAT GROUP. HE HAS BEEN AROUND HERE A WHILE.
WE SAW IN THE GRAPHIC BEFORE THE GAME HE IS DOING IT AT A PACE
THAT IS . IT WAS QUITE FRANKLY
UNACCEPTABLE I WAS TOLD. WHAT HELPED YOU TURN THINGS
AROUND IN THIS GAME? YEAH.
I MEAN, IT'S A LONG SEASON. YOU KNOW?
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE PRETTY STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN
YOU'RE TRAVELING AND THE SCHEDULE ITSELF.
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO FEEL GREAT IN THE FIRST PERIOD AND
SOMETHING WE HAVE GOT TO GET BETTER AT, OBVIOUSLY.
WHEN WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE OUR LEGS TO KIND OF SETTLE IN
AND LEAN ON EACH OTHER. WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF NIP THAT
IN THE BUD IN THE SECOND PERIOD, OBVIOUSLY.
I'M REALLY PROUD OF THIS GROUP'S ABILITY TO COME TOGETHER AND
KIND OF REASSESS WHERE WE ARE AT AND TO REFOCUS AND TO GET BACK
TO WORK WHEN PERIODS LIKE THAT DO HAPPEN BECAUSE NO ONE IS
GOING TO PLAY PERFECT HOCKEY THE ENTIRE SEASON.
YOU MENTIONED BEING ABLE TO NIP THAT IN THE BUD IN THE
SECOND PERIOD. THAT WAS DUE LARGELY TO YOUR
SHORTHANDED GOAL. IT'S CLEAR HOW IMPORTANT YOU ARE
TO THIS TEAM THIS SEASON ESPECIALLY.
HOW HAVE YOU EMBRACED THAT ROLE BOTH ON AND OFF THE ICE?
IT'S SUCH A GOOD GROUP. SUCH A GOOD GROUP IN THE ROOM.
GUYS REALLY JUST WANT TO WIN GAMES AND ENJOY COMING TO THE
RINK EVERY SINGLE DAY. ENJOY SPENDING TIME WITH ONE
ANOTHER. IT MAKES IT REALLY A FUN
ENVIRONMENT. IT'S NOT HARD TO BUY IN AND TO
WORK HARD WHEN YOU'VE GOT A GROUP OF GUYS LIKE THIS.
I THINK WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING THAT.
IT'S A REAL SPECIAL THING. SO OBSERVE AS YOU MENTIONED
THAT YOU GUYS ARE HAVING SO MUCH FUN TOGETHER.
YOU'RE LEADING THE LEAGUE IN GOALS WITH 29.
ALEX OVECHKIN JUST DID SCORE ONE A FEW MINUTES AGO.
JUST WHAT HELPED YOU PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER THE WAY THAT YOU
HAVE THIS SEASON? ESPECIALLY OFFENSIVELY IN THE
WAY THAT YOU'RE SCORING THESE GOALS.
YEAH. I'M ON THE END OF TEAM GOALS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET TO THOSE AREAS AROUND THE NET AND GUYS
MAKING TERRIFIC SKILL PLAYS. PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE A FEW MORE
THE WAY THOSE GUYS HAVE BEEN FINDING ME.
MY JOB IS PRETTY SIMPLE AND WE HAVE GOT SUCH TREMENDOUS SKILL
UP AND DOWN THE LINEUP. GUYS WHO CAN MANIPULATE THE PLAY
AND MOVE DEFENSE AND BEAT GUYS OFF THE RUSH AND BEAT GUYS IN
ZONE AND TRY TO GET TO THE NET AND PRESENT MYSELF.
LINE. HERE IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY AFTER
THE 7-3 WIN OVER THE COYOTES. YEAH.
WILD 48 HOURS FOR US. TOOK A LITTLE BIT TO GET OUR
LEGS AND GET OUR MOMENTUM GOING. GOOD COMPOSURE I GUESS IN
BETWEEN PERIODS. WE LIKE OUR GAME AND STUCK WITH
IT AND WE KNOW WE HAVE A TEAM THAT IS CAPABLE I GUESS TURNING
IT ON. YOU NEED 48 HOURS I THINK FOR
US. GOOD TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SHORTHANDED GOAL HOW MUCH DID THAT TURN THINGS AROUND AND GET
YOU GUYS GOING? DEFINITELY.
SHORTHANDED GOALS ARE BIG MOMENTUM SWINDS WHEN YOUR TEAM
IS THE -- SWINGS WHEN YOUR TEAM IS THE SHORTHANDED POWER PLAY.
WE SCORED THERE. DEFINITELY A BIG BOOST.
WHAT TIME DID YOU GET BACK? WHEN DID YOU WALK IN THE DOOR?
4 A:15. I HAD TO PLAY WITH THE PUPPY TO
GOT THE BETTER OF THE 4:15. YOU JUST GOT A NEW PUPPY?
YES. WE HAVE HAD HIM FOR FIVE DAYS.
HE WAS EXCITED TO SEE YOU? HE WAS.
SHOULD BE. BEFORE THE SEASON WHEN
KREIDER CAN DO, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN FROM HIM THIS
SEASON THAT PRODUCED THIS KIND OF GOAL PRODUCTION?
I THINK HE IS CONFIDENT. HE COMES TO THE RINK EVERY DAY
WITH THE SAME MENTALITY. EVERYTHING IS GOING GREAT FOR
HIM THIS YEAR. HE HASN'T REALLY ACTED LIKE
THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING GREAT. HE IS THE SAME CHRIS.
HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS GOOD AT AND WHAT MAKES HIM GOOD.
I THINK A LOT OF PLAYERS, INCLUDING MYSELF, YOU FIND -- I
GUESS YOU SEARCH FOR A WHILE TO FIND YOUR IDENTITY IN YOUR GAME
AND FIND WHAT YOU'RE THE GOOD IT AT AND WHAT MAKES YOU GOOD IN
THIS LEAGUE AND TO BE CONSISTENT.