Ross, so thanks to your sweep
against Florida Panthers,
you have a nice little layoff period
and 1st I gotta ask you have you
stopped and thought about game two
and just tremendous moment you had?
Yeah, you know once it happened I think
I watched it maybe about 50 times on
the bus ride to the airport and then
once I got home but then it was kind of
a quick turn around there between game
three and four so didn't look at it
too much or kind of you know you know,
try and get too excited about it because
we still had unfinished business.
Obviously, but once it was over,
I think I, you know,
went back and just kind of admired
the pass and just the play itself.
And you know, kind of how big of a you
know moment that was kind of get that win.
Did you take a step back and think
about your knack for the big moment?
Not only we can go to game two
and sunrise, but also last year.
Of course the Stanley Cup Finals.
Sort of where you cemented
yourself into both legacy.
Yeah, I mean, it's pretty awesome
just to be a part of it all,
but I kind of try not to get too
caught up in all those moments because
I would just have to give credit
to the guys that I'm on the ice.
They just put me in those
situations to succeed.
You know, I can go back to you,
know the game five goal last year.
David Savard kind of gift wrapped
a pass on the back door for me.
I just tapped it in so credit
to him and then you know that
passed it and it was all couch.
And, you know, pally for keeping the puck in.
So it's pretty awesome to be a part of.
But you know, for the most part,
I just try to stay in the moment.
What has switched for you.
I think ever since the new year,
the goals have just been racking
up for you and you're leading this
team right now in postseason goals,
with five of course, with Corey
Perry. Yeah, I think.
Just for me, just trying to stay
humble and not trying to get too high.
And once the new year hit just I think
I struggled a little bit at the start.
You know, some maybe some sophomore slump,
or you know whatever you wanna call
it but you know it was a lot to you.
Know adjust and kind of this year
was you know tough for the start
but we have such a good group of
you know leaders in the room who
just throughout the entire season
just tell me listen play your game.
You know you deserve to be here.
You're here for a reason and stuff like that.
And then you're hearing that from
Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman,
Ryan McDonald like that goes such
a long way and.
So once I kind of settled in my own,
got comfortable,
got some power play time,
I think I just, you know,
this punk started to go in
and you speak about this leadership.
I mean, you're the 25 year old young buck.
There's only a handful
of you guys on this team.
How do you assimilate yourself into
a locker room where you have so much
leadership you have guys who are older?
Been there, done that and
you know they have families.
It's just a different dichotomy.
I feel like it's definitely a little
different coming from the American League.
Like you said, everyone's young.
There's not as many kids,
and when I say kids.
The guys on the teams having kids obviously,
so it's a little different
away from the rink I think,
but we have, you know, like I said,
those guys are such good leaders
and you know so outspoken that
they make you feel part of it.
You know right from the beginning
and then kind of helps when you
know they go out and they trade
some of your best friends away but
they bring in guys who have huge
personalities and come in right away
and you know love the chirp kind
of love to lighten the mood but
you know then come game time you
know Nick Paul and you know Brian
Higle they're ready to go so they
bring a great energy locker room.
You
think about just wasn't too long ago,
you were at Vermont. And in college
and now here you are chasing that
second Stanley Cup championship.
Yeah, it's it's pretty crazy.
Honestly, it feels like yesterday you know.
So thankful for my time there,
and definitely wouldn't be in the
situation I am now if I didn't,
you know, go through those two years
and then obviously my you know two
or so years in Syracuse would not.
So it's pretty crazy.
Once, definitely in the summer I'd
like to take a step back and kind of
soak it all in because during the
playoffs in the regular season it
goes by in the blink of an eye so
it's nice to take a step back once
in a while and realize you know how
special it's been and just how thankful
I am to be a part of the Lightning.
To have been drafted here,
is there one piece of advice John Cooper
has given you that's stuck with you?
I mean, that's pretty tough.
I think he's you know he's
given me so much and you know,
from day one I think just the biggest
thing which I might have touched on
before was he always just says, you know,
play your game and kind of, you know,
be in the moment and kind of not let
the moment you know be too big for you.
So I'm hearing that from him.
It's kind of just I never tried to do
too much. I kind of I know, my role.
I love to finish, hits win faceoffs,
kind of whatever I can do to
help the team win.
And if we're getting two points
at the end of the night then
I think I helped do my job and
then finally as a jersey.
Guy gotta ask you if there's one.
Springsteen song that you're playing
before the game? What do you?
What are you listening to? I don't
know, you know. Born to run is good
but always in the car I feel like
dancing in the dark was always my
that's my tune when I'm just jamming
by myself driving to the rank.
So even though my rank my drinks pretty
short so it can't be listening to too many.
But I'd have to ask my dad or my
brother about them. He loves them.