THIS GAME AND THE SERIES WITH
THE MEDIA.
>> WE WILL START WITH THE MEDIA
CENTER
>> JOSH COOPER WITH THE CANADIAN
PRESS.
YOU PLAYED
YOUR NINTH OVERTIME.
IN THIS BUILDING, IS IT FITTING
THAT YOU WOULD WIN?
>> I MEAN I GUESS.
IT IS PROBABLY JUST A LITTLE
BIT OF A COINCIDENCE.
WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT THERE
WILL BE UPS AND DOWNS TRYING TO
GET THROUGH THIS.
WE ARE STUCK IN OUR OWN AND.
THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A GREAT
FEELING.
THESE GUYS REALLY EARNED IT.
THEY DESERVE A LOT OF CREDIT.
>> NEXT QUESTION, MEDIA CENTER.
>> CHRIS JOHNSON FROM
SPORTSNET.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO GET
ANOTHER CHANCE TO GO BACK TO A
CONFERENCE FINAL?
>> IT IS A GREAT FEELING.
TO WIN IN THE FIRST ROUND CHECK
TO WIN IN THE FIRST ROUND CHECK
ESPECIALLY AFTER THE LAST YEAR
ESPECIALLY AFTER THE LAST YEAR
WHERE WE KIND OF SCREWED UP.
THEY WERE PRETTY CONSISTENT.
WE WERE PRETTY CONSISTENT.
WE WERE JUST A LITTLE BIT
BETTER.
>> NEXT QUESTION FROM JOE
SMITH, THE ATHLETIC.
>> YOU MENTIONED LAST YEAR, AND
AFTER LAST YEAR’S PLAYOFF, YOU
SAID YOU HAD TO BE BETTER, YOU
WANTED TO BE BETTER FOR YOUR
TEAM.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL TO BE A
WHAT DOES IT FEEL TO BE A
DIFFERENCE MAKER IN THE FIRST
SERIES FOR YOUR TEAM?
>> SO FAR, WE WILL SEE.
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
>> NEXT QUESTION FROM THE TAMPA
BAY TIMES.
>> RYAN, WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT
YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO PLAY?
HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU WOULD
GET INTO THIS GAME?
>> PROBABLY CONFIRMED AT THE
MORNING SKATE THIS MORNING.
YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB, ALL
OF THE GUYS THAT JUMPED IN AND
PLAYED STARTING IN COLUMBUS.
THE FORWARDS HAVE COME IN, AND
WE SWITCHED TO SEVEN AND11.
SOMETIMES IT IS NOT EASY TO STAY
IN THE FLOW OF THINGS.
IT FELT GOOD, IT WAS GREAT.  WE
KEPT OUR GAME AS SIMPLE AS WE
COULD ON THE BACK END.
IS A
GREAT FEELING TO HELP THE GUYS
TO WIN THE SERIES.
>> WE WILL TAKE A FEW MORE.
NEXT QUESTION FROMERIC.
>> RYAN, YOU’VE BEEN HERE FOR A
COUPLE OF YEARS.
THIS IS YOUR THIRD PLAYOFF WITH
THE TEAM.
I’M CURIOUS ABOUT THE GROWTH
AND MATURITY YOU’VE SEEN.
IS THIS TEAM MENTALLY TOUGH
ENOUGH?
HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THINGS GROW
HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THINGS GROW
OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS?
>> OBVIOUSLY IT WAS PROBABLY A
GOOD THING THAT WE GOT TO FACE
COLUMBUS.
WE HAD THE GUYS THAT WE HAD
ALREADY FACED LAST YEAR.
WE REALLY HAD TO DIAL IN
THE FOCUS AND PLAY AS A TEAM.
WE NEEDED EVERYBODY,
THAT’S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE WIN
GAMES.
GETTING COUNTRY VISIONS FROM
EVERYBODY, AND EVERYBODY BUYING
IN.  THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT
WE’VE GOT GREAT COMFORTER
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM EVERYBODY.
CREDIT TO OUR COACHING STAFF.
IT IS A GREAT ATTITUDE.
THE NEW GUYS COMING IN, THE
COACHING STAFF DOING A GREAT
JOB KEEPING OUR FOCUS.
WE REALLY HAD TO BECOME A
FAMILY.
AND THE TEAMS HERE IN TORONTO,
GREAT FOCUS ON AND OFF THE ICE,
IN TREMENDOUS AFFECTION.
>> NEXT QUESTION, KAYLEE, WITH
FOX SPORTS FLORIDA.
>> JON COOPER TALKED ABOUT YOU
GUYS WINNING IN A LOT
OF WAYS.
WITH NIKITA GOUDREAU OF BEING
OUT FOR A LOT OF THE GAMES,
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN A GAME
IN THIS WAY?
>> WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE A
>> WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE A
BATTLE OF WILL.  GUYS WERE
TRYING TO KEEP IT SIMPLE AND
MAKE SOMEPLACE.
AND JUST TRY TO WIN SOME PUCK
BATTLES.  THERE WAS A LOT OF
ADVERSITY.  IT WASN’T AS PRETTY
AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED.
BUT THAT IS JUST HOW IT GOES
SOMETIMES.
EVERYBODY IS JUST PICKING EACH
OTHER UP, GETTING THROUGH THE
UPS AND DOWNS OF THE GAME.
ANDRE
VASILEVSKIY DOING WHAT HE COULD
.  WE WERE JUST
FEEDING OFF OF THAT.
>> THE FINAL QUESTION, PAUL,
FROM NHL.COM.
>> YOU MADE IT LOOK SO EASY FOR
US.
HOW DIFFICULT IS IT, KNOWING
WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE GAME,
AND PRETTY MUCH KNOW THAT YOU
WOULD HAVE TO ENDURE THAT 80
MINUTES?
>> HE IS A BIG PART OF THE TEAM.
>> HE IS A BIG PART OF THE TEAM.
FOR SURE.
YEAH.
THE WHOLE TEAM STEPPED UP.
A GREAT EFFORT FOR EVERY GUY ON
A GREAT EFFORT FOR EVERY GUY ON
>> IT WAS A GREAT EFFORT.
>> QUESTIONS FOR VICTOR, WITH
THE CANADIAN PRESS.
YOUR GROUP HAS BEEN THROUGH SO
MUCH, AND A LOT OF ADVERSITY,
THESE PLAYOFFS, AND JUST THE
FEELING OF SENDING YOUR TEAM TO
THE CONFERENCE TYPE TITLE FOR
THE FOURTH TIME IN SIX YEARS.
>> WE BATTLED REALLY HARD
TODAY.
WE SAW NIKITA GOUDREAU OF GET
LOST IN THE EARLY GAME.
WE HAVE TO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT
TO THEM FOR A BIG PART OF THAT
GAME.  I’M SUPER PROUD OF THE
EFFORT.  WE WERE VERY HAPPY AS
A GROUP TO MOVE ON.
>> NEXT QUESTION FROM THE MEDIA
CENTER.
>> ACTOR, IT IS CHRIS JOHNSON.
>> WHAT MADE THE DISC
DIFFERENCE IN THIS SERIES?
>> OVERALL WE ARE A HUNGRY TEAM
.  THEY ARE TROPHY WINNERS FOR A
REASON.
IT’S A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS.
I’M HAPPY WITH THE WAY THAT WE
LAID.  WE MADE IT TOUGH FOR THEM
.  YOU GIVE UP ONE OR TWO GOALS
PER GAME.  I WAS HAPPY WITH THE
DEFENSE OF EFFORT.
>> IT SEEMED LIKE YOU WERE
GOING TO LEAVE THAT WINNING
PUCK IN THE END.
WHAT WAS THE EMOTION GOING
THROUGH YOU WHEN YOU SAW THE
THROUGH YOU WHEN YOU SAW THE
PUCK FINALLY GO IN?
>> I JUST SAW EVERYONE
CELEBRATING.  YEAH, WE ARE
TRYING TO GET EVERY PUCK AFTER
EVERY GAME.
YOU KNOW IT IS A GREAT FEELING.
I’M SO PROUD OF OUR TEAM AND
THE WAY THAT WE COME TOGETHER
AS A GROUP.  THIS TIME IS BEEN
PHENOMENAL AND WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO IT,
SO MUCH.
>> ANTHONY, WHAT DID IT TAKE,
MOVING UP TO THE POWER-PLAY NOT
JUST BECAUSE OF THE ROLE THAT
NIKITA GOUDREAU PLAYS, BUT THE
NUMBERS TO GET THROUGH THE
OVERTIMES AFTER THAT?
>> I THINK VIC SAID IT.  I
THOUGHT WE DID A GOOD JOB, THEY
DID A GOOD JOB HELPING US.
THE QUICK CHANGES HELPED US A
LOT.
WE WERE HUNGRYxCNn[g4s.  WE BATT
OUT TONIGHT.
OUT TONIGHT.
I’M REALLY PROUD OF US.
>> VICTOR, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN
FROM YOUR TEAM OVER THE LAST
THREE SEASONS, AND WHAT
HAPPENED LAST YEAR, TO MAYBE A
HAPPENED LAST YEAR, TO MAYBE A
LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENT GROWTH?
>> THE WAY THAT WE PLAY HASN’T
CHANGED THAT MUCH.
WE PLAY IT WE PAY ATTENTION.
PLAYING AS A GROUP ON THE ICE,
YOU NEED TO SCORE TEAMS TO WIN
YOU NEED TO SCORE TEAMS TO WIN
GAMES.
PLAYING DEFENSIVELY IT HAS BEEN
PLAYING DEFENSIVELY IT HAS BEEN
A HUGE TURNAROUND. EVERYONE
A HUGE TURNAROUND. EVERYONE
KNOWS WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM.
>> NEXT QUESTION FROM BRIAN
BURNS WITH LIGHTNING.COM.
>> CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH THE
>> CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH THE
GAME-WINNING GOAL AND WHAT YOU
SAW ON THE PLAY?
>> I THINK WE DID A GREAT JOB
COMING UP HIGH, CREATING SOME
COMING UP HIGH, CREATING SOME
CONFUSION UP TOP.  THEY DID A
CONFUSION UP TOP.  THEY DID A
GREAT JOB IN FRONT OF THE NET.
>> WE WILL TAKE TWO MORE
QUESTIONS.
THE NEXT ONE IS FROM J.
>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE
IMPACT OF RYAN MCDONAGH?
TO GET HIM OUT THERE IN THE
TO GET HIM OUT THERE IN THE
BLOCK, IT WAS INCREDIBLETONIGHT.
>> MAX, UNBELIEVABLE FOR US.
THE WAY THAT HE PLAYED,  HE DOES
IT ALL.
HE IS EATING BUCKS FOR US.
HAVING HIM COME IN IS A HUGE
CONFIDENCE USED FOR US.
MAC WAS UNBELIEVABLE FOR US.
HAVING HIS LEADERSHIP ROLE HAS
US CALM AND READY TO GO.
SEE THE FINAL QUESTION FROM
NEIL MCHALE, FROM INSIDE HOCKEY
.COM.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN IN THESE HIGH
QUALITY OVER TIME HIGH-PRESSURE
SITUATIONS.  HOW MUCH HAS HE
SITUATIONS.  HOW MUCH HAS HE
HELPED YOU TO STAY FOCUSED AND
CALM?
>> COUPE HAS US IN THOSE
INTERMISSIONS AND KEEPS US
FOCUSED, KEEPS US CALM.
WE ARE JUST READY TO GO FOR THE
NEXT ONE.  WE HAD TO GO
DISTANCE, WE HAD TO GO ON THE
FLOOR.
I THINK HE REALLY JUST
JON COOPER IS THE HEAD COACH AT
THE PODIUM, HE’S MEETING WITH
THE MEDIA AND HERE’S WHAT HE
HAD TO SAY.
>> AFTER ANOTHER GAME, YOU SAW
THEM TIE IT LATE.
YOU GUYS SEEM TO BE GETTING
MORE AND MORE COMFORTABLE.
>> CLEARLY WE ARE GETTING USED
TO IT.
IF YOU WANT TO ADVANCE, YOU
HAVE TO WIN YOUR GAMES.
THAT IS ALL THAT THERE IS TO
IT.
JUST THE FAST THAT THE FACT
THAT WE LOST NIKITA COULD
DRIVE, AND WE ARE DOWN TO TEN
FORWARDS.
IT WAS REALLY DEPLETE
DEFLATING, OBVIOUSLY WOULD MAKE
GIVE UP A GOAL.
WE TOLD THE GUYS, AFTER THE
BLOCK SHOTS, AND UNFORTUNATE
REBOUND, WE WERE DOING THE
RIGHT THINGS.
BUT WE NEEDED EVERY OUNCE OF
OUR ENERGY TO GET THROUGH THAT.
HOW THEY MANAGED TO PLAY THAT
SECOND OVERTIME, I DON’T KNOW.
TRAINING DIFFERENT GUYS AROUND,
BRINGING A LITTLE BIT MORE TO
OUR FORWARDS.
TO LOOK BACK AND SAY WE PLAYED
14 MINUTES TO GIVE UP ONE SHOT
ON GOAL, WE WERE PRETTY
COMMITTED TO THAT AFTER, BY THE
GUYS.
>> NEXT QUESTION FROM ERIC OR
WINSTON.
>> WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE WHEN
YOU HAVE THE TEN FORWARDS IN
THE BENCH TRYING TO KEEP GUYS
INVOLVED IN THE GAME WHERE YOU
HAVE TO SHIFT GUYS AROUND QUITE
A BIT?
JUST TRYING TO FIND ENOUGH TO
KEEP THE ENERGY GOING.
>> PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS THE
MATCH.
IT IS A LOT EASIER WHEN THE
IT IS A LOT EASIER WHEN THE
TEAMS ARE PLAYING BEHIND.  YOU
KNOW WHAT LINES THEY ARE GOING
TO BE PUTTING OUT MORE OFTEN
THAN NOT.
THEY ARE GOING TO RUN THEIR
BENCH ALL THE TIME.
THAT’S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGE.
THEN, IT IS KEEPING GUYS FRESH.
YOU’VE REALLY GOT TO HAVE A
GAUGE ON WHO IS GASTON WHO IS
NOT.
PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY WAS.
VICTOR HEDMAN SEEMS TO NEVER GET
TIRED.
WE HAVE A COUPLE FORWARDS WHO
HAVE THAT, AND A COUPLE OF GUYS
WHO BREAK DOWN FASTER.
YOU HAVE TO REALLY MANAGED ICE
TIME.  AS THAT OVER TIME WENT
ON, I THOUGHT WE DID A REALLY
ON, I THOUGHT WE DID A REALLY
GOOD JOB.
>> WHAT WAS THE CONCERN LEVEL
WITH HIS INJURIES?
>> ANY TIME ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS
LEAVE, THERE IS A LEVEL OF
CONCERN.  SO, I CAN’T.  WE ARE
REALLY EXCITED THAT WE WON THE
SERIES.
AND I DON’T REALLY HAVE AN
UPDATE, RIGHT NOW.
UPDATE, RIGHT NOW.
BUT I WILL, TOMORROW.
OBVIOUSLY WE ARE HOPEFUL.
MAYBE WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT
OF A BREAK.
>> WILL TAKE A FEW MORE
QUESTIONS FOR COACH.
THE NEXT, FOR KEVIN.
>> CONGRATULATIONS ON THE
SERIES.
I WONDER IF YOU CAN JUST GO
BACK TO FEBRUARY AND WHAT YOU
THOUGHT OF THOSE MOVES TO BRING
IN THE GUYS TO SHORE UP YOUR
IN THE GUYS TO SHORE UP YOUR
ROSTER.
>> JULIAN CAME IN, WE SAT DOWN,
MYSELF, THE STAFF, WE TALKED
ABOUT WHAT WE NEEDED.
IF YOU WANT TO SAY THAT
PROTOTYPICAL TOP SIX, BOTTOM SIX
FORWARD, WE DIDN’T FEEL LIKE
GETTING THE TOP SIX FORWARDS
WAS WHAT WE NEEDED.
WE WERE LOOKING FOR GUYS WITH A
LITTLE BIT OF DIRT UNDER THE
NAILS.  OFTEN TIMES IT IS NOT
HOW YOU SCORE, BUT WHAT YOU KEEP
OUT ARE YOU GOING TO BE A PAIN
FOR THE TEAM?
ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO
WEAR THE TEAMS DOWN?
SKILL CAN DO THAT TO A CERTAIN
EXTENT.
ANYBODY WHO
KNOWS THE HEART OF PLAYOFFS
KNOWS THAT THE GAME IS A GRIND.
YOU NEED TO GUYS THAT CAN FIGHT
THROUGH THAT STUFF.
THROUGH THAT STUFF.
WE FOUND THEM.
>> WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN FROM
ANDRE VASILEVSKIY?
OBVIOUSLY HE MADE A TON OF BIG
SAVES AND A TON OF BIG SHOTS.
THROUGHOUT THE SERIES, HE’S
PLAYED MORE GAMES.
MORE TEAM GAMES THAN ANYONE
ELSE AT THIS POINT.
>> NOT ONLY IS THE TEAM PLAYING
WELL, THE GOAL TENDERS ARE
PLAYING WELL.
IT REALLY HELPS WHEN YOU GET
COUNTRY VISIONS FROM EVERYONE.
YOU KNOW, AS FOR PLAYING MORE
THAN ANYBODY ELSE, I THINK HE
ACTUALLY WANTS TO PLAY MORE.
I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY GAMES WE
PLAYED.
TEN, 15?
AND OVER A DECENT AMOUNT OF
TIME.
HE’S FEELING
PRETTY FRESH, HE IS A YOUNG GUY,
AND SO WE ARE PRETTY
COMFORTABLE.
ESPECIALLY WHEN WHEN HE WE HAVE
BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WIN
TWO SERIES IN FIVE GAMES.
HE’S GETTING AMPLE REST.
JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ON OUR
TEAM, IT HAPPENED TO US LAST
YEAR.
GUYS WANT TO BE ON THE ACE TO
REWRITE A NEW STORY.
HE HAS DONE ONE HECK OF A JOB,
THAT IS FOR SURE.
>> WE WILL TAKE SOME MORE
QUESTIONS, THE NEXT QUESTION
FROM J.
>> I ASKED YOU ABOUT ACT, THE
TV RATINGS WENT UP TONIGHT.  IT
DIDN’T EVEN SEEM LIKE YOU MISSED
A BEAT OUT THERE TONIGHT.
>> IS HARD TO COME BACK WHEN
YOU HAVEN’T PLAYED.
I DON’T CARE HOW GOOD YOU ARE,
JUST THE TIMING, THE
SPEED, THE FAST GAME OUT THERE.
IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT TO GET THAT
BACK.
A BIG ASSET A BIG ASSET FORMAT
IS HIS TEAM.  YOU’VE GOT THAT,
USUALLY YOU CAN DO THIS PRETTY
USUALLY YOU CAN DO THIS PRETTY
QUICK.
>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR
PRIDE IN THIS TEAM RIGHT NOW,
THE WAY THEY HAVE PERSEVERED IN
ALL OF THESE CLOSE GAMES?
A-TEAM THAT HAD A PERSEVERANCE
QUESTION LAST YEAR?
>> TO BE HONEST, REGARDLESS OF
THE SCORE, I AM PROUD OF THIS
THE SCORE, I AM PROUD OF THIS
TEAM.  I THINK I SAID THIS THIS
TEAM.  I THINK I SAID THIS THIS
MORNING, EVERY REPORTER WATCHES
THE TEAM GO, IT HASN’T BEEN IN
DONE YET, I DOUBT IT WILL BE
DONE.
DAVE MADE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO
PUT THEMSELVES IN THE POSITION
THAT THEY ARE IN NOW.  ALL THE
CREDIT GOES TO THEM CHECK THEY
HAVE WORKED AT THEIR MENTAL
MINDSET.
YOU
DON’T KNOW HOW THESE GAMES ARE
GOING TO TURN OUT, ESPECIALLY
WHEN YOU GET TO OVERTIME.  RIGHT
HERE,
RIGHT THERE, WE FEEL LIKE WE
HAVE EARNED OUR BREAKS.
AND SEEING WHAT THOSE GUYS HAVE
DONE, THE TEAM, THE COACH, THE
