MAPLE LEAFS 4, WILD 2.
HEAD COACH MIKE BABCOCK
On the team finding a higher gear after trailing through a period: We had to. Obviously, we weren’t as good as we’d like to be in the first. I didn’t think we gave up much, to be honest with you, until they got on the power play, but I still didn’t think we were as sharp and good as we need to be. You always want to be real good at home especially and starting on time is important, so we’ve got to do a better job.
On the decision to move Moore to Tavares’ wing: I’ve just been watching it and noticing that he wants it. We just tried it and it seemed to be okay, so we just stayed with it.
On the second period as how he wants to see the team perform: Yeah, the first 15 minutes of that second period was real good. They played last night; you know what I mean? But, in saying all that – or, yesterday – it was a good 15 minutes for us. We played right; it was good.
On Rielly’s four assist performance: I understand he tied a record or something like that. Good for him. He’s a good player and is much better defensively, he’s always been good offensively. It’s important that he has good nights and feels good about himself. Any time your good players score and generate offence and that’s what they like to do, they get feeling good and your team is better.
On leaving an impression during the recruitment of Mikheyev despite the language barrier: I talked to him all year and you’re basically talking by text more than anything else and when you talk to a guy that much – or WhatsApp, whatever you call it – you’re bound to have some communication. In the end, [Mikheyev’s] understanding of the English language is fantastic anyway, he’s a very educated guy. I’ve said this a number of times, but his gal went to Boston College on a visitation or whatever. He’s been around it a lot so he’s way ahead of most guys.
On if the plan is to rotate the fourth line on the back-to-back: I don’t know what we’re going to do yet. We’ll get on the plane – that’s the good thing about it – and decide. Break down the whole game and by the time we land we’ll have a plan for tomorrow. Obviously, that’s two nights in a row our fourth line was really good for us.
MITCH MARNER (1 GOAL, 2 ASSISTS)
On what sparked the offence in the second period: I think we wanted to get our power play going tonight. That was huge for our team to get pucks back, get pucks to the net, screening, not giving up on second opportunities. We stayed patient with our game plan and that’s something we’ve got to keep going forward with.
On his screen on Tavares’ goal: It was a great play by [Moore] leaving it for him. I just tried to get in front of the net. I didn’t really think he was going to take a slap shot right away but I saw him wind up. It was a great shot, post-in, it’s a hard one to save. That started us off.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (1 GOAL)
On what led to a four-goal second period: I think our power play came up big and I think we needed that. A lot of nights that just jump starts momentum and get it back on our side. Good job by us, I think, on the power play. A couple of big goals there to kind of push the momentum on our side and we just continued to attack them.
On Rielly’s ability to make plays: Any time you’re out there with him you just try to get open and he has the ability to make a pass or skate it himself with his speed and his agility. I think any time you’re out there with a guy like that you just try to get open and get in a lane and let him dictate the play because he’s really good at it.
TREVOR MOORE (4 SHOT ATTEMPTS)
On joining a line with Tavares and Marner and seeing Tavares score shortly after the change: I don’t know if I had anything to do with that. I think John’s a ticking timebomb, he was going to start getting some bounces here. It was nice. A little learning curve there, but it was good.
On Tavares’ goal: I honestly didn’t see it, but I couldn’t believe that he scored from there. That’s pretty special.
On what it means to get the chance to play with Tavares and Marner: I think that [the coaching staff] hopes that I can bring something similar to what [Hyman] does – go retrieve the puck and get to the net, that kind of thing. Leave most of the skill stuff to them and just do the work.
MORGAN RIELLY (4 ASSISTS)
On what clicked for the team in the second period: I think we just talked about being patient a little bit and not trying to force too much. I thought we played a good first and obviously didn’t get the results we wanted. I thought we came out and just kind of stayed the course, took advantage some power play opportunities. Other than that, I think we just played simple and played our style of hockey. Just got it in and went to work. It’s good when we can stay patient like that.
On if he liked how the team transitioned from Saturday night’s win in Detroit into tonight’s game: Yeah, I think so. We talked about our starts improving and I think we did that, even though they got one relatively early. I thought we came out good. I thought we were skating. I think there’s been periods of time where we’ve played good hockey over the course of the past couple of weeks and I think tonight was another example of that. It’s good. It’s something to build on for tomorrow night.
JOHN TAVARES (1 GOAL)
On his goal: I think [Moore] just made a good play when it came around to let the puck come to me and I had a bit of time. I probably had a little more time and space to even get myself a better angle, but I saw [Marner] in front, cause a good screen, and I wanted to get the puck on net. Just good timing. I hit it pretty good so glad to see it go in.
On if he let Moore know to leave it: I think he just read the play. We were coming off the bench, I believe, and he just made a great play.
On if he’s ever reluctant to shoot from that far out: Just the way the circumstances were, and my instincts when I saw Mitch in front, just to shoot it then instead of carrying it in a little bit more and maybe give the goalie a little more time or them to recover a little bit. Just put it in a good spot and Mitch had a great screen.
The view from left field 