HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE
On the team improving to 20-1-2 when leading after two periods tonight:
I thought we had a real good period there, a good process. Obviously, wouldn’t like to give them a goal back like we did but I thought we started really well, we generated a number of really good scoring chances ourselves and maybe we could have had even more goals, especially early there. And then I just liked how we battled. Getting wins like this on the road, late penalty kill, goalie’s out for a long period of time there like this. Those are tough, tough sequences. You’re relying on a small number of guys to get that done. The guys just found a way.
On the team improving at defending late leads with more experience doing it:
Well, I think that’s part of it, for sure. We’d rather not be in that position. We had a two-goal lead and that’s where we would rather be. You score the first goal in the third period and that puts you in an even better spot. But certainly, if you give it back, then you’ve got to just battle and find a way and limit what you give up on the inside and know that they’re going to have a push, but try to keep it from stuff on the outside that you can block or Freddie can see.
On what he has seen from Matthews of late:
I don’t need to tell you that Auston is a very talented player. He puts himself in good spots. Obviously, today Mitch gave him a puck in a great spot and that’s a world class finish. We’ve become accustomed to seeing that and that’s what he’s capable of doing. When he’s really playing and really skating and when he’s engaged in the game he’s hard to stop.
FREDERIK ANDERSEN (31 SAVES)
On how it feels to put two wins together coming out of the All-Star break:
It’s nice. It’s always fun to win. I think we’ve been doing a lot of good things. We’ll look to continue to build on that and keep working at it and, like I said, build off of it.
On what exactly the team has done well these past two games:
Just playing as a group and playing smarter hockey. I think we’ve been good at not giving up too much and controlling the play a lot, going to the net hard and getting some good goals there at big times.
ZACH HYMAN (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On tonight’s game and the importance of each remaining game:
It was good. We knew we need to start getting on the right side of games. Especially coming off of the break, this was a hard-fought win. We really had to earn this one so it’s big.
On their success getting the first goal of the game on the road:
I think it just happens sometimes like that. We’ve definitely been starting strong on the road these past couple games. It’s important when you start a period you want to start ahead. Usually when you score the first goal more often than not you win the game, so the first goal is big.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On picking up an important two points:
All these games matter. It doesn’t really matter if it’s Western Conference, our conference or our division, all these points matter. They all add up, so we’ve got to make sure we’re taking advantage of these games.
On what he attributes his consistent scoring to:
My linemates. I think we’re just trying to stay consistent each night, just compete out there. We work off each other, make plays and obviously play as much offense as we can. We just want to continue that.
WILLIAM NYLANDER (1 GOAL)
On the team’s staying aggressive on offence against a tough defensive team:
Yeah, for sure. We need to keep doing it. We’re chasing in the standings here so we kind of have a playoff push right now. We’ve got to be sharp every game.
On how they generated five goals against the team with the fewest goals against:
I think we play that kind of game where we’re kind of unpredictable. We were able to create a lot of good, solid quality scoring chances, which eventually lead to goals.
On the play that led to Hyman’s goal:
Yeah, that was just a beautiful hockey goal. We were just smiling on the bench when we saw that goal, it was beautiful.
The view from left field 