Day: February 12, 2020

HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE

On what he sees in Campbell’s game:

I see that he battles. As I said this morning, he’s a confident guy, battles, finds ways to keep the puck out, kept them at two here tonight. Gives us a chance to win the hockey game, did his job in Montreal, this was the same. It’s worked out really well, obviously we’ve been able to get him three starts coming in here, so he’s been able to get comfortable and find his footing and find his place on the team and obviously, he’s responded very well.

On the decision to try Nylander-Matthews-Marner on a line together:

It was a combination of a little bit of curiosity and how that might play out and, also, I was happy with the line of Kerfoot, Tavares and Hyman so I thought the timing was right to try such a thing. In terms of how it went, I didn’t think it went very well, but I don’t know that it’s fair to judge on it on a night like this — Willy wasn’t himself tonight. It’s a tough night to judge such a thing. The good news is the Tavares line was going tonight.

On Nylander not being himself as a result of his prior illness:

I think he’s probably way over that, but he didn’t do anything for four days. He didn’t do anything at all. Willy is a guy that loves to be on the ice, loves routine, loves to touch the puck. It’ll take him a little bit to get back.

On what Hyman is doing differently to produce more this season:

It’s hard to say in terms of him not having it before, but just in terms in what I know of him now. He continues to be a force, a driver, he’s all around the net. He’s also been making plays and playing with lots of confidence with the puck as well. He’s been more than just a forechecker and a guy who stands at the net, he’s been doing a lot of other things on the rush and putting himself in good. When you work the way that he does and have the confidence that he does and as much as we’re using him, he’ll find a way for great things to happen.

On challenging the overtime goal:

I didn’t challenge that, that’s automatic from the NHL in that case just given that in the last minute and overtime, the NHL handles that. We certainly would have if we needed to.

On if he was confident while the play was under review:

I don’t have a lot of experience in this area, but I saw and – we have monitors on the bench, of course, so the players are watching it and the rest of our staff is watching it as are our video guys back in the room. They feel pretty confident; I think Jack Campbell felt pretty confident – he left the net. I think when you look at it, it’s pretty straightforward as it’s going to get for those calls.

On Campbell’s ability to play the puck:

Still trying to get a feel for that in terms of its impact, but I like his confidence to go out and get it. I think it was one of the games – maybe the Anaheim game – where it got away from him a little bit there. He’s got some confidence to go out and move it and that’s a very positive thing for the team to have. I know when we face goalies that can handle the puck well like that out of the net and they’re helping the breakouts and forechecks, it’s challenging.

On the Nylander-Matthews-Marner line combination tonight:

I think it could be very creative, overwhelming in terms of their skill set and also the fact that one of the reasons I became very confident to try is just the way that Auston and Mitch have been playing, skating, tracking, defending and all those types of things. I’m not overly concerned with about anything defensively, it’s just more offensively, making sure that they don’t overdo it or not overcompensate trying to find each other, especially trying to attack the middle. I expect there to be a bit of a feeling out process in that. Also I didn’t think any of the three were at their best today so it’s tough for me to judge that and whether we’ll stick with it or not. As I said, we have been curious about trying something like that, so the timing was right.

JACK CAMPBELL (35 SAVES)

On starting his Maple Leaf career with five of a possible six points:

The boys have played great. I was hoping it would be six out of six, but think we’ll take the five out of six and get ready for a big game against Dallas here at home Thursday. Good battle tonight, it felt like a playoff game out there. Both teams didn’t give each other much, but Kappy made a great play to seal the deal for us and we needed that. He stepped up and made a great play. We’ll take it.

On the video review in overtime:

I usually don’t get too emotional in the game, but the guy bumped me pretty good and the guy shot it five holes so I knew I would have saved that if he didn’t bump me. You never know how it’s going to be called but I tried to state my case a little bit and thankfully it got overturned and we won the game. It was good.

ZACH HYMAN (2 GOALS)

On if he got an explanation on his penalty call late in the third period:

I did get one. I wouldn’t ask for one. He’s doing his job, so it’s okay. We killed it — a big, huge kill and then we got a bounce there. [Campbell] played great, we got the win.

On what made the difference tonight in getting the two points:

I think we battled. Down 2-1 going into the third, we battled back and tie it up and then got a huge goal from Kappy in OT. They’re a good team, they were on a back-to-back, so we knew we had to try to outpace them at the end there and got one back and then one in OT so it’s a huge win for us.

On what has led to his production increase this season:

I’m doing the same thing I’ve been in years past, I think I’m just being more patient and more confident with the puck, I guess. Just going to spots where you can score in front of the net. I think most of my goals are around that area. Just being open and trying to create space for myself and get open and when you get it, put it in.

KASPERI KAPANEN (OVERTIME GOAL)

On what led to his overtime-winning goal:

Well, I think everyone here knows that’s my go-to move. That’s been working for me and I decided to try it and hopefully it’d go in. It did.

On the mood on the bench prior to Arizona’s goal being disallowed in overtime:

We need these points; we need these extra points. Obviously, we didn’t want that goal to go in. We saw that there was a little something going on there. Lucky enough, they called it back and we were able to win. At this point in the season, in the standings, these are big points for us.

JOHN TAVARES (1 ASSIST)

On Arizona’s ability to take away offensive opportunity tonight:

Yeah, they play a well-structured game, I think. That’s the kind of hockey they play and they’re very comfortable in those situations. I think knowing their circumstances as well — playing last night and whatnot — that they’re going to be on the right side of things. Just stuck with it and great job by the PK, [Campbell] coming up big and great to see Kappy get rewarded. I thought he had the puck a lot and skated well. Good to see him get the winner.