HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE
On Kapanen providing a spark in the first period:
I thought – despite the score, we didn’t hate our start. I thought we had good legs, we had the puck a fair bit, we had some stuff happening in their end. They got the lead on us, obviously, but I just liked how our team wasn’t fazed by it, we were just talking on the bench that there was a lot of game left and we’ve got to stay with it. We were confident we’d get our chances throughout the game and we did. It started with the power play goal – I don’t think it registered as a power play goal, but it is in my eyes and Kappy finished it. I’m starting to lose track of how many games in a row now for Kappy, but he’s playing at a different level for us right now. It’s making a difference.
On tonight’s performance as the type of team defence he wants to see:
I thought so, especially once we settled into the game. In the early going, especially with the seventh defenceman, we were trying to find the right mix and what the mix is going to be and how it’s going to flow. I think when you go with the seven defence like that you just sort of let it evolve. You can’t make too much of a plan, you’ve just got to kind of see. I think it took a little bit of time for that to settle and that helped our team once we did settle it down. The big thing I’ll take away from the game, of course, is just how we didn’t fold. The last time we came in here the game got away on us and today we didn’t let it happen.
On if Kapanen’s recent play is related to being disciplined by the team earlier in the season:
No, I don’t. I think it’s more in response to him recognizing what’s happening in the season and how important it is and how important the games are. He, like a lot of the guys on our team, haven’t been happy with their play or our play as a team. We’ve asked everybody just to give us a little bit more. He’s given us lots.
On the play of Holl and Dermott:
They did an excellent job. Today, they’re matched up against the Barkov line and, I mean, it’s the entire group doing a job against them, but I think that line ends up off the scoresheet and is minus-2 on the night. That was our greatest challenge going into the game, is how we were going to manage players of that level with the defencemen that we were missing, and those guys did an excellent job. Our whole team did. The Matthews line did too good of a job against them from their perspective, so they had to change the matchup and they got away from it and they mixed it up and got Matthews away from them. The other guys we had playing against them, whoever it was, just went out and did the job. Collectively we played well against those guys, I thought. Dermott and Holl dug in. Certainly Tyson Barrie battled hard and did a lot of good things for us today. He’s been doing what we needed him to do.
On if Holl’s empty net goal is a ‘feel-good moment’:
Yeah, it is. For sure. You’re just happy it gets out, first of all. You get a little bit of breathing room. You don’t really think – just the way it leaves his stick – that it’s going to go in and then you see it curve. It’s funny, those empty nets goals work in funny ways. You can get rewarded and I think sometimes the luck just seems to go for you. Deserved for [Holl].
FREDERIK ANDERSEN (23 SAVES)
On what the turning point of tonight’s game was:
I think [Kapanen] had a nice fight and we really responded to that first period. I think the guys came out and played really hard for me. Got that deficit back and huge credit to them. They played a great game.
On the play of the defence:
I think especially in the second and third period they were unbelievable. Even in the first as well, they didn’t really panic or anything once they got their lead and we just kind of kept going. Huge credit to the guys for evening it up that quick.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On tonight’s come-from-behind win:
I think we just tried to stay resilient. Obviously, you get down early in the first, I think you just try to keep your composure and go out there and take it one shift at a time and just claw our way back. Obviously, it came down to the wire.
On what led to his line playing well:
I think we were just taking care of the puck. We were forechecking a little harder. They hold the line well so you’ve kind of got to put the puck in behind them and try and go get it so I thought we did a pretty good job with that. We didn’t force too many pucks. We just worked hard out there and created chances and obviously we were able to capitalize on a couple.
WILLIAM NYLANDER (1 GOAL)
On what led to the Maple Leafs taking over the game in the second period:
I think we got them, they had the far change there, and we were able to – once they got it out – just go right back in the O-zone and spend some heavy shifts in the O-zone, which was good.
On Kapanen’s fight:
When you see that it obviously fires you up and gets you going. It’s great. He’s been able to add a little bit extra to the team, which is great.
On how important it was to spend time in Florida’s end to take pressure of the Maple Leafs defence:
I think our D have been playing great, but obviously it’s great to spend time in the O-zone. I think that’s where we kept their best players out of our D-zone, which helped us a lot.
The view from left field 