“I thought we played really well.” | Ekblad, Samoskevich & Marchand 10.7.25

“I thought we played really well.” | Ekblad, Samoskevich & Marchand 10.7.25

I mean, that’s that’s the main thing. Getting points uh early in the season is going to be extremely important for us and and we know that. So, we came to play. I know a lot of people will wonder what the team will look like without Bark on the Chuck line, but what do you guys miss from those guys on the bench this night? Uh yeah, I mean Bark’s not the most vocal guy in the world. Um but, uh obviously Matthew is. So, I guess you miss a lot of that on the bench. Uh you miss a lot of Bark’s game on the ice. Uh but yeah, proud of the way the guys played tonight. Um got to our game and and found a way to get a win. How sweet was it to see another banner go up there? Ah, that’s awesome. It’s always uh an emotional moment for sure. Um I know that uh everybody who experienced that felt that same emotion. I didn’t get a question, but I was assuming what was it like to get that hoist the last one technically before it starts all over again for you guys? Yeah, I mean that was nice. That’s obviously Barky’s uh Barky’s spot. I was just filling in, but uh it feels incredible coming out in front of our fans, be able to hoist it one more time, but trying to put that uh feeling behind us and and move on to to playing hockey this year. The PK has been this team’s calling card for a couple years now. How nice was it to start with a big net on the PK? Yeah, really nice. Um Bob stood tall. We found a way to make their uh their breakins hard, couple really good block shots. Um some good sticks. So yeah, that’s the foundation of the PK. And at the end there just the defense keeping NER in net for you know eating up those big seconds at the end. How creepy he was that? Yep. Yep. Huge. Um we uh played well played well in front of Bob and and happy to get the swing. Thanks. Thanks guys. Thanks so much. Uh yeah I liked it. I liked our game. I thought our line played pretty well uh consist consistently through the game. I thought we were doing the right things and then I thought got some bounces too and um overall I like it and we’re in a good spot. The thinking on the game just just get it somewhere near the end. Yeah, I saw Bokei on the backside there. We’re just buzzing down the side there, so I thought just get it over to him and obviously not the greatest pass, but uh kudos to him for putting it in. Good on the statue. Yeah, always kind of glowing after his goals. What kind of energy does he bring to the guys out there for you guys? Uh so much energy. Even on bench, too, talking what he sees and what he wants. It’s It’s a lot of easy to play with, you know, so fast, too. You know, during the game, his energy is high. It’s I love playing with him. I mean, he’s great, dude. This is the start of a very long grind for you guys to get back to the playoffs. How nice is it just to get that good feeling back off the bat? Yeah, it feels really good. Uh, feels really good to get in front of the fans again. Uh, I thought the building was buzzing. Um, gave us energy for sure at the start and uh throughout the game. So, you know, feels really good to get two points. And on the fans, just how much were you enjoying the banner raging and just being part of that atmosphere? Yeah, it was great. um to be a part of it. You know, last year was it was different not being a part of it, but this year, you know, it feels, you know, that much better to be be a part of it and, you know, it’s going to be up there forever. So, it feels good. Career gets started for you guys tonight. What can you say about the work that line puts in for you guys? Um it’s unreal. They do uh the simple things really good and that’s why they’re really good night in and night out and um they’re, you know, our rock back there and I feel like we could always trust them. Thanks so much. Uh I you know it it’s a great opportunity uh to enjoy it last one last time and kind of turn the page. Um you know the the second that puck drops it’s a whole new season. Um you know a new opportunity, new challenges and um you know we’ve already had to face some adversity this year and it’s a great opportunity to to come together. Um you know so it’s a pretty special feeling being able to watch it go up and you know knowing that’s going to be up there forever. Um but uh you know the emotion kind of carries over in the game and we started really well and um you know I think you can see the guys are excited. Uh you know obviously not our our best effort for 60 but uh good win for us. Is this going to be the blueprint for this team? Obviously without Chucky for a while that just there’s going to be just have to grind one out. Yeah I think that’s our it’s kind of the motto even with them in the in the lineup. Um you know you look at the way that we played to finish the season and and throughout playoffs. uh you know that was our game. We we just kind of grinded it out and and competed and with our depth uh you know it’s a recipe uh for success. So um you know obviously those are some big holes to fill and knows being out hurts as well and um but it’s just a new opportunity for guys and and uh you know next that next man up um you know kind of mindset. So yeah, it’s just a great opportunity and and uh we’re going to we’re going to have to grind it out. We’re going to get everybody’s best every night. We know that, you know, they’re going to come in and compete at the highest level. Um, no game is going to be easy, so we just have to prepare for that. With how long the season is, how important is it to get that winning feeling back early like tonight? Uh, yeah, it’s long. It’s not going to be as long as the season’s moving forward. Um, but uh, you got that, eh? 84 games. Um, but uh, yeah, no, it it’s a great way to start. You know, you want to start with a win. It just feels good. um you know, even if it’s not the best, you’re not going to be perfect out of the game, especially how uh not many guys got too many preseason games. So, you’re kind of getting the cobwebs out and even the preseason games we played, I don’t think you could say there were actually games. Um so, yeah, it’s just it’s great even with with, you know, the lack of time we’ve played um so far to to have a good win. On that, how was it stating tonight on the line? You haven’t had a lot of time with Benny and Side, but you know, how did you guys go out there? I thought we played really well. Um, you know, we could have had 10 goals tonight. Uh, we had some really good opportunities. There’s definitely some areas I think we can be a little bit better, but considering we I think we skated together for one practice um yesterday and and uh you know, so considering that, I mean, I like our game. You talked about the depth of Mackey getting two assists, Greer and and Bo about scoring. Just to see contributions from some of the guys who you guys know are going to need see them step up in game one. Well, yeah. That that’s why our team is so good. We rely on everybody and and uh um you know, Mackey has looked unbelievable from the second he came into camp. Um Boi, same thing. You know, they’re they’re counting on the new consm uh winner. Uh he took it from Benny. He’s uh been looking so good. So, um yeah, it it it’s great to see that uh we continue to um you know, rely on our depth uh throughout the the entire game and and uh that’s how I mean that’s how every good team has success. You know, you you can rely on a couple guys for a little bit and and for periods of the year, but to have success all the way through the year in playoffs, you need everyone. And um it’s great that we still have that. We didn’t catch you last night. What you think of the newest piece of jewelry in your collection? It’s bigger than my hand. Uh, you know, it looks great. Um, it’s a tough time to have little fingers with a ring like that. But, uh, no, I mean, it it’s it’s incredible. Um, the Viola family did an unbelievable job at uh, putting that together and and such an incredible keepsake. Um, you know, we’ll have for the rest of our lives and and, uh, you know, be able to pass down to our kids. But, um, yeah, it’s uh, it’s it’s unbelievable. It’s just it’s it’s kind of crazy that every year you can continue to top these things. Um but uh they they definitely uh they put their heart and soul into it and you can see it. I know you’ve talked about it in the past, but just you know hearing the crowd’s reception when you get introduced and everything tonight. Just how did you feel about that? Yeah, I felt great. um you know it been it was a whirlwind coming down here last year and and uh you know I really appreciate the way that the fans have embraced me and uh kind of brought me in and and uh have supported me throughout the the time here. Um you know it’s great to come back and feel that again. Uh, you know, I think we’re I’m I’m just as excited as they are that it it’s worked out the way it has from uh the moment I’ve gotten here until now and, you know, the next six years and maybe another six years after that. Um, so yeah, no, I I I appreciate that and and I love it and um, you know, that goes both ways. Celebrate with a little green tonight. Yeah. I mean, I had some this morning, so I don’t know if I can have two in one day. Fans also made sure they reminded you what they wanted, but won three. How did that make you feel? Yeah. Um it it it’s great to see uh you know, their expectations are there. You know, we uh we obviously have the same ones, but you know, this is going to be harder than than the last two um this season. There there’s going to be a lot of different adversity that we’re going to have to go through. We’re going to um you know, have to completely change your mindset again and start from ground zero. Um you know, and like I said earlier, we’re going to get everybody’s best. you’re not going to get any easy games, which is good for us, you know, throughout the year. It’ll make us better come playoff time. Um, but there’s a long there’s a long road to get there and and uh, you know, we can’t look ahead and start thinking about three. Like, it it’s not about that, you know, it’s about um, you know, building what we have to to make sure that every time we step on the ice that we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win and and then uh, you know, hopefully get the balances within that. But um yeah, what I love about this group is just a hard work mentality and and and they want to grind and and that’s what everybody wants from from the top to the bottom. So um you know that that’s just going to make us a hard team to play and um you know hope hopefully everything lines up but like I said it’s a long road ahead here. Thanks Brad. Thanks. Thanks everyone.

0:00 – Aaron Ekblad
1:27 – Mackie Samoskevich
3:05 – Brad Marchand

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