WARM WELCOME HOME! Blue Jackets Get Revenge Over the Oilers with a 5-4 Win | Postgame Media

WARM WELCOME HOME! Blue Jackets Get Revenge Over the Oilers with a 5-4 Win | Postgame Media

Adam, how good did it feel to close this game out? It’s good to close any game out, but with the memories of Edmonton fresh in your head from just a few days ago. Yeah, uh it felt great. Obviously, we uh kind of did the exact same thing. We didn’t change the way we were playing and um this time like puck didn’t go off our stick and go in the back of our net. So, um we did a great job closing it out. Those guys did a great job. They’re on the ice for a while there. So kudos to them for keeping their wind and uh continuing to fight it there. Is it almost fitting for it to end like this so so soon after what happened and have it almost be an identical finish? I don’t know. They’re a good hockey team. You know they’re going to score. You know, they’re never really out of it. They got a lot of fire power over there. So, um just got to continue to play our game. I thought we did that and um with the dangerous players they have, I think we did a good job uh shutting them down in the last little bit there. You guys probably won’t say it, but it’s been a nasty schedule here. Three games in four days. How big is it? How much does it change the mood to have gotten a win in Seattle, much needed, and to come home, not easy game to play tonight, but get a win here as well? Any any game is a big one for us right now. Um we uh we know these points are going to make a difference at the end of the year. Um they did for us last year. So um just anytime we can get a point, a win, it’s it’s huge for us. You personally have uh goals in three straight games. I know the win is most important, but just uh are you starting to kind of feel it and feel, you know, like you were maybe at the end of last year a little bit. Yeah, feeling good. Um I think it’s coming with a lot of team success, which is great. Um but, uh I think I’ve been playing good this whole time. I think points are just starting to fall right now. I don’t think I’m changing much out there. So, speaking of the game, is this something with with Edmonton? It’s really tough to keep up with them. Did that first game really prepare you for what you can expect and did that help you tonight? Yeah, obviously they’re like I said, they’re a really really skilled team. They’re fast. Um, but I thought we did a great job getting on the for check, kind of forcing some turnovers there. Um, continue to play in their in their Dzone or in the Ozone, I guess, just like last time. And I think that made the difference. The more time you spend there, it’s the best kind of defense, I feel like. So, it’s good. I know you guys don’t really probably think of it this way, but um, the way the last game ended, um, with that, like you said, bad luck uh, off the stick. Olivier gets two goals tonight. Uh Greavves is making saves left and right down the Is it to you know add a little extra just to kind of see guys like that you know kind of not revenge but you know kind of avenge what happened a little bit. Great to see. I mean yeah I’m sure Oie didn’t feel great after that one went off his off his stick and then obviously you know he’s not meaning to do it but um the the hockey gods I guess got him back tonight. That’s it’s perfect. Ollie, congrats. How good did this one feel after what occurred three nights earlier against the same team? Yeah. Uh feels like uh we control most of the play, but they’re uh extremely dangerous. Obviously, high uh some of the best players in the world over there. So, um you know, it’s not an easy task to shut them down, but we found a way and that’s all that matters in the end. Can I ask about you personally? I’m sure you were not pleased. It’s a bad luck bounce, but the puck coming in off your stick out there and then to have two goals in this game, an assist play. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that’s uh the bounce in Edmonton is I mean, I could have tried that 10,000 times. Never would have went in, especially not in the spot it did. So, uh you know, it’s just one of those things. What are you going to do? We uh I tried to do the right play and it went in. But obviously tonight, it’s fun to get rewarded and um help the team get two points. Did it feel like deja vu tonight? A little bit. Not I mean, in a good way. you guys end up finishing it off, but were there points where you’re like this again? Well, I think I think our mindset was just that we’re like we’re just never safe. So, we have to keep going. We have to keep pressuring and obviously um like I said, they’re the best of the best uh players over there. So, they’re uh they’re going to put some heat on you. So, uh I’m glad we found a way to get it done tonight. How much confidence does that give you knowing that you put your line out against McDavid quite a bit of the night there to be able to, you know, obviously score, but to be able to keep up with him and just moving forward the confidence that gives you? Yeah, I think and you need to have that kind of line on on any winning team. Um, kind of a shutdown line that can go up against their top units and uh liberate uh some work for the other lines on our team. And uh obviously I look at Silly Coiler and myself, I think we’re three guys that take pride in doing that job. And um you know, even on some nights we might not get all the offense that we want, but if we uh we stay uh you know, steady on D and do our job, then that’s mission accomplished for us. So, um I think we take pride in that. How much pride does it give you to be able to have to be able to win on hockey fights cancer night? Yeah, obviously it’s a special night. I think most most people have been affected by cancer either directly or indirectly um you know just spending some time uh some time as well with the kids um that we had earlier uh in the month and uh you know the whole happening around it it’s um it’s always good to give back and and raise awareness and um you know like I said it’s a special night for everyone so yeah it’s really nice you guys as a line had already had a really big night here you know this season. You have another one tonight. I mean, is it feel like the chemistry is just keeps building, you know, per game for you guys? Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, I think the one thing that I really appreciate about our group right now is as a whole, not just our line, is our communication and the way we talk and um, you know, I think we’re doing a better job at staying positive this year as well. you know, trying to uh say the real things, but in in a positive manner and um you know, it’s paying off because the I feel like the detail in the games um you know, when we’re when we’re up or we’re down, stuff that we really have to harp on most of the time, we’re doing a better job at it. So again, um our group is maturing and um you know, it everyone has to lead in that department. Should we have known it was your night when it was your bubblehead? Yeah, I don’t know. Uh I think the concept kind of explains itself, right? The bobblehead doesn’t even have a stick, so it’s nice to actually contribute and show something else tonight. But, uh, yeah, it was a it was a special one. Did you like the Do you think the characteristics were good? Yeah, I thought they did a great job. Uh, fists were massive. Uh, like I said, no gloves or sticks, though. So, uh, I’m a hockey player that fights on the ice, not a fighter that plays hockey. So, but, uh, obviously the hockey fights cancer is a concept. You can’t go can’t go around it. So it was cool. Were you having your mind go back to the game just three nights ago when they go from 52 to 54? We zero a little here we go again. Let’s turn this thing around this time. I try not to like we all know what has happened recently and but I I think when you start to let those thoughts creep in like you’re you’re going to end up in in that whatever you’re thinking about, right? So, uh, it just it’s up to us to say, “Hey, let’s like let’s learn from it. Let’s turn over. Let’s let’s get the job done this time.” So, I think we’re a little more in tune to what we’re doing. I mean, yeah, it came down to the final, whatever out there, but they’re a good team. They got good players. Um, they’ve been around finals the last however many years. So, you know, it’s not going to be easy or they’re not going to just lie down and give up. But um it’s a solid two point points no matter however we get it. Uh but yeah, we you just you don’t you don’t let that those thoughts creep in because you got to go forward. Is that what the conversation was with the minute and a half and they take the time out like get this done this time? Yeah. Like I I don’t even think you don’t even like address it, you know, because then it’s in your in your head, right? It’s like, hey, let’s just focus on what we got to focus on and do those little things and the details and whatever time it is, whatever the game calls for. What’s our next best step here? All right, let’s get that done. When it’s over, uh, and you win this time, I mean, is that what’s that feeling like of, you know, you go through just the worst four days ago and now you get it done, so you at least got a chance to kind of set things right. Yeah, it’s hockey. You can’t No team has won every game, right? I don’t think so. No. So, that’s how that’s how Right. I don’t know. I got I got to check. But, um, but that’s that’s how it goes. You got to learn from it, right? Like those stuff can happen. those bad bounces or bad breaks that end up at the back of your net and whatever time of the game. All right, what do you do about it? You know, like we’re playing them in a couple days. All right, let’s let’s correct it. And and we did. We talked about hockey gods a lot, puck luck and all that stuff. And you know, couple nights or four nights ago, Olivier didn’t have that. And tonight, he’s scoring goals, Jets making saves. Is it cool to see, you know, some of the guys, you know, have it have it go right this time for? Yeah, but I I I think again it’s the same thing like with hockey, like you’re never going to get all the bounces. No one’s going to get all the bounces, but I think the players and teams who do are just they believe that um they are going to get the bounces and when you do that, you work harder, you do the right things, and then you enable yourself and your teammates to get those bounces. So, does it happen all the time like that? No. But I think most of the times when you believe that and you work do those little details, you will get lucky and get bounces. You’ve done a lot of travel play a lot of games in your careers. Are you guys know where you are right now like time zone wise and tire wise? Are the legs heavy? Like what what’s the collective of the room right now? Um I mean we just we just got two points and played a pretty pretty solid game. There’s things we can work on like every other game. Um personally that’s the best I felt legwise in a while. So whatever that’s worth. Um, but it has been a lot. It has been a lot, but you just got to do the right things and do the best you can to to get ready for whatever the day calls for, whether it’s a practice and you want to get better or if it’s a game. And I think a lot of guys looked and felt good today. Um, no matter if you woke up this morning and didn’t feel that way or what, but come game time, you’re not thinking about anything else except doing the job and doing it well. Are you the kind of guy who like when the schedule comes out and you know what team you’re on at that point? Um you look at it and go, “Oh, this could be a tough stretch or that one could be a stretch.” But do you truly know it until you go through it? You know, I don’t I don’t know the schedule. Everyone like my whole family and friends know my schedule way better than I do. They’re like, “Hey, we’re coming to this game or coming on this date.” I go, “What’s the like who we playing? Where are we?” You know, I have no clue. I just Yeah. You look ahead. Sorry. You look ahead a little bit and see what is going on. But for the most part, like kind of taking it day by day. You get a gist of it, but like you’re just focusing because that’s when you get overwhelmed with stuff and oh my we got, you know, however many games and however many nights now where it’s good to know, but like all right, just deal with it. The whole league is going through it, especially with the Olympic break. So take it one day at a time and whatever the day calls for, get the job done. Dean, how good did it feel to close? I mean, any game out is great, but to do it against a team that you had trouble doing it with just a few days ago, we almost let it go, right? Um, but I mean, we’ve we talked about it when we were there. I mean, obviously it’s pretty special players, you know. Um, and we tried to do everything we could obviously to take those opportunities away where they score. And um you know fortunately Dryside fanned on that one or else it maybe could have been a different story but um yeah they you know they’re on the ice all the time and it’s uh they’re very special players so yeah I mean to win’s a win right um and um we’ll take it. I’m sure Olivier was bummed about not just the result but how it happened out there. He has a big night tonight, but you also put him back out there in a situation to close it out. How important was that to you? Both of those things. You were talking a goal like because of the goal in Edmonton. It goes off his stick. Yeah, he’s trying. We to to to that point, you know, they’re going to dry cidle right on that side and he does the exact right thing. Gets stick on puck, has it in the lane. Um that puck’s not getting over to him and it just I know just a really freaky goal where it hits the crossbar. So, um yeah, no, we trust uh we trust him. That line clearly had a good night um offensively, but they did a lot of good things even though, you know, their big guys had a you know, they’re going to get their their points and their goals, but for the most part that uh the coil line with him and Oie and Silly did a real good job as well as Z and Prov obviously. Just further to that, you had them out there against McDavid a lot. just how much are you able to just trust them in key situations offensively, defensively, no matter what situation the game is in. Yeah. Yeah. They they do the right things and you know, I think you guys have seen like we’ve flipped the lines a little bit here and there, you know, and but that line’s been pretty consistent here for a while. Um, so yeah, we we do trust them defensively, but um, as they showed tonight, they were able to to produce offensively as well. And I think that’s a not necessarily checking line, but you know, the role of of a a line that’s going to play against the top guys will usually get some opportunities because top offensive guys are usually pushing for offense. So, um, they took advantage of a few situations tonight. How have you liked Adam Fantelli’s game since moving up with Veronov and Marenko? I don’t think it’s necessarily because he, you know, got put on that line. I think, you know, we talk about reward all the time and he was doing the right thing, um, as far as his work ethic, as far as his attention to detail. Um, that’s what we’ve asked him to do. We’ve, you know, we brought him in several times and have talked to him about, we’re not asking you to score goals. We’re asking you to do all the right things to help your team win. And, you know, if if you do score, obviously it’s going to help us, but we need you to play that that, you know, game, that sound defensive game as well as score goals. And he’s he’s done that. And, um, you know, they’ve they’ve had some nice chemistry that that group again.

Adam Fantilli, Mathieu Olivier, Charlie Coyle and Head Coach Dean Evason speak with the media after tonight’s 5-4 win over the Oilers!

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