MEDIA: Brian Dumoulin, Alex Turcotte, and Jim Hiller | 11.28.25 @ Anaheim Ducks

MEDIA: Brian Dumoulin, Alex Turcotte, and Jim Hiller | 11.28.25 @ Anaheim Ducks

What felt like a game of two teams that play very differently kind of trying to impose their style. How did you see that battle unfold throughout the 65? Yeah, I mean I thought at both times I mean both teams had the momentum. Um a lot of swings there obviously in that game. Um I mean it was a fun game to play in. It was intense. The crowd was good. I mean it was it’s definitely a fun atmosphere and um it’s good to see obviously we’re two really competitive teams and um yeah it was really fun to play in. both goals that you were on the ice for and Eddie’s goal both came, you know, shots from the top, bodies, pucks to the net. Is that becoming just an effective way for you guys to maybe try to get out of this offensive slump? Yeah, I mean, you can simplify it, too. Um, but I mean, I thought we did a good job of creating some chances and trying to stay patient. I mean, they’re type of team that likes to transition fast and try to create stuff off the rush. So, um, I thought we did a good job of, uh, heming them, especially sometimes creating some turnovers, creating some foot races. But um yeah, I think it was obviously could have for us to to score some goals, but obviously uh had defend a little bit harder. What was something you guys did different in the third to kind of break past the two- two tie at first? Um I thought especially there in the second period for a little bit. they did a better job of uh of changing us where I mean they were kind of playing two-thirds of the ice and kept us on the ice a long on time and we started to do that to them a little bit where we had fresh guys on and started rolling them over a little bit and um I thought that really helped us especially early in the third. You’ve been on both sides of the freeway face off now. How much has this Ducks team evolved but also how have the Kings been kind of trying to push their own identity and agenda too? I mean, yeah, you can see uh the the style of playing obviously um some of the freedom that especially their young guys with a lot of skill have and um they’re I mean tremendous players. I I saw a lot of them last year obviously and know they can make plays and it doesn’t take a lot of uh time or space for them to make plays and find each other and um they have a lot of confidence right now obviously and um they’re winning games so um that that creates it. So obviously they’re they’re up and coming and a lot of creativity trying to make plays and obviously thought we did a good job of uh of defending them off the rush and uh transitioning off for that. When you hear so much fan activity out in the stands does that help keep you in the game? Yeah, without a doubt. I mean it was it was fun. I mean I thought obviously there were a lot of LA fans that were here too, but a lot of Ducks fans too and um just created a fun environment for us to play tonight. But how much better is this rivalry and this environment when both teams are good? Yeah, I mean I think it’s huge. Obviously last year um it’s the only time I really experienced it obviously being on the other side and um I mean obviously we weren’t necessarily in a playoff spot but we were coming and um I could see kind of the the passion of both fan bases and what it meant to them kind of like obviously it depend how your season going but if you beat the Kings it was a good season for them at that point. So, um, yeah, it’s good to good to be on the side of it and, uh, I mean, it’s it’s fun to play in. And now looking from the other side, how much of a difference has Quenville made with them? Yeah, it’s tough to say. I mean, I’m not in that locker room, so I don’t really know like kind of like what he’s implemented, what what he’s come, but I know obviously they’re younger guys have keep taken steps forward and um, have been really good this season. And obviously he’s kind of given them that freedom and and um let them play but also harness them and try to obviously Crow did a good job of teaching them the defensive side of the puck and how hard you have to play night in night out to win this league and you can see uh they have a lot more offensive freedom and um they’re trying to take advantage of it especially off the rush. You guys have had several multi-goal comebacks this year in the third. Today kind of goes the other way. Do leads feel maybe less safe this year around the league than you’ve seen in years past? Um it’s tough. It’s it’s really tough because I mean sometimes you get like a big save, sometimes they get a fluky goal, sometimes you never really know obviously, but it’s always good to have a lead obviously. I think the Kings and especially this year we’ve done a good job of like holding those leads and playing a lot of tight games. So obviously it’s good to experience. Um yeah, obviously the Ducks, they kept coming and they capitalized on the opportunity that they got. Freeway faceoff. You’ve played in these before, but coming off of a game where you had to observe, had a good practice, and slot in, get a goal, what did this game mean to you personally? Yeah. Um, obviously I was really excited to get back in the lineup. Um, and then to play against this team. They’re they’ve come a long way since the last couple years and they’re um got a lot of really good players, so it was easy to get up for it. But yeah, I think it was just another opportunity to try and prove myself and um kind of take a deep breath those last couple days and kind of reset and just get after it. You’re on the ice, 60 seconds left, you’re on the ice in overtime. How much confidence does that give you to kind of have the trust in those situations? Yeah, I mean I felt uh really good the whole game and um you know just to be out there and kind of get in a rhythm felt great and I got more confidence each shift and obviously scoring was a huge weight off my back. So yeah, I thought a lot opened up. Um getting out there in overtime wasn’t my prettiest shift, but uh I think um no, that’s good signs and I think I can, you know, still do a lot more and just keep building off that. There haven’t been a lot of benchmark games, per se, this season, but given where the two teams are in the standings. This was a benchmark game. How much was that the talk coming into today rather than just trying to get two points? Yeah, I mean, we know the standings are tight. Um it’s a rivalry game. Uh yeah, it’s just super tight. I don’t know what else to say. um they’re a really good team now and um we know they play a really great offensive game and they got a lot of talent and we had to be ready for it and obviously we we had them there and uh they pushed back and you know got the best of us but um I thought uh you know we should have won that game and we let it slip. Jim was saying before the game that he thinks your your best uh performances this season have come when you’ve played with Malot. What is it about that line, that combination that you think gives you a little bit of an extra boost? Yeah, I think um he plays the game the right way. He’s really physical um north south guy, so he’s easy to read off of. And um I don’t know, I think he’s he’s kind of a a younger player, per se, in the league. So, I don’t know, we’re we’re good buddies off the ice and that helps for sure, too. And um you know, we want to play the right way and we want to help the team win and you know, he’s a hard worker and yeah, we just try to do the best we can. You guys have had several of these multi-goal comebacks in your favor as well this year. Do leads feel maybe less safe or harder to protect than they’ve been in the past? Um I don’t know. I think uh it’s they’re just a really really skilled team like I said and um they’re making plays all over the ice and sometimes maybe you feel like you got to play a little too safe or you’re thinking too much about it and that’s kind of when they tap you. So, um, felt maybe we kind of sat back a little bit, um, and, you know, those guys, uh, took advantage of it. Officially first Freeway faceoff of the season in the books. You walk away with a point, but just overall, what did you think of your team’s play? I thought it was a really good game. You know, uh, exciting for the fans, I think, for both teams. You know, we we made probably a couple two or three mistakes, uh, back half of the third period. Prior to that, I thought we were pretty clean in the third. Um, so it’s disappointing. They they finished and uh we had our chances too and we couldn’t finish. You talked pregame about the two contrasting styles between the two teams. How’d you kind of see that battle on the ice play out between two teams trying to impose their game? Well, I we wanted to play our game. I thought we played our game. So, so um we wanted to, you know, make sure that we weren’t giving up a lot of odd mans, that sort of thing. Letting them race through the neutral zone. I thought we did a pretty good job of that. I liked our game overall. Like I said, their goalie made a few big saves there at the end and we made a couple mistakes uh that we’d like back. They finished. Is it just a mistake see cost you this game? Well, I mean mistakes are part of every game. They made a lot of mistakes, too. You know what I mean? They were just able to capitalize there on on our last two or three of of the game. Yesterday, you shared some praise about the way Alex Turkott responded after being scratched, showing up in practice. How did you feel he showed up in today’s game? Oh, it was great. I mean, what a what a response. You know, that’s exactly what you want to see. It was frustrating for him, but he reset himself. You know, he’s come a long way. Turk’s really matured and uh he’s earned his everything he’s got. You know, he didn’t get it handed to him. And so, to come back like he did tonight, gets his first goal, and was just really good all over the ice, you know, that’s what you’d love to see. Kuzzi laugh switch. Was that something that you had in your back pocket coming in or you you like something early in the game? Uh, no. We we we had talked about it just seeing what they were going to do, who who they were going to try and match up a little bit. They have last change so we could kind of figure out what they wanted to do. Um so yeah, it was just kind of a game time adjustment. How much division lead an issue at this time in the season or is it too soon? Well, I mean I think all the teams are pretty close in the league. So you’re seeing, you know, games that are I think we’ve got record overtime games. So games are one goal. Um, I just think it’s a product of of everybody being pretty tight and so everybody feeling like they got a chance to win whether they’re down by one or two. Um, it’s good hockey out there for for this time of the season. It’s it’s pretty good hockey. Seen your share of these multi-goal comebacks in your favor earlier in the year. Does it feel like leads are I don’t know if it’s harder to protect or less safe than they’ve been in the past this year? No, I mean I think it leads into this question. I think you know everybody feels like they have a good team and they have a chance to win. You know, maybe there might historically there might have been some teams that were a little bit weaker and you get a league, you can kind of kind of u you know, hold it probably a little bit easier. This year, every team’s got some pretty dangerous players and so they feel like, hey, we’re still in this and and you get a good push from the other team. How much improved is Anaheim compared to what you’ve seen the last couple years? Well, I mean, you could start to see it. I think they made a pretty good improvement last year and then, you know, you add and then the players are a year older, you know, got a lot of young players. So, um, you know, they’re getting better. There’s no question. Thanks, Jim.

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