Mikko Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston, Jason Robertson & Glen Gulutzan Recap Stars ELITE Run vs. Ottawa

[Applause] Seems like you guys are playing very well right now. Is it you just get into a flow where it feels natural? >> Yeah, I think team is playing really well. Um, tonight was probably cleanest 60 we’ve had in a long time. You know, obviously they they did a good job first 40 minutes to kind of keep try to make us frustrated, but uh we didn’t fell on the trap, you know, we just kept going and penalty kill was great. Power play got us a couple goals, so really happy with the performance again. >> How important is it when you hold a team under 20 shots, right? I mean, both sides, it was a a low shot event game, but then you guys also take advantage when you get the opportunity. It’s important, you know, um try to help our goalies as much as we can, you know, uh so they can see pucks and not give too many easy ones, you know, um maybe we gave one easy one today was the goal against, you know, and and uh there’s really good players in the league, so if they get into good spots, they’re eventually going to find the net. So, but Casey played really well and yeah, we got to just keep doing that, keep uh defending well. >> It was a pretty pretty quiet first 20 minutes. Not a lot going on. How do you guys keep mentally engaged in a game like that and being patient knowing your times are going to come? >> Yeah, we talk about a lot about being patient. You know, teams are there’s good teams in the league, good players, you know, it’s it’s not always going to be playing in the ozone for for a full period. You know, sometimes you got to defend, sometimes you got to lay pucks in and for check and and uh I think we’ve been really patient. You know, I think that’s a really important thing. you know, being patient, not get frustrated, and and eventually it’s going to turn our way if we keep going. >> The last time you faced this team in Ottawa, the first half of the game, I know their for check was a little bit tougher. What adjustments were you able to make to have a better start this time? >> Yeah, I think we had our legs. I think, you know, we had day and a half almost, you know, off and the guys were ready to skate. Um maybe in Ottawa, we didn’t have our legs like this. So, uh helps when you play home, you know, it’s easier to play at home. Um, but yeah, just a really, really good start even though it was a kind of low event, but we’ll take it. >> Uh, we’re still learning about your game. Seems like you really enjoy passing. It’s something you look at and I mean, we’re all going to look at you and say, “Oh, this goal, that goal.” But like you really love passing, it seems like. >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh, yeah. I always try to think like just make the play that’s there, you know? If uh that’s why I never really think about like shots on goal or something like that because I always try to just make a play that’s there, you know, if make the right play. That’s the mentality. And sometimes it’s passing, sometimes it’s shooting and and uh just try to read the game as best as I can. >> How are you starting to get chemistry with your linemates? Where do you know where they are now without really looking? You feel where they are? >> Yeah. Yeah. I think obviously Johnny and and uh Benny, you know, they’re two really smart players. you know, they been around for a while now and and they both can score, but they can also make plays. So, I got to be ready when they have the puck. So, so, but yeah, as more more minutes we get, we’re going to find each other even better. >> Johnny leads the league now with 12 power play goals. The next highest guy has seven. What is it like to watch him night in night out on that main advantage? >> Yeah, he it’s fun to be there with him, you know. He he helps us a lot. He’s a he’s been a finisher this year, which we’ll take it. you know, he he’s he doesn’t need many chances on the power play to score. And again today, I think he had two chances, two two goals. So, um yeah, he’s very good tight in tight areas, you know, soft hands and he can shoot the puck. So, really important in our power play. >> Do you guys feel it as a team? I mean, like when you’re out there, I know this was a little bit slower starting, but when you started to feel it as a team, it seems like everybody started to feel it. >> Yeah, I think uh from each, you know, each line, each deep pairing, I think once you get on a roll here, sticking with it. I mean, I think when you’re not giving up much defensively, you kind of just, you know, you transition, you feel good, you feel better about your game, and >> yeah, it was a good recipe. >> And then what about the power play? It just seems like that you’re snapping it around as a group. >> Yeah, I mean um it’s been like that for quite a bit right now. Um especially at home. Um it’s definitely an advantage for us to have that kind of killer killer kill shot in the game when we ever get a chance like that. Um yeah, I’m just being creative, trying to find new ways. Um you know, not all the goals are are similar. You know, eventually someone gets it in the in the prime spot, but doesn’t matter really how it gets there. So, um playing off each other and yeah, it’s huge. >> The first was pretty uneventful on both sides of of the puck. Um how do you guys kind of keep yourselves mentally engaged and patient for those looks to come? >> Yeah. Well, I think when you can give up or you don’t give up much either, like I said, you kind of feel good about something in your game. Um, and just chipping away at it. I mean, it was 5:00 start. I mean, no morning skate. I mean, you come right into it on a Sunday. Um, a little loopy, but you know, we dug down and got the first one and then uh kind of went from there. >> Was that kind of a focus for you guys, especially starting out, you know, even if you weren’t necessarily scoring, not giving up much, especially given how the game in Ottawa started last night? Yeah. Well, we knew that was going to be a tough match. Um, we knew going into Ottawa, it was one of the harder, you know, periods that we we we had um that we were able to survive. Um, tonight I think we kind of match that intensity. Um, but we knew they were on a long road trip. Um, try to get after him and um glad we got it going in the second. >> We’re still learning about Mo. It seems like he really enjoys being a good passer. be like uh why it’s a deceptive like he really wants to pull them out. Is that interesting to watch his development or at least in this team and then two to be ready for the passes when they’re coming. >> Yeah, I mean I think we knew that when we, you know, got him. Um you have to respect him whenever the puck’s on the stick. We’ve seen that. I’ve seen it for years. Um and uh it’s glad I’m glad we have him on our team now. I mean it’s uh another dynamic added to our lineup. >> What’s the feeling out there with the power play right now? Just seems like whatever you guys do, it ends up in the net. >> Yeah. Um, yeah, it feels good obviously. Um, you know, we’ve done a great job this year and it’s it’s come up huge in a lot of games and um, you know, be be a big piece um, going along the way. >> We talked about confidence a lot. Looks like you guys are snapping it around quickly, too. Seems like the confidence is actually leading to even more confidence. >> Yeah. Um, yeah. Yeah, I mean I think that’s the way it, you know, the way it goes in this league. Um, especially with the power play, I feel like when you’re feeling it, you know, you you feel it and then you start to, you know, things start to just start flowing and, you know, different things open up and, um, >> yeah, I mean, confidence is, you know, big hell of a drug and, um, you know, it it definitely is, you know, been fueling us for a bit now. >> Both of your power play goals came from right in that high danger slot area. What’s the key to getting interior for you and on that main advantage? >> Um, I think just going there really. Um, I mean, you see a lot of, you know, a lot of my goals, a lot of just goals around the league are scored around the net and so you need to get there to, you know, have those have those opportunities and, um, I think that goes along with just how great the players we have out there are and, you know, they can make plays like on that last goal there. just an awesome play by rope and um it’s just for me just getting there and just be ready to ready to shoot it whenever um we have it just cuz I know the guys can can find me pretty easily. >> A little bit of a tighter uh first period before all the scoring happened. Was that part of the game plan especially after kind of their forch got going early the last game in Ottawa? >> Yeah, I think I mean we knew what we were um getting into. Obviously they’re they’re a great team. They you know they work really hard. they, you know, play with a lot of juice and they, you know, they like to get on the fore as as you mentioned in that, you know, especially in that previous game we played them. Um, I mean, we knew that they’re going to, you know, come out like that. And so for us, it’s just kind of battling that and, um, you know, pushing back and, um, obviously sometimes it takes longer to get into games and get into your groove, but, um, I feel like with the team we have, we’re able to do that kind of no matter who we’re who we’re playing, just just sticking with it and that’s what things, you know, start to open up. Um, Miko assisted two of your goals tonight. How have you seen your chemistry develop with him over the season? >> Um, I think it’s been good. I mean, he’s just he’s an awesome player. He he sees the ice so well. Um, I mean, you see on Benner’s goal there, too. Just a just an awesome play by him. Not you know, not many guys can see plays that he sees. So, um, it’s, you know, it’s a lot of fun to play with him. And, um, you know, kind of like the power play, I just try to be ready to shoot at all times. Um like that first one just a awesome play by him from behind the net to to find me. Um and so yeah, I mean just he’s an awesome player and he’s you know a lot of fun to play with. >> On that one behind the net, were were you kind of expecting like knowing that pass was coming? It looked like he might have been the only one really ready for it there. >> Um yeah, I mean I’ve started to learn just be ready at all times. Um I try to be ready at all times especially when he has the puck just cuz he’s so good at finding those plays and he’s also you know super deceptive um with his passes whereas you know everyone thinks he’s moving it one way and suddenly it’s coming to you. So um yeah I mean just try to be ready at all times and whenever possible and he seems to find me. >> Obviously a lot of scoring to talk about but how important was that first period just to start well especially after how the first went the last time you faced these guys in Ottawa? >> Yeah. Um what I what I my own thoughts were was um you know we took a day and a half off here over the last uh for the four and six. This is the six six game uh fourth game in six nights. So um little sometimes you don’t want to shut the engine off and I thought our guys did a really good job of getting prepared uh for the first period and then you could see that we were we got some energy uh from from the time off. So um that was important because we got another one of those coming up in a week. Um, but I did like the first period and then I I we kind of built a good game. Probably our most complete game for me of the year. I um, you know, the big four goalending was great, PP was great, the the PK was uh, real solid, and uh, I thought our five on five play was probably the best of the year defensively. So, when you get those four things all working that it’s uh, it’s hard to beat. >> Any update on Liam and Bishop? >> Uh, Bish is going to get evaluated tomorrow. Um, and then, um, we’re hoping right now, um, that he, uh, uh, it won’t be as bad as as as, uh, we first thought. So, we’re we’re hoping for good news. >> Uh, what you see in the power play, obviously, you’re snapping it around, but it just seems like this one even felt better than previous power plays. >> Yeah. No. Uh, I thought I thought that, uh, we got the first one off the rush. Um, and then you know when the score is the way it is, you’re playing with house money and uh they were feeling it and uh they wanted to get Johnny the goal. So they’re, you know, making great plays, great players making great plays. Um, yeah, I thought it was good, but I was really impressed. Um, you know, we’ve talked about it here before, just our penalty kill because I really didn’t think we gave a a good group of uh skilled guys any chances really. uh not many off off the penalty kill. So I was I was happy with that. >> Johnson leads the league with 12 power play goals. Now the next next guy has seven. What’s it like to watch a guy like that night in night out? >> Yeah. Um he’s got his little spot there. He’s he’s really good and tight. Like I don’t know if I’ve you know seen another guy better in tight like just right around the net and quick hands and he knows where to shoot. It’s it’s quite a hard to teach stuff, right? Hard to teach. That’s what makes these guys great is hard to teach stuff and uh no, he just has an act. He has an act. And you know, him and Rance have some chemistry and and like I’ve told you from the start of the year, it doesn’t take him much. He doesn’t need much. It doesn’t take him much. >> Uh Mo seems to really enjoy the passing game right now. And uh he just seems to want to make creative plays. I mean, he’s always been that way, but it just seems like he’s really And then the players have to be ready for it when it’s coming because he >> Yeah. definitely will put it on your stick pretty quick. >> Yeah, he he he can make those plays that other people, you know, think about, right? But, um, and I thought this game uh he made a couple. I thought even last game he made even more. Um, but he just has that ability and and that’s what you need. You know, we’re all us coaches all talk about structure and and stuff and you need that and you need them to play in structure when you need them to, but it’s that creativity or that gift of those special players that’s ultimately going to take you to a level above. >> What did Labouchkin bring to you guys coming back into the lineup tonight after a couple >> I just thought he was steady and you could see him on the PK and just a, you know, veteran NHL body in there and uh right shot. He fit good with Kappa. I thought they played strong. So, um, you know, certainly as a uh a veteran guy that guys respect for the for the hard work that he that he puts in. He put in a lot of work to get back early. >> You said it was going to take time to figure things out here, but did you expect at all that the record could look like it does right now while you guys are figuring it out? >> No, I didn’t expect the record to be like this. No, I I didn’t. Um but we are figuring out I would say um you know mark the time you know right after maybe uh uh I think even after we played Edmonton the first time here at home I could see our team started trending up and it’s no coincidence I said this before that you know Rupe came back and we got a little healthier and uh kind of pushed the needle in the right direction and now you’re seeing everything kind of come together a little bit but you know that’s one night you know the problem with the league is it’s an everyday league and You got to do it night after night. So, we’re we’re we’re getting there. >> Yep. Thank you. [Music]

Watch as Mikko Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston, Jason Robertson & Glen Gulutzan Recap Stars ELITE Run vs. Ottawa

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