Postgame Notes and Quotes - October 15 vs. Buffalo

Postgame NotesAnaheim 1 vs Buffalo 3Oct. 15, 2017Honda Center2-3-1, 5 points
The Ducks opened a two-game homestand with a 3-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Honda Center. The Ducks will conclude the home stretch on Friday against the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. PT). Anaheim is in the midst of seven consecutive games against Eastern Conference opponents. The club went 16-10-6 vs. the East last season, including a 9-4-3 record against the Atlantic Division and a 7-6-3 mark vs. the Metropolitan Division.

Cam Fowler appeared in his 500th NHL game, becoming the youngest player (25) and third defenseman in franchise history to appear in 500 games in a Ducks uniform. Fowler joins Francois Beauchemin (531 games) and Ruslan Salei (594 games) as the only Ducks defensemen to reach the milestone. He also became the only active defenseman aged 25 or younger in the NHL to reach the 500-game mark.
Chris Wagner scored the first goal of the game for Anaheim, marking his first tally of the season and his first career shorthanded goal. The shorthanded goal puts the Ducks in a tie for the league lead with three team shorthanded goals (also New Jersey). Anaheim has scored shorthanded goals in consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 21-23, 2017 (also two games).
Josh Manson earned his fourth assist of the season on Anaheim's goal, which moved him into a tie with Andrew Cogliano for the team lead in assists. Antoine Vermette earned his second point of the season with the primary assist on the Wagner goal.
Jakob Silfverberg appeared in his 300th career game as a Duck. Since being acquired from Ottawa on July 5, 2013, Silfverberg has recorded 66-85=151 points with a +35 rating and 88 penalty minutes in 300 career games with Anaheim. Since the 2013-14 season, Silfverberg ranks third among team leaders in goals (66), tied for second in shorthanded goals (4) and first in shootout goals (15).
Tonight's attendance was 15,821.
Postgame Quotes
Anaheim Ducks
Chris Wagner
On playing from behind
It doesn't help getting behind because then you're chasing the game. Maybe we're squeezing our sticks a little too tight. It's not fun playing from behind.
On turnovers
We're just not mentally there, I guess. We've been struggling a bit. We've talked about it, but we have to go out there and execute night in, night out.
John Gibson
On playing from behind
You never draw it up that way, but stuff happens. We usually come back. You find ways. We just haven't found it yet.
On the frustration level
That's the way it's going. If we're not scoring, we have to be better defensively. I have to be better. When it's not going good, that's the way the bounces are. You saw that on the second goal. A shot that's not going really going toward the net. That's the way it is.
Head Coach Randy Carlyle
On the game
These games right now seem to be played in parts. We haven't been able to put together 60 minutes. You can tell we're starting to squeeze the sticks. Loose pucks up for grabs, instead of calmly making a play or corralling the puck, we're slapping it away and throwing it away from ourselves. Usually that's a sign of confidence. That's the one thing we have to try and correct.
On what it's going to take to get pucks through traffic
We had our fair share of chances to get pucks through, but when things aren't going your way, with momentum and the tide of the games, you find ways to hit shin pads. Conversely, if things are going your way, you find a way to get the puck directed at the net. We need to put our nose to the grindstone, breathe a little bit and get back to work.
Buffalo Sabres
Justin Bailey
On importance of scoring early in the game
I think we've been preaching getting pucks to the net and the good results that could come from that. The play was pretty simple. I came off the bench and brought pucks to the net which caused a little bit of confusion and I was fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time and put that in.
On picking up the first win of the season
I think we were battling hard and I think we definitely deserve everything we got tonight. So when you work hard good things come.
Jake McCabe
On the importance of playing with energy on the second half of the back-to-back
A lot of times people think back-to-backs are tiring, but a lot of times I think you have more jump and catch the other team flat-footed. If you don't play the right way you can get worn down pretty fast, but we played the right way the whole 60 minutes tonight. It was a good test for our club and it showed ourselves what we can do when we play the right way.
On picking up first win for head coach Phil Housley
It was great. We haven't been playing our best hockey and it's been coming. He's been patient with us. It was nice for not only us but for Phil to get that first win. Hopefully it's the first of many.
Head Coach Phil Housley
On getting his first NHL win
It feels great, obviously, but I have to tip my hat to the guys in that locker room.
On playing back-to-back games
We played a really smart game. We didn't put ourselves in a position where we wasted energy going back. Puck decisions were really critical for us because of the energy and then once we were in the offensive zone, we did a good job of protecting pucks and wearing them down. I thought we had that shot mentality. Sure, we can get better, but I thought for the most part we tried to get as many pucks to the net. When you do that, you get rewarded.