SAY WHAT - 'BE IN A PLAYOFF SPOT AT CHRISTMAS'

Darry Sutter on the importance of this four-game Califronia road trip
"I know it sounds old but it's one game at a time. Our goal is to be in a playoff spot at Christmas. That's still my goal. Outside expectations are just that."

Sutter on setting timelines on being in a playoff spot
"When you say Christmas, you're halfway now is right after the new year, and then the other one that was always critical was the All-Star break, which was right around that 60 (game mark). I'll hang my hat on that one more than any one in terms of being a playoff team. The other ones are all BS. If you're in a playoff spot at the All-Star break, unless you run into a big injury thing or a big salary cap thing, you're usually a playoff team."
Sutter on playing two games in San Jose, which has an airport curfew
"It works good for us. Don't have to come here twice - it's not so much getting here but getting out is always hard."
Sutter on Chris Tanev's status, who was placed on the Injured Reserve (retroactive) earlier today
"Today was a ramp day for him. I don't know really when cleared for contact means - it's (ramping up). He didn't skate yesterday because we didn't have ice, he would have skated. He skated the day before. Today, he'll skate again and tomorrow, he'll practice with the team. It's still very much that protocol."

Elias Lindholm on Friday's game
"Overall, it was a poor effort from us. Like I said a couple nights ago, you're not going to win a lot of hockey games in this league if you play like that. Overall, we've all got to look at ourselves in the mirror and be better tonight."
Lindholm on pushing to be in a playoff spot by the holiday break
"It's always nice. You always want to be in a playoff spot and you don't want to be chasing too much, be chasing for too many points towards the end. We've got to get back. Overall, I think the results have been good from the other teams, in favour for us, so we're still around there and hanging on. We've just got to have a good game tonight and climb, aim for that spot that."
Lindholm on the World Cup
"That was good game, a good final. I'm happy Argentina won too. I wanted Messi to win."

Jonathan Huberdeau on watching the World Cup this morning and the team's tournament pool
"I stuck with the Frenchies. It didn't work. But that was pretty cool - I woke 2-0 Argentina so I thought 'not gonna win' but James won, our trainer, and he deserves it."
"That was pretty cool, penalty kicks. That's what I was telling the guys, they should go Messi and Mbappe just these two in the penalty kicks over and over. That was cool and I kind of wanted Messi to win too, at his age. Mbappe is younger so he's going to have more chances. Messi had a great tournament so it was cool to see to that and cool to see him lift the trophy."