Say What - 'Check For Our Chances'

Mikael Backlund on generating more offence:

"I think we’ve created a lot of chances, we’ve just got to put it in. Also, I think we can keep improving on getting more traffic to the net, more bodies there. I think last game, what did we have, 15 shots after two periods; which is not our standard. We’ve got to get back to shooting more pucks and getting it to the net."

On being separated from Blake Coleman:

"We usually start every game together, at times, there’s been change-ups in the third period for different reasons. It’ll be different to not line up with him at the start of the game. Once you get into the game, you just go with it, and try and create some chemistry with the players you’re playing with, personally trying to get the line going, and the team the win."

On commitment to play away from the puck:

"As a unit, we’ve been playing better, but also I think the starts in the O-zone and the neutral zone, I think we’re doing a better job being more aggressive - when we don’t have the puck in the O-zone - to get it back, and making it hard on teams to get through us in the neutral zone. The boys have definitely bought in to the concept that we’ve got to check for our chances, and play the right way to be successful."

Jonathan Huberdeau on his group's checking mentality:

"That’s our game, we’ve been winning some games. I think we’re a hard team to play against, and playing defensively. Obviously, there’s going to be some stretches that we don’t score a lot of goals, but we still manage to come up on the right side. That’s what we’ve got to do. Goaltending has been really good all year, and I think if we can still manage to win some games, I know we’re going to score more goals."

On the Rangers' strengths:

"They’re a good team, an offensive team. So I think the way we’re going to play defensively is going to be huge, we can’t allow them to have too much time, I think there are a lot of skilled players on the other side. We’ve just got to be on them, and play the same way we’ve been playing."

Ryan Huska on facing the Rangers:

"They’re one of the more dynamic teams in the league. We always talk about how we have to play, I think the way we’re checking and defending is right. We want to make sure we’re strong on the puck, really try to limit the space that they do have with it. They have a lot of good offensive players on that side, if you give them room, they can make you pay. We want to make sure we have our checking boots on tonight, and really do a good job on the discipline side as well."

On Rasmus Andersson's play this season:

"Over the period of time, this is the best I’ve seen him play, and I do think he has another gear. Sometimes, when you ask a defenceman to play 25 to 27 minutes, like we have lately, the pacing yourself comes into play. I haven’t seen a lot of that from Ras yet, but that’s a little bit of what you do worry about when he plays as much as he is, but he’s feeling good right now. When you have a guy playing that way, you want to keep him going. He’s doing a lot of things for us; the offensive side of the game, he’s playing against top lines all the time, he’s been one of our key guys this year."

On continuing on with Dustin Wolf in goal:

"He’s seeing the puck well, and I think he’s feeling really good about where he’s at. Keeping him going is something that makes sense for us, we know we’re going to get a good one out of him tonight."