20220518_tkachuk

DARRYL SUTTER ON PREP FOR GAME 1:

IS HE NERVOUS FOR THE BATTLE OF ALBERTA?

"I don't think nervous is the right word. I think you're just sort of get anxious-ready. ... You're ready for the game, but it's not nervous. It's not a 'scared' nervous."

ON GAUDREAU'S PERFORMANCE IN ROUND 1:

"Played like he was a mature player. The checking bother him; didn't bother him that he missed a chance. You play to your skill-set. He scores the overtime goal to win the series, but really the biggest goal in the series might have been the penalty shot goal. He missed the breakaway prior, the night before, and that was the headline. I was supposed to teach Johnny how to score on breakaways. That was the question. But then he scores on the penalty shot to give you a 2-0 lead, which in that game, was a huge game. It was the turning point of the series. That's what good players do."

ON FACING MCDAVID AND DRAISAITL:

"I'm not saying it because we're playing Edmonton, but they have two Hart Trophies and Art Ross Trophies and things like that and we don't. So, it that means we have players that need to elevate their game. It's really not that hard to think about when you think about."

Coach weighs in on Game 1 of the Battle of Alberta

MATTHEW TKACHUK ON BOA-PLAYOFF EDITION:

"I think, for me, I didn't really grow up in this rivalry or grow up in Alberta. I'm serious when I say i didn't know about it until I got drafted. It's gotten bigger the last few years with both teams playing a lot better and maybe meeting each other in playoffs and here we are.
"I've seen every big playoff series goal. I think the Fleury one sticks out. Saw that one on a loop yesterday, it seemed like. Very cool rivalry and very cool to do it in playoffs."

ON CONTAINING MCDAVID:

"If he plays that much (24+ minutes), he's going to be playing against everybody. He's obviously built pretty different and can play those minutes and it's going to take all of us to play hard against him and limit him."

"They're all super jacked up for it"

ON INCREASING OFFENCE IN ROUND 2:

"Hope so. I think that the way we've trained, the way we've practiced, the way we've played and the way our team's built, I think we can be a team that gets better as it goes along, so hopefully we can prove that to each other."

ON HIS FAVOURITE BOA MEMORY:

"My first memory was the new rink, first game in the new rink in Edmonton. Sold-out for warmups - well, everyone was in their seat for warmups - and I thought that was pretty crazy. As I'm skating out on the ice... I don't remember it perfect, but Gretzky and Messier were out there doing a few laps. I was like, I'm 18 years old, I don't know if I'm ready for this. Just had to get this game under my belt. That was my first memory."

JOHNNY GAUDREAU ON FACING THE OILERS:

"I watched a little (of the Edmonton-LA series). Obviously, their powerplay is pretty insane with those guys. We've got to be good and try to stay out of the box there. Those guys can kill you on the powerplay, so if we can stay out of the box, stay smart, and limit their powerplays to just a few a game, I think we should be alright."

"We have to come prepared for that"

ON GAME 7 WIN/SHIFTING FOCUS TO EDMONTON:

"That was pretty crazy that last game. It was pretty special, but you've got to forget about it pretty quick and move on and get ready for this series. Hopefully we don't have to put ourselves in that situation again, in Game 7 in overtime - hopefully we can win it a little earlier - but you need guys to step up in games like that. I had the opportunity to do it last game and I'm sure if we could go back, somebody else would do it.
"All of my family members keep texting me every day about it. It's hard to forget about it. But they're so excited for me and our team and a lot of them are going to have the opportunity to come out and watch a couple games here in Round 2. We're excited to play in the second round and my family is, too."