SAY WHAT: 'RISE TO THE CHALLENGE'

MIKAEL BACKLUND ON FACING THE BLUES:

ON PROGRESS IN HIS GAME:

"I feel like I've been skating with the puck more, carrying it more through the middle, making plays, creating more offensively and at the same time, playing solid defensively. Haven't given up much. Just a better 200-foot game. ... Just focus on the D zone, kill plays more, win more battles. Just simple plays like that. And offensively, creating more.
"When COVID happened there, I thought I had a decent start to the season, just like the team, but it was a little inconsistent there before COVID, just as a team. Coming out of that COVID break, I wanted to play better, a more consistent game, a complete, better game for myself. That road trip was a little inconsistent, and since we got home, I feel like I've been getting better and better."

ON SUCCESS OF THE TOP LINE:

"They've been great for us this year. They've carried the team. the three of them combined with our special teams and goaltending has been our biggest key factor as to why we've been successful and why we have a good record. They're so much fun to watch, they find each other so well on the ice, make good little plays. They're all three tremendous hockey players and it's a pleasure to watch them every night. They work hard for their chances. They work hard to get pucks back, they backcheck, they forecheck, they use their sticks to be really effective at getting pucks back. It's not just luck or skill. They put in the work, too, and it's been really fun to watch them."

ELIAS LINDHOLM ON BUILDING ON LAST NIGHT:

"Any time you play them, you're in for a good test. They obviously have a really good team and we expect a hard game. Obviously, they want to have some revenge from last game and we expect that. And for us, to build on the game we've got going and keep getting better."

DARRYL SUTTER ON TONIGHT'S GAME:

"Similar type teams. I think the difference in that game was the first period. They had a late travel trip and probably weren't as sharp as they wanted to be in the first period and we wanted to get our game in order because of that. We expect the tonight. They'll be better and we'll have to be better."