20220421_tkachuk

ON MATTHEW TKACHUK ON CHANCE TO CLINCH PACIFIC:

ON PLAYOFF ATMOSPHERE THE OTHER NIGHT:

"I think the whole game had a playoff feel. It was pretty intense. They got off to an early lead and the building was going pretty good there and then we got one at the end of the second and one at the beginning of the third. Then it's 3-on-3 and shootout, which there's not going to be in a few weeks, so who knows what it's going to be like if we play them. But definitely had a playoff feel to it."

ON FACING THE DESPERATE STARS:

"We had this pretty exact same game against Vegas, playing a desperate team coming in. We obviously know what happened there and we were not happy with that at all, so we should be the desperate team tonight. We've got a lot to play for - still. That should be our motivation."

"We should be the desperate team tonight"

ON BEING A POINT AWAY FROM 100:

"That is not as big of a motivating factor as people would think. We've talked about it a bunch. Obviously, it's not really all about the personal stuff, but if you'd asked me this a few years ago - 10 years ago - if I had a chance to do it, I'd probably say you were lying. I guess that's pretty cool. But if I'm playing well and our team is winning and we're going into the playoffs the right way, I'm sure I'll have a good chance and have some opportunities to capitalize and have it hit. But that's just one of those things that plays out in the game."

ON SURPASSING HIS FATHER'S CAREER HIGH IN POINTS:

"I saw the video there. They were great enough to go surprise him during the game. I don't know - there was no audio, so maybe there were some F-bombs thrown (laughs).
"Nah, he was really excited after the game. I got a chance to see him. He would have liked to have seen us win, but he get the smile off his face if he tried. He's my and my brother's biggest fan, along with my mom - probably my mom - but he's right there with her and definitely want me to stop (at 99)."

We surprised Tkachuk's dad with a gift in Nashville

DARRYL SUTTER ON GOALS DOWN THE STRETCH:

"Just trying to get guys to where they're in the right place in terms of how we want them to play. It's like partners and lines and things like that."

ON GAUDREAU'S IMPRESSIVE PLUS/MINUS:

Johnny's league-leading +61 is the highest since Wayne Gretzky in the 1986-87 season
"What's more significant is the team goals for and against. By far. You can do it for the last, probably, two decades and the teams that have that difference (in) goals for and against make the playoffs. The teams that don't, don't. Has to come from... You're referring to a top player on our team, so top players have to buy into that."

Coach on tonight's matchup, gearing up for playoffs

ON TKACHUK'S GROWTH THIS YEAR:

"Matthew's a really young player. Our guys that are 26 and under have really limited team success experience, when you look at it through the regular season and through playoffs. That, to me, would be the growth in his game."