They Said It: Top Preds Quotes Ahead of Game 3

As the Nashville Predators enter the Mile High City, they'll be doing so with a chance to go up 3-0 in a Round One series for the second consecutive year.
But just as they have been for the past two contests in Tennessee, the Colorado Avalanche will undoubtedly be a desperate hockey club when the puck drops tonight at Pepsi Center (9 p.m. CT). With that in mind, the Preds are focused on improving their game, something they feel is necessary in order to be successful in Colorado.
Just hours away from Game 3, here are the top quotes from the Nashville locker room following the morning skate in Denver.

Head Coach Peter Laviolette on the Predators facing a desperate Colorado team in Game 3:
"We knew they were going to be desperate last game. They played a good game, and we're expecting the same from them. Those are things that aren't in our control. We control what we do and how we play, how we prepare, those are the things within our control. We talked about that, but there's no question we've all been in those situations and been in enough playoff rounds to know that the further your back gets up against a wall the harder it becomes and you fight harder just to stay in the game. [Colorado] will be ready to play. They're in their building with their fans. We've talked about that and our guys will be ready to play."

Forward Ryan Hartman on how the Preds can improve their overall game:
"We can play harder. As the series goes on, teams get more desperate and desperation is a big factor in hockey games. We want to try to play with that desperation as well, and coming into their building, any time you play in a different building and the other team is at home, they typically come out with a lot of energy and a lot of speed. We're expecting that, and we have to match that and play to our strengths."
Hartman on the success of the Nashville penalty kill in this series:
"That desperation as penalty killers, we know we have that job to block shots and take those two minutes and go as hard as you can until those two minutes are up. We've bought in, the guys who are on the penalty kill, we've bought into that role and we do whatever it takes to keep the puck out of our net."
Captain Roman Josi on facing the Avalanche at Pepsi Center, a venue where the Preds have won five consecutive games:
"I know they're always tight games here. This year we've won one in overtime, so they're always tight games, could've gone either way. We've been playing well and we know we have to play well here because it's a tough team. They're a fast team, so we know we have to play well to win."
Forward Colton Sissons on the chance to go up 3-0 in the series:
"It's going to be a challenge. No team wants to be down 2-0 in the series going back home. You feel like you need to win that Game 3 always, so it's going to be a tough test for us tonight."