Flash quotes from the Blackhawks locker room following their Game 4 victory in LA…
Niklas Hjalmarsson on the overall game: “We played really well defensively after we scored the third goal. We just chipped the puck down and the puck went to their end pretty quick so we didn’t have to play that much in our own end. We had a lot of confidence there at the end.”
Hjalmarsson on other guys picking up the slack with Duncan Keith out: “We won the game so I would say mission accomplished for sure. Personally, I was a little lost in the first period on the left side but I figured it out better as the game went on. He’s back next game. He’s a big part of our team. It’s going to be even better when he returns next game.”
Hjalmarsson on going home with a 3-1 lead: “It’s huge. That’s what our goal coming here was trying to at least win one. We knew it was going to be tough to win both here. They have been playing pretty well here in their building so I think we did a decent job today. I think we could have played better too, but we got the job done and that’s what matters. (On snapping Kings’ home-winning streak): It’s an impressive streak for sure especially in the playoffs when the level of overall competition goes up a lot. It feels really good to break it.”
Bryan Bickell on momentum of leading series 3-1: “To have that kind of momentum going home definitely feels good but we’ve got to keep going.”
Bickell on Chicago’s resiliency: “I think we had a lot more chances tonight (compared) to last game. We just tried to stick to our game-plan and grind them down and I felt that we accomplished that tonight”
Marian Hossa on going home up 3-1 in the series: “It’s huge, a big difference, 2-2 coming home, or 3-1, we are glad we could win in this building. We know they are playing so well at home so we are happy to finally break the streak. Coming home up 3-1, we are very pleased”
Hossa on having the champs on the heels: “We’re not finished yet and we have to win one more, which won’t be easy. We can enjoy this victory for now but we’ll be sure we’re ready at home.”
Patrick Kane on how feeling more like himself out there: “Yeah. I think the biggest thing was just trying to get the puck any way I could, skate with it, feel into the game, no matter how that was. I thought I did a good job of that. Got a lot of support from whether it’s coaches or teammates that want you to have the puck, that want you to start skating with it and moving it. It’s a big part of our game. If we play as a five-man unit and come up the ice with speed, you see how successful we can be.”
Kane on the importance of going up 3-1 in the series: “It was huge, especially the way they’re playing at home. I think they won 15 in a row here at the Staples Center. It was nice to come in and steal one for sure. We put ourselves in a good spot. By no means do we feel the series is over. You know they’re going to come out with their best game in Game 5. We have a great opportunity to close it out at home. It’s a huge opportunity for us.”
Kane on paying the price to get that goal, diving in there: “Yeah, I told Bicksy I was kind of sorry I stole it from him. It might have went in. Kind of instinctive when you see the puck there, to stick your stick in and touch it. A big goal to tie it up at 2 in the last couple minutes of the period there. Handzus and Hossa made a great play to make it 3-2.”
Kane on how things changed when he went to the top line: “To be honest with you, I thought myself, Handzus and Sharp were playing good at the time. Had a couple good forechecks, a couple good chances. I don’t know if at that time they wanted to switch it up. For whatever reason it kind of worked both ways. I thought Handzus’ line played great, and then myself and Bickell and Toews had some good shifts, too. Sometimes you switch it up, play with different players, it works out.”
Brent Seabrook on working harder defensively without Duncan Keith: “Dunks is a big part of our team. It was a big hole losing him. I thought Brooksy did a good job coming in. The D did a good job. We talked about it all season, especially in the playoffs. But our team game, our team D, is really what’s been doing such a great job. Crow in the net has been making some big saves. When the forwards are coming back like they are, it’s making it easy for us. We’re just trying to get back there quick and get outlet passes for our forwards to play with the puck.”
Seabrook on losing Game 3, losing Duncan, and rallying back in Game 4: ” It was big by us. I thought everybody stepped up and played really well. We weren’t happy with our Game 3. I thought we came out right from the first couple shifts, we were moving our feet, playing with speed, we were getting in on the forecheck and making good plays. It was big for our group to come back with a good effort tonight.”
Seabrook on Chicago having to regroup after LA’s first goal: “Yeah, they’re going to score goals. They’re a good team. I don’t know, Voynov has been pretty hot lately. He’s got a great shot. I thought our team did a good job of forgetting about that, continuing to work. Bicksy has been hot, too. It was nice to see that one go in. After the second one, we didn’t get down on ourselves. We just kept working. It was a big goal by Kaner and obviously by Hoss.”
Seabrook on Bickell ‘putting it all together’ over the last few years: He’s been great. He’s been unbelievable in the playoffs all season for us. He’s a big body. Being a defenseman, it’s tough when those big bodies are coming down on you. With his speed, momentum, it hurts. It’s nice to see him playing physical. By doing that, gives himself some room. He’s got a great shot. He’s really finding the soft spots and getting the shot through. Probably the biggest thing, Kaner would probably agree, he’s hitting the net now. That’s been huge for us. I think it’s paid off dividends for Bicksy.”
Kane on the start of the game, going down 1-0: “We wanted to have a better start obviously. It’s tough giving up that first one. I think it was kind of a fluke play the way it happened. Looked like Crow had it, then it squeaked out to the middle. Voynov has been hot, like Seabs said. At the same time it didn’t feel like we were down. Felt like we had a good start to the game, a good period, a couple good shifts. Really had the momentum in our favor. Sometimes those things are going to happen, like Seabs said. They’re going to score goals. You can’t get too down about it.”
Kane on his stare-down with Jonathan Quick at one point: “It was a great play. Seabs chipped it up to Toews and Toews dropped it to me at the blueline. I know Bicks was going to do that, so was Johnny. Just kind of held onto it. Was patient. Thought I made the right play shooting high. He made a great glove save. You have to give him credit. I remember being on the Olympic team with him. He worked hard in practice, was a fun guy to shoot on. From whatever you saw in the stare-down, wasn’t anything. Just kind of looking how he made that save, I guess.”
Post-game comments from Kings captain Dustin Brown are up here. We also have additional comments surrounding Game 4 posted on the site. See the links below.
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