Some raw post-game quotes following the Kings 3-2 shootout win in Minnesota on Thursday…
Matt Frattin on how it felt to play his first official game as a King: “It was a good start. At least we got the win, but I still feel like I played a little sloppy. It was a sloppy game out there- not as high paced as we have to play. It was definitely good to get two points, though.”
Frattin on if playing for the Kings has a different feel than being in Toronto: “Yeah, maybe a little bit. But we played six preseason games already, though. You’ll probably really feel it when you’re playing in Toronto, or against them, or the first home game.”
Frattin on if the Kings still need to grow into the team they want to be: “We definitely need to grow into it. We played a sloppy game, we didn’t play the body, we weren’t cycling as much as we’d like too. But like I said before it was good to get the two points.”
Anze Kopitar on his overall performance: “We played a so-so game. We weren’t as sharp as we wanted to be, but at the end of the day we got the two points and that’s all that counts. It’s going to be huge playing the conference game and getting all the points we need. I guess tonight we started off on the right note.”
Kopitar on if the power play still needs some improvement: “For sure. There’s always room for improvement and always areas to improve I felt like it wasn’t the strongest game that we could play. But it is game one of the season, so there’s still going to be plenty of games left. Quick turn around for tomorrow, we’re going into a pretty tough building and we’re going to have to be sharper.”
Kopitar on Quick’s importance, especially in second period: “It was huge. Over the course of the past three, four years now, we’ve become pretty familiar with his play. He’s always been back there, holding strong for us. Tonight was really no different. He held us in there and we found a way to score a goal close to the end of the game, and finished it off in the shoot out.”
Kopitar on the goaltending by Trevor Lewis: “That was huge. Just before that, we had a pretty strong penalty kill, too, and that just carried over. Lewie was in the crease with no stick and he kept it out of the net and that’s all that counts.”
Kyle Clifford on the overall game: “It’s better going in with having a training camp and exhibition games, [compared] to last season just getting right back into it. It’s good to get going here and start off with a win.”
Clifford on the penalties he took vs the Wild: “Yeah, you never want to take penalties. The calls were the calls, and that’s the way it went.”
Clifford on the areas of improvement the Kings still need to make in their game: “There’s always room for improvement. It’s early on. Our plan is just to get better and work on the little things and get ready for Winnipeg tomorrow.”
Clifford on changes he needs to make in his game: “Take less penalties.”
Drew Doughty on Trevor Lewis playing goalie: “I thought for sure it was going in the net. Trevor just came out of nowhere and made a huge save. I know Quickie was thanking him for that one.”
Doughty on the Kings relying so heavily on Quick: “I don’t think we ever want to rely on him. We don’t come into a game thinking, ‘oh we have Quickie back there.’ We do know that in the back of our heads, but we never want to go into a game thinking that. We have to think that we want to have Quickie to have the least amount of work possible. Tonight we gave him too much work, so whether he’s in net or not tomorrow, we definitely have to be tilting the ice the other way.”
Coach Darryl Sutter on if Quick got better as the game went on: “You know, the first goal, there’s no sense talking about it. I reviewed it. He played good, he played good the whole game. It was good to see him in the shootout, because the I think the last time we were in here we lost in a shootout.”
Sutter on Justin Williams: “He’s killed penalties before. Brownie is still not at that level where you can use him in those minutes. It’s good to have that guy, between him and Kyle – he’s a lefty, he’s a righty – depending on whose out there.”
Sutter on Willie Mitchell’s game: “He’s having a hard time with the pace.”
Sutter on Quick having to deal with a lot of shots on goal in the second period: “It was mostly power play and their opportunities were mostly that. You need your goaltender to be very good when you’re killing penalties, especially with the guys they can put out there.”
Trevor Lewis on his goaltending late in the game: “I think it was a pretty good butterfly there…Everyone kind of gave me a high-five, but said I look like a roller hockey goalie out there.”
Lewis on throwing himself in front of the net: “I’m kind of used it it by now. It’s instinct, almost. You have a lot of adrenaline going, so if it hits you, it doesn’t hurt too bad anyways.”
Lewis on the team’s last penalty kill: “That was better. I think we were a little more aggressive and we weren’t letting them have so much time.”
Willie Mitchell on his first game back: “Great. Nice to be back. Feels really good when you win, too. I was laying an egg in the penalty box there with three minutes left, though.”
Mitchell on the penalty being a questionable call: “A little bit. But I penalty kill and I know that’s a big role for me on the team. So, I can’t take penalties. It’s not the place for me to be, because then they miss me on the penalty kill, too. I have to be better on it. I’ll take a look it it- I thought it was a little bit marginal, but they’re moving that way in the game where you can’t engage with the guy at all.”
Mitchell on if his return after 14 months was everything he envisioned: “Maybe not as big a moment as I thought it would be. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been going awhile here- training camp and playing preseason games. Who’s kidding who, it was still cool. Maybe just your adrenaline in the game, you’re so focused on what you’re trying to do and be a good teammate and do the things that will make you a good player, or to play to you’re strength…those things. You’re so focused on that. I’ll probably sit on the plane, with a glass of water, and think about it then.”
Special thanks to Amy Gist of Minnesota Hockey Magazine for contributing audio and quotes for this article.
Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please include a link to www.MayorsManor.com
