Comments from Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin following the team’s morning skate, in advance of tonight’s Game 6 vs. the visiting Chicago Blackhawks…
On if he’s ready to make it a low scoring game tonight:
“Yes. Exchanging some line rushes with them…that’s not our game so we’ve got to get back to tightening things up a little bit.”
On his greater responsibility and ice time:
“I feel good. When you’re playing a lot, you get into the game a little more, emotions get going a little more. I feel good, body feels good. I’m ready to go for tonight.”
On if he watched the Montreal – New York game last night:
“A little bit, yes. Kind of a travel period for me, but I watched a little bit of it.” [Reporter: Can you watch it and let your mind go and not watch it as a player or a coach and start analyzing stuff?] “For me, I watch certain players to see what they’re doing. You learn a little bit from them, kind of watch their forwards and see what they’re doing. At this time of year, hockey is really all that’s going on in my mind.”
On the seemingly relaxed demeanor of the team:
“I think that has to do with the experience, the veteran guys in here who have been through all this, the leadership that we have to keep things calm. You’re ready but you’re calm and confident. You don’t want to get too nervous, I guess. The guys in here have been through it and we’re ready for it.”
On the Kings’ ability to put away a double OT loss and move on:
“There’s a lot that goes into getting over a loss, but in playoff hockey, you have to get ready for the next one. It’s pretty quick turnaround for us. You look at some stuff and correct what we have to correct and get ready for tonight.”
On Saad, Kane and Shaw’s effectiveness:
“We’ve got to be a lot better on that line. They had too much time and space with the puck, especially [if] you give Kane and Saad room, they’re pretty skilled guys so we have to have some better gaps on them on the rush and play harder on them.”
On the difficulty of closing that gap with Kane:
“It’s tough because he does a lot of low swooping and gets the puck at their blue line and comes up. As a whole five guys on the ice, you need to be aware and create a better gap with our forwards, angling him away from the middle of the ice and hopefully force it down on him.”
On Doughty’s leadership role:
He just doesn’t have a letter on his jersey. He’s been around. He’s done it all. He’s pretty vocal. He’s helped me out a lot, being his partner. He’s in there with the leadership group.
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