Following the Kings 5-2 win in Game 4, giving them a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Blackhawks, here’s what coach Darryl Sutter had to share…
Q. Kings came out and scored three goals in the first period. What was your message to the team before the game?
SUTTER: We wanted to have a good start, just like we had in prior games.
Q. What will it take to put Chicago away now?
SUTTER: We’ll have to play a hell of a lot better than we did tonight.
Q. What didn’t you like about the game?
SUTTER: I thought we were really good special teams and we had a real good start.
Q. Why have you been able to shut down Patrick Kane out there?
SUTTER: I thought when they put him with Toews tonight, we had a tough time handling him.
Q. How much of a difference is it when you’re able to get scoring from your blueline, how much of a difference does it make?
SUTTER: You know what, we’ve got goals from our blueline all year. I think we were 10th in the league, goals from our blueline.
Not something that surprises us.
Q. You were able to deny their power play a couple times early and then get a couple of your own.
SUTTER: Yes, that’s clearly the difference in the game. First period, clearly special teams. Two, I think four total. That’s the difference.
Q. Talk about Kopitar’s play, him playing up to his potential.
SUTTER: He plays up to his potential every night. I know it gets based out here on if you have goals or assists or points, but he’s a pretty dominant player in all three zones every night.
Q. Talk about what it feels like in your situation right now.
SUTTER: Don’t look behind and don’t look ahead. We have a travel day tomorrow and then a tough game.
Q. How much better can you get for Game 5?
SUTTER: As I said, we have to play a hell of a lot better than we did tonight.
Q. Can you expound on what maybe you want to see better?
SUTTER: I think our five-on-five play, certainly we can be better at. I know we’re better at it than we were tonight.
Q. Is that it?
SUTTER: That’s a lot. Most of the game is (laughter).
Q. How much do you think your strength up the middle has helped you in the series?
SUTTER: We have veteran centermen. All four of them have obviously been here for a while. You know, they take care of both ends of the ice. They pretty much run the game for us as centermen.
We ask our centermen to do that, and they do a good job of that.
Q. What do you think about the way you guys played on Toews tonight after he got two goals last game?
SUTTER: He’s a pretty good player. That’s what you’re asking about him. I mean, it’s centerman versus centerman. Whenever our centerman is out there, he’s got a big job to do.
Q. When you took the timeout, was it just guys were tired?
SUTTER: You get that one timeout. You use it usually when guys are tired.
We’re just flying tomorrow, so there won’t be any practice or any of that stuff – as probably most of you are, too.
Okay, see you in Chicago.
MORE: Post-game comments from several Kings players can be found here… and thoughts from Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville and Chicago players were posted here.
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[…] Post-game comments from Kings coach Darryl Sutter are up here… and quotes from several Kings players can be found […]