After winning Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals in overtime, the Manchester Monarchs must have felt a bit of deja vu, as for the second night in a row, they needed an extra period to beat the Utica Comets in Game 2. The overtime winner came off of the stick of rookie forward Nic Dowd, who spoke to us after the game…
On the victory in Game 2:
“Yeah it was good. I thought JF kept us in it the whole game. A couple guys on their team said they could have stolen it from us. Well, it could go either way tonight. We may have stolen one from them. The stick save Roubs made in the second period is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I thought our D was good in the third. I thought our forwards got back on top of getting pucks in deep. Definitely a team game tonight.”
On scoring the game winner in overtime:
“Just the fact that we didn’t have to play anymore OT was the best thing. I think everyone was trying to get the game over with quickly. It was a team game. We made a lot of good plays going up the ice that led to that goal. I just happened to find myself in front and was the one that was able to put it in.”
On what was going through his mind during the goal:
“Grabs made a good play in the neutral zone and I was able to get it up to Vandy. Vandy got it in deep and I was pursuing the puck. I think there was a little confusion with the D and the forward going back and I was able to get to the puck first. I got a little lucky; I threw it blind in front, which was kind of a hope play. It bounced off the back of the net and came back to me. I think it went off the post and I was able to stick with it and bang it in.”
On if this was the type of game he expects to see moving forward:
“Yeah. At this time of the year, although it is my first time, there is hardly any ice out there and you have to work for each inch that you get. That is why it is so hard to score five-on-five and that’s why special teams play such a key role. We had a power play goal tonight and our PK was really good. Once again JF was our best penalty killer. Special teams is going to continue to play a factor in this series and ice is going to continue to be hard to get.”
On if his legs were heavy:
“They were worse last night. I felt a lot better tonight than I did yesterday. For whatever reason, hockey players like that some days. Some days you don’t know why you have it and some days you have to figure it out. I think everyone felt a lot better tonight. I think we played a much better game tonight minus the goal in the second. But we had great goaltending to back us up so we have been pretty fortunate. I think the long layoff, it was great to get some rest and it played a factor in yesterday’s game. But we’re not going to let it play a factor in the rest of the series.”
On if tonight’s goal was better than is OT goal at St. Cloud State:
“Yeah, I think so. I was telling Forbs, there is no other job out there where you can emulate that feeling that you get when you score the goal or when you have a teammate score and you’re on the bench. There is just nothing like it.”
On how to keep things rolling:
“I think we just have to continue to play well. We have to take our game on the road and play a smart road game. You’ve got disadvantages. You put your stick down first on faceoffs and you have the last change. I think just they did tonight, they played a smart game and capitalized on opportunities. We’re going to have to do the same thing.”
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