INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM: Jeff Blashill, Arvid Soberblom and Ryan Greene REACT to TOUGH Shootout Loss

First two periods, especially it seemed like tough going, but how big of a night was that person to blow, especially to the first two periods?

Yeah, I know he did a good job, certainly kept us in there.

We just didn't do enough job, I thought, like, making the harder plays to get out of our end.

And then we had two weeks times, we made kind of soft plays to get out of our end, so then you're kind of backing up.

I didn't think we were, like, giving up, like, grade A after grade A, but certainly getting leaned on and territorial wise.

You know, so it's probably the easier way for a goalie to be good as long as you can play through the traffic,

because you're not necessarily giving up, like, those back door plays, but there's a lot, you know, and I thought you didn't really enjoy.

So I'm a K of going to the X-ray room at the end of the game, is he all right?

Yeah, no, I just talked to the dogs and nothing there.

Okay.

Yeah.

With green scoring, I've seen him go through a slump there for a while, and he's scored a few times earlier.

You've seen an A, have a loose or anything different, or just chances going in?

I think just chances going in.

Like, he's created decent amount of chances over time here, and they were going in.

You know, the confidence is part of it, so once you kind of start scoring, that's where guys start going kind of in the streaks a little bit, and they start scoring on a regular basis.

So I just think just chances going in.

The streaks have been active for quality games.

Is that something that you've pushed in practice anymore?

Well, not more.

You know, it's something we want to always do a good job with.

I think, you know, generally, even when we're not maybe playing our best, we still are pretty long, so we can contest a lot of shots.

And I think, you know, when we give our goalies the best chances, when we do that, because then I think it's hard to, like, get the puck up high,

which generally goes a better up to you.

So we can contest those shots with our sticks, then it puts us in a better spot.

Yeah, I mean, we kind of, you know, we're trying to figure out, like, what our best kind of forline combo is, and didn't love it obviously through first two.

You know, Cooke does a good job of, like, getting people on and off the ice for certain matchups.

So, you know, I thought we were on our heels a little bit, so I just said, let's go back kind of to similar lines where we had, and see if we can get rolling.

I mean, there was some power plays, kind of the kills. It just didn't seem to be much flow into the game.

Did you think much?

No, I hadn't been a game.

Yeah, I thought I'd already played better for sure.

You know, I thought he was noticeably better, didn't made it some really good defensive plays, leading the game, I thought.

You know, so I thought overall, you had a better game for sure, is back in the right direction.

Kind of a tough slide for Nezart to come back against these two teams, and back, back, I feel about his performance over the last 30 hours.

These are two tough teams, you know, and they don't give much up, and there's not much space,

and so that's hard, and I thought he did a pretty good job.

He's a facing other tough one that doesn't give much space up on Sunday, but I thought he did a pretty good job, be honest with you.

I thought he got better and better as a weekend went along, and I thought he was good.

Like, they're really good.

Do you like that?

I know you want these guys to have different types of experiences.

Do they have these two teams, and consecutive matches? Is there a good value in that?

I just think there's value in continuing to match yourself against these teams.

And I think like, you know, it was interesting I talked to a young player today, and he was just talking about,

it was the first time you never played in Carolina, and I really hadn't thought of that, to be honest with you,

and that's a different experience, and then, you know, to kind of see where Tampa's at,

because they're similar to us, and structurally in a lot of ways.

Obviously, our system is systematically, we have a lot of similarities.

You know, I think what we'll take from tonight is just a lesson on how hard you've got to be understood.

You have to be with your passes, I thought they were harder and a little more crisp,

and so we just, that's the level that we got to get to.

And with that said, we were able to get a point, and obviously it chances the win and overtime,

so we just got to continue to get better.

How did you feel?

I mean, quite a lot of luck, so you had to deal with that.

Yeah, no, but it was a bit tonight, it was fun.

I had to see, still a lot of shots, so for me personally, it felt good.

It sucks to wouldn't get both points, but I think we played our best and the third,

and made a push, but obviously not enough.

How do you need to play shootouts in consecutive nights, like those games?

Yeah, I mean, a lot of games these days go to shootouts, and yeah,

you just gotta be able to find a way to win those, and fortunately, we didn't really connect.

Does it feel, I mean, all the best for you guys around the other side,

or losing streaks in it, and it also, every week, something's changing with this team,

but does it feel like you guys have put together something this past week?

Yeah, I mean, we're taking steps that are doing, and we want to improve,

and we want to get better, but there's still a lot of work to do,

but I think for sure these two games have been steps into our direction.

What will the KB just sustain in this?

I just come to the Rinter every day, and try to get better, try to push,

and push to leave it, and never be satisfied.

It's all a break away, is this something you said you've been working on this season?

Are you afraid of, are you where you want to be tied in the area?

No, you never have to worry, I mean, unless you say everything,

so there's stuff I need to work on as well, so you just want to make every said possible,

so there's always stuff to work on.

What did you see the fun for playing in front of you?

What did the team like to have to do with the firepower?

Yeah, I mean, they're good at holding onto Pucks, and fighting that next play.

I think we did a good job around the net, we had a good PK,

so that helped me today.

I mean, I think we're doing taking steps defensively all year,

so we just got to keep doing that, and we'll improve this season.

Three points and two nights, but you're probably going to be disappointed.

Yeah, definitely.

I thought we played really well on the third, and had some chances to put it away,

but we're trying to do, we're trying to do well, so we can make it as I thought.

Let's just say at this close, I think it's two of the best Eastern tournaments teams.

Yeah, I mean, I think that's a lot about us when we're playing the right way,

and we're playing good hockey, I think we're a top team to handle,

and we're just trying to keep that going moving forward.

What did you see on your goal?

Just me and the goalie.

I just had to find a way to put it in.

Just happy you're winning.

Did you feel the artist was going to pull the defender,

or did you see how that kind of played out?

Honestly, I had no idea.

Unbelievable play by him, and then, obviously,

great IQ by Morse, you did not touch that there,

and left flaky gun side, so great plays by both of those guys.

Goal tending has a lot to do with it, but playing well,

it's probably the last couple of games,

where are you seeing them now?

Yeah, I mean, I think tonight we owe a lot of credit to SOTY,

and I thought he was unbelievable,

and I don't think that game goes over time

without him playing the way he did.

So, credit them.

Your young guys have been making an increasing impact

on the penalty kill.

Obviously, probably don't want to be out there as much as he had been,

but what's working for the young guys, especially?

Yeah, I mean, I think, you know,

we've been doing the same weekend all year,

and I think, over time, you know,

we've gotten more comfortable in it,

and obviously, it involves, you know, a lot of pressure,

and heavy pressure, we like to put things on their heels a little bit,

and not knock him too much time to make plays.

So, I think we've done a pretty good job of it.

It's a hard team to create all friends,

and constantly do you guys think you've kind of

kind of contributed to that third period?

I would say so, yeah, I mean,

I think the first couple of periods there,

they probably took it to us a little more than we did in them,

but I thought, you know,

we had a good push there in the third,

and I'm looking at build-up deck over in the sun.

What's the difference if you're changing a 4-champ or something?

No, I thought, you should play fast,

but predictable, by the way.

With a few builds from you lately,

I mean, if you look at it, if you're doing something differently,

it's probably going to go in for you or are you?

Yeah, I don't think necessarily changing anything,

just, you know, capitalizing on chances is obviously something that I've struggled with,

so just trying to, you know,

try to where to get those in.