What Did He Say? Post Game Quotes From Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars started the New Year off with a bang, obliterating Central Division rival the Minnesota Wild 7-1 on Saturday night. The Dallas Stars improve to 8-1-0 in their last nine games, and have won four straight.
Over the past two games, they have outscored their opponents 13-1, and hold one of the league’s hottest offenses at the moment. Over the past four wins, 14 different Dallas Stars have tallied a goal of their own. The Dallas Stars will now face off with the Chicago Blackhawks Sunday night in the second part of a back to back series.
Next: Stars Visit Blackhawks In Battle of League's Hottest Teams
Here are post game reactions from different Dallas Stars players and coaches, including Tyler Seguin, Vernon Fiddler, Erik Cole, and Stars head coach Lindy Ruff:
Tyler Seguin
On winning 9 of their last 11 games:
“We’re taking it game by game. Tonight was a big game. We knew Minnesota had played last night, and I thought we came out and did our job, followed out system. The guys were playing gritty, and it was nice to see when things got a little chippy that the guys stood up for each other. The younger guys played well, and I know I’m young but I’m talking about them. It was a good victory and we gotta move on now.”
On the confidence level of the team:
“I think it’s good. We’re playing well and competing, skating well and coming back to play in our own end. We’re doing it more consistently than we did at the beginning of the season, and we were sort of sporadic. But now we’ve gone into Chicago before on a back to back and kind of gotten pumped, so we definitely want to come out flying tomorrow night.”
Erik Cole
On the biggest positive from winning 9 of their last 11 games:
“I think we’re defending a lot better and our special teams have been good. We’ve also had better goaltending, and haven’t left it hung out to dry so much as we used to. I think we’ve tightened it up a bit and are playing a much better team game. Our strong team defense can sometimes be our best asset, along with a lot of good things on the offensive side.”
On how they’ve faced the adversity in regards to the standings, points, etc.:
“I still don’t think we’re a group that’s looking at the numbers or anything like that. We’re just focusing day-to-day on who the next opponent is, and I think that’s a better mentality for us to have. Stay in the moment and focus on what we have right in front of us, and things will continue to snowball. Like the record shows right now, for having a really good stretch, that game against Toronto left a really sour taste in everybody’s mouth, especially heading into the break. It was almost a good thing for us, in the sense that we lose the way we did and come back refocused. We’re playing a committed brand of hockey.”
On his recent success on the power play and penalty kill:
“When you have the opportunity to play on the special teams, it helps keep the rhythm in the game for you. Between matchups, power plays, penalty kills, timeouts, it can get stale sometimes on the bench. Being able to play in all situations has definitely helped my overall game, and I just have to keep my legs in it and keep the rhythm about it. It’s a little bit of an added workload, but I feel better and play better with it.”
Vernon Fiddler
On winning 9 of the last 11 games:
“I think we’re just getting back to what we did last year. We’re working as a five man group in our end and we’re starting from there. We’re a tough team to play against in the offensive zone and I think we’re getting contributions from all four lines. Kari has made some big saves. When you get a little confidence it goes a long way. It can work both ways with you, and right now it’s working in our favor.”
On playing with Brett Ritchie:
“He’s a big body down low, and he doesn’t have the D come right on him because they know they aren’t gonna out-power him, so he has a little bit of time and he’s done a great job here the last couple of games stepping in.”
On the confidence level of the team:
“It’s good, but at the same time as a leader in this room, you have to make sure we don’t get too high. But by the same token you have to make sure we don’t get too low. You’re as good as your last game, so we put this one behind us and we have a really good team to play tomorrow.”
On the physicality and brawling in the second period:
“When you’re up 4-1, they’re obviously gonna try to get some sort of spark going. I thought our guys did a great job. When someone goes after [Kari], we don’t want him getting hurt. It’s just part of the job, you stick up for your teammates and we’re a five man group out there.”
Lindy Ruff
The biggest reason that they have won 9 of the last 11:
“It’s a lot of different things. Some games it’s been real strong goaltending, other games it’s been sound offensive and defensive efforts. Through the last couple we’ve played as well in our own end as we have all year, and when you spend that little bit of time in your own end it allows you to go up ice and do some things.”
On the depth of scoring:
“That’s a winning recipe. Every line has been playing so well that one-four in even strength, they’re all playing the same way. That’s one thing when you’re coaching, if all the lines are doing the right things, and all the lines are producing, it’s a winning recipe. Tonight was just another indication of that. Every line went out there and generated opportunities, defended really well, and got rewarded for it.”
On Jamie Oleksiak’s play:
“I thought he played really well. That’s the reason he’s in the lineup. I said the other day that the reason I think he is playing well is he was able to go down when he lost a little bit of his confidence and play some games down in Texas, play really well, play some big minutes, and regain some of that confidence. It’s the same thing Jokipakka is gonna do now. He’s gonna go play, and it’ll help his development. You gain some confidence, and you never know. It could go the other way again and he could be back here playing. But the development of a player comes with peaks and valleys, and right now he [Oleksiak] is going through a peak, and you hope he can maintain the way he plays. He’s a big skater with a long reach and he’s doing a lot of good things out there.”
On the team’s scrappy response in the second period:
“I thought the response was great. It makes the team even tighter. You knock one of your own guys over top of the goaltender, Kari could’ve gotten hurt on the play. I thought it was a little bit reckless on their part, but I think they were trying to find some spark. They were just trying to get something going.”
On the challenge in Chicago:
“It’s just like the challenge tonight. Tomorrow night’s challenge coming off the back to back. I liked the fact that we were able to spread the ice time around tonight and didn’t have to overplay anybody. It’s a team that if we want to move up we’re gonna have to beat.
The Stars face off against the Blackhawks tonight, looking for their fifth straight win and first on the second half of a back-to-back this year. Check back to Blackout Dallas for updates before and after the game! Go Stars.