Dallas Stars Quotes After Riveting 5-1 Win Over Predators
By Josh Clark
The Dallas Stars built an exceptional style of play last night and knocked off the Nashville Predators 5-1 just in time for the New Year. Postgame quotes from players and coaches can be found below.
Well, it is officially 2016. From all of us at Blackout Dallas, we would like to wish each and every one of you a Happy New Year! May your successes double all the more in the year to come.
But that warm greeting probably does not mean half as much to you as the Dallas Stars win last night does. The Stars were absolutely electric, primarily in the final 30 minutes as they ravaged the Nashville Predators, 5-1. The Stars ended the 2015 calendar year with a record of 28-8-3 and the most points in the entire NHL at 59.
Postgame quotes from Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza, Antti Niemi, and Lindy Ruff can be found below:
Tyler Seguin:
The team’s response after the loss at Columbus:
It was a good response. We haven’t lost two in a row at all this year and we’re a good team bouncing back. Obviously we knew we didn’t play really play good at all in Columbus and we wanted to get back to playing our game and that’s good in our own end. We know our goals are going to come and we’re good enough up front and we create things back there. But I’m happy with how we played in our own end in the show tonight.
How they beat Pekka Rinne so many times tonight:
It was a really tight game. But obviously once they started pinching and coming at us, we were going to get opportunities. It’s just how the game goes. Once you get up one or two there, it kind of opened up a bit more for us. He’s a heck of a goalie over there and it’s always nice to get any on him.
If he knew that his reviewed goal initially went in:
I told Pekka right away that I was pretty sure it went in. I was talking with him a little bit out there tonight while he was in net and he said, “No chance.” But once I saw the replay and heard the crowd, I figured it was in.
How important Central Division games:
Our talk in training camp was how we are going to start the year, how we are going to be at home, and obviously how we are going to be against our division. We have a long way to go, but in those statement game, or playoff-type games, we’ve played really well. So we’re going to keep that consistent and keep building.
Jason Spezza:
What the game plan against Pekka Rinne was:
I don’t think we game-planned just against him. I think we just stayed patient against that team. It was a pretty even first period and we did a really good job of not getting frustrated and sticking with it. He’s a great goalie. He’s world-class and he does so much well. So we just tried to get pucks at him and we got lucky a couple of times.
How he likes playing with Mattias Janmark and Valeri Nichushkin:
Me and Matty have played a lot together now, so we have great chemistry. Lindy has kept us together and it’s given us the chance to get to know each other well. We’ve played with different guys on the right side all through the year. It’s nice to have a guy that you play with consistently and it enables a coach to throw different guys out there at different times. I think as a line we did a good job tonight.
Playing with Patrick Eaves on the right wing:
Patty has been kind of in and out of our line for the majority of the last month. He’s a smart player and has a great shot. He moved up there when Lindy juggled us a little bit. It’s nice to stay with Matty all the time because we have familiarity and it allows the coach to make some different moves. He [Ruff] did a great job tonight making those adjustments.
What he saw on his first assist to Janmark:
I picked it off and gave a little head fake and Pekka did a good job of following me. I was thinking I would shoot it once I made the fake but I knew he faded off the back side. They were fishing a little bit and it was a broken play and it worked out.
If this was the response they were looking for:
Of course. We lose that game in Columbus after having a great four game set against divisional teams and it’s frustrating. You hear a little bit from the coaches and it’s a good answer from the guys to have a patient game too. I think they played good in the first and it was pretty even. Nemo [Antti Niemi] had to make some saves and I think we tested our patience tonight and got rewarded for it.
Jamie Benn‘s response goal to tie the game up:
That’s a big league goal by a great player. Not many guys score that goal. It’s what he does. Makes something out of nothing sometimes. He can turn the game completely over.
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What 2016 holds for the Dallas Stars:
Hopefully consistency. We’ve done a good job so far with consistency on the team. We have to train ourselves to play well and trust our system. All you can do is try and get yourself into the playoffs and have a system you believe in and see where it takes you. So we’re going to work on our consistency right now.
How they can translate this win to the road trip:
It’s a tough trip. It’s a lot of games in a short period of time after having a few games in a row here. When we looked at this part of the schedule, we knew it was going to be tough. The Rangers have been struggling, now they’re starting to play better. The Islanders have been really good, the Devils have been really good. It’s a tough trip and we’re just going to take it one game at a time.
We know that New Jersey is going to play a patient game and they always check well so we’ll win that one and move on.
Antti Niemi:
Closing out 2015:
Yeah, it’s always nice to win.
If it’s a positive note to finish the year strong:
Yeah. You don’t want to remember a bad game being your last game of the year. I’m sure we can remember this game and the way we played for a while.
How his night in net was making 33 of 34 saves:
That’s a good number to have, especially when you can keep them on the outside most of the time with 2-on-1’s, 3-on-2’s, and 3-on-1’s. So it was a lot of fun playing tonight.
How important division games are:
They’re way, way bigger than the other division in our conference which is bigger than the Eastern conference. So they’re more important.
What he is looking forward to in 2016:
I’m just thinking about small steps and the next game with the trip to New York. I haven’t thought about the year 2016.
Lindy Ruff:
If the win was the response he was looking for:
I thought we got back to our game and took care of our own end first. I think it all starts there. If you don’t spend a lot of time in your own end, it’s a pretty tight game. With the schedule for both teams, you could see that there probably wasn’t the most energy in those first two periods. I thought we played the game the right way and ended up with the win we needed.
What the role of the big players was:
I think it was important to have a response right after they scored. Jamie [Benn] got in alone there and [Shea] Weber decided to go down. Jamie found a hole and that put some life in the building for us and got us going. But Jason Spezza had a really good night and made some really good plays like the one to Janmark and the one to Eaves. I thought he was skating well and made two great plays.
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On Nashville’s shots not being the best quality:
That would be a low chance game on their front, probably single digit. I said this morning that I probably wouldn’t expect a lot of chances. In the third, we broke it open a little bit but the chances weren’t very high. We needed to play smart and be in the right place. They’ve got a back end that’s very active and we didn’t want them to get involved. We did a good job of keeping those guys out of the rush plays.
Valeri Nichushkin’s status:
It’s just a lower body issue. Day to day. He wasn’t skating very well tonight.
If he’s excited about what could happen in 2016:
First off, I’m excited about what we did in the first half to finish this year off. To come back with a win tonight with a full building of fans, it’s a great way to finish the year off. We’ve been trying to take it one game at a time. Like I said, it was a disappointing game. But we’ve done a good job of focusing on the next game ahead of us and the game tonight was the one we focused in on and played the game the right way.
We know that the second half of the season typically gets tougher, so it will be another challenge for us.
Janmark’s play over the past month:
He’s been in on opportunities. There were some opportunities he didn’t finish and he’s missed some great opportunities. Players go through a little bit of that where some of their good chances don’t go in. Sometimes you’re in the right place and the goaltender is making a great save on you. His game for me has been very consistent.
How they can translate this win to the road trip:
We’re going to play three games in four days and six games in nine nights. What I liked most was that the ice times tonight were pretty balanced. We’re just trying to save energy and take it one game at a time. It’s been a four line effort for our club most of the year, and the energy has stayed high. My job is to try and maintain that energy. Tomorrow will be a real light day and get them ready for the game in New Jersey.
If Nichushkin will need someone called up in his place:
I don’t know that yet for sure. We’ll see.
Next: Stars End 2015 With A Bang, Cruise Past Predators 5-1
The Dallas Stars will hit the road for a three game road trip in New Jersey and New York. Make sure to check back to Blackout Dallas for coverage on all three games!