What can you do to get the pucks down low to guys like Wayne Simmonds? I mean everybody was talking about blocked shots from the perimeter. Is that an avenue that you try to take, if they’re getting blocked from the outside, try to get down low somehow?
“On the power play?”
In general.
“So you’re asking me how do we get pucks through to the net?”
Well get them to get to guys like Wayne [Simmonds] down low. Not just necessarily…
“Well that’s on the power play, but I think in general they did a great job of blocking shots last game and you’ve got to fake some shots, make them go down, move it. The shooters have got to do a better job of just getting it by people. You can’t just one-time a puck off a pass against these guys all the time because they’re very good at getting in the lanes and blocking it. Maybe it’s a step here and there, and just the wrist shot up in the air a little bit and get it through to people at the net.”
One of Steve [Mason]’s strengths is his puck moving availability. How much will that assist you getting out of your zone and getting the offense started?
“It helps on the power play. They’re a hard forechecking team; they come fast, good skating team. So if he can get pucks there and get them up quick, he’s good at putting them on the glass and getting them around the walls.”
If their D pinches in and is aggressive can that be a way to get your guys started out harder and get them back on their heels a little bit?
“It can be. The forwards and the wingers have to do a good job there on the wall and help that puck get out, but we’ve got to make sure we’re on our toes jumping our D’s jumping on those plays, and you can probably create some odd-man rushes.”
Has this series been as physical as you anticipated?
“I thought last game was physical. I thought it was the most physical game out of the three. I think that overall we could be more physical in situations, but on the other hand, we don’t want to be running around out of control. Listen, this is a good team that has a real good attack. They’re fast; they skate well; you’ve got to be careful. You can’t lose people up ice and on the forecheck, end zone being too aggressive either. We don’t want to get in a rush game with these guys. We want to play good defense and like I said, we want to continue to try to grind them down low. We’ve got to do a better job of getting more pucks through to the net.”
Claude [Giroux] says he thinks you guys have a lot more to give. Do you agree with that assessment and are you happy with the effort so far in the first three games?
“Not the first game, but the last two I’m happy with the effort. I think that we have to execute better. Obviously you go 0-5 on the power play, it comes down to execution. One goal scored in the third game. There were a lot of attempts at the net and not enough got in there. Not enough got through. Not enough screens. To me it just comes down to execution more than anything.”
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transcript courtesy Flyers PR
