Puck Quotations | Page 2

He was the dominant factor in this game, no doubt. The one thing we could have done was get in front of him better. But we moved the puck well, made some great decisions. But we couldn't finish.

He was the X-factor in that series. We just couldn't get the puck behind him.

Holly's a very good offensive player. Her strength is her scoring. She takes the puck hard to the net, her skills are as good as any player I saw in the state this year, and she's very competitive.

Hockey is the ultimate team sport. You have to have all of the pieces working together. My example is I always use is Wayne Gretzky. He would often be in front of the net and get the puck from two guys who were getting the heck pounded out of them in the corner. They were making a lot less than him. They get bloody. Gretzky puts the puck in the net and he gets the glory.

Hockey players are doing everything that other athletes do and more, but we're doing it on ice. We've got to be able to avoid body contact like basketball and football players, and we've got to be able to handle this puck with our sticks?while we're moving on eight-inch steel blades. Hockey uses every single muscle in the body, without exception.

He's got the sweetest hands I think I've seen on a guy. He doesn't panic with the puck at all. He doesn't let too much intimidate him or rattle him out there, and that's a big thing.

When they have the puck on their stick, there is no reason why you should go at them because they've got so much skill and so much speed they would just fly and go around us. We just waited and if we could, we'd go.

When they shoot form the middle they have so many options, it can hit someone. It's easier when we let them shoot from the sides. There's more time to see the puck easier. We talked about it to pressure harder and pressure at the right times and I think that's the key right now.

He seemed to me moving a little bit towards the end so hopefully that is a good sign. He was going for a loose puck and both guys collided. They didn't have much time to react. You never like to see any players go down. The doctors were in there very quickly.

He's been the best goalie in the league for such a long time, for the last 10 years maybe. Plus, he looks like he even gets better as the games get tougher. We have to shoot the puck and hope for the best, hope that he's going to have a bad game. We just have to hope.

He's always in position. When you're in position, the puck usually comes to you, hits you. He makes good plays. When you're in good position, good things happen.

He's a real mobile, very poised with the puck and defends well. For a 20-year-old, he's got a man's body and he skates so well and moves laterally. It's just a matter of getting used to the pace of the game. We hope over time that he develops a bit more of an offensive edge to his game, but right now we don't put a lot of pressure on him to do that. He's going to play, it's just a question of how good he'll be. Is he going to be an All-Star or not?

He's a skilled player who has been able to put the puck in the net on a regular basis. Jesse also took more of a leadership role this season and is a very solid player.

Hopefully this is a good slap in the face for our players. We turned the puck over in the neutral zone 30 times. When you lose execution its hard to get it back. I'm disappointed in the way our top players played and execution. It's just one game and we have to move on.

He's being too hard on himself. I will say, when you see Chad with the puck on his stick in that position, you expect it to be in the net. It didn't happen this time, but he's the last guy I'd be pointing fingers at with all he's done for us.

He's going to get a good taste of what he needs to work on. When he moves the puck, he's very effective. When he hangs on to the puck too long in an effort to make a pretty play, he gets exposed.

He might have been the best player among both teams. He is so strong on the puck. He's great at keeping possession of it. He'll fend off opponents by using his body and shifting his weight. He'll enable us to sustain a power play another 20 seconds by winning a loose puck and controlling it.

He loves to watch you put the puck in the net. I never asked him why he didn't want to score more himself; I was afraid he would change his mind.

He made some good plays out there and got the puck to the net.

He made some unbelievable saves again tonight where he got a piece of the puck and kept us in the game and then kept the lead.

He made the move to his forehand really quick, and got the puck up just high enough to get it over my pad. He executed it pretty well.

He made the saves when he had to and the defense moved the puck up the ice well and played well clearing rebounds.

He looked solid, in control, he's following the puck and he looks big in the net.

He looks real confident out there when he's got the puck. You can tell that the other teams are backing off when he's got it. When he's got the puck he's hanging onto the puck, beating one or two guys. He's drawing two guys, too, to him, so he's just going to create so many chances -- if he's not going to score, other players around him are going to score.

He has real poise with the puck, so, when he gets it, he doesn't panic. That's probably the biggest key for him. He doesn't feel pressure to move it because there's pressure applied. He waits for the right play to happen and he passes the puck so darned well. When there is an opportunity, he makes that one pass and we're out of the zone.

He has size, strength, vision and speed--and he shoots the puck dead-on. He's only 20 years old and he's a major force. When he matures, he'll be dominating.

He is just playing so well. He's finding open space and I'm just kind of looking to get the puck and put it on his tape. It's pretty awesome.

We talked about playing really strong on special teams, and this was a good test for us. After the first period I thought we played really well, moving the puck down low and opening up some chances.

He (Malhotra) put the puck on the net and we had traffic in front of the net. It was one of the few times that we had bodies in front of the net tonight. The guys worked hard for it.

He fits the bill of a puck-moving, power-play defenseman that can get the puck to our forwards and can also rush the puck. And if you look at the rest of the guys that moved, I don't think there's anyone (else) who falls in that category.

He give us the flexibility to do some things with our lineup, by him being able to play both defense and forward. He's got an unselfish personality. He's got some speed and one year he scored 14 goals, too. So there's some ability to shoot the puck and score.

He goes to the net hard when he gets in front. It's like he sees red, you know? He bears down and makes sure the puck ends up in the back of the net.

He doesn't really shoot a lot. He can score, there's no question about it, but he likes to pass. He likes to hold on to the puck because he's so big and strong. He's so great with the puck that I just have to find the holes because he draws a lot of attention. He could score 40 or 50, but he likes to pass a lot more.

He got me with his shoulder or his helmet, I'm not sure which. I thought the puck was going down the boards and then all of a sudden it was in front of me, and, bang.

We took some penalties at crucial points. We just didn't defend well. We had our opportunities, we just didn't manage to get the puck past Nabokov.

We're pretty familiar with them. It's just drop the puck and play.

Were pretty familiar with them obviously, so we just need to drop the puck and play. It's just going to be a battle of wills.

We're pretty much similar. We're both strong guys. He's very gifted with the puck and can make the same play down low as myself.

John brought it out front and I crashed the net. I was yelling for the puck and he got it over to me.

Just shoot the puck whenever you get a chance. It's been my motto for 10 years.

I was coming off the bench, so the puck came right across me. Long breakaways like that, you almost don't like having them. It gives you too much time to think. I think I was pretty fortunate, but I will definitely take it because the bounces have been few and far between for me this year. Special teams were obviously huge for us.

I was definitely a little nervous. But once I got the puck and started going, my natural instincts took over.

Mats is our best player, in fact he's a world-class player. When you get on an odd-man rush, you know he's going to get the puck to you.

Some games you need to use as learning tools. They pass the puck well, shoot it and play good hockey. It's good for our girls to see that. There's a lot to learn from a team like that.

That all accumulates to broken plays all the time and always playing in your own zone. Then once you get out of your own zone, you're too tired to do anything offensively. Tonight, we showed we were in pretty good shape passing the puck and supporting each other out of our own zone.

Regardless of the results, we played outstanding in the first. We played at both ends of the ice, shot the puck finally. We didn't get rewarded, but there's not many times you won't if you keep playing like that.

Reggie has done a lot of things away from the play as far as his defensive play and his play without the puck. He's been in areas and made some big plays without the puck as well.

Patty played a great game. He was taking the puck to the net, and he was a force. I think he got excited when he saw he was going to be on the point on the power play.

Our main focus right now is our D zone coverage. Hopefully when the puck drops we'll be ready.

Our member clubs, our officials, our players and our hockey operations people will face many challenges in the weeks and months ahead. My job is to make sure that everyone stays focused on the objective of fostering competitive NHL hockey that features flow, skill, speed, puck movement and skating.

(Paul) is a clutch player. He's been playing varsity hockey since he was in ninth grade. That's who you want to get the puck to with the game on the line.

People like the glamour and the glamour with Scotty is his hits. That's what they remember. They don't want to talk about him taking the puck away from Jaromir Jagr with one hand or anything like that.

I saw 'Fro.' The puck got dumped in, so I just said, 'Oh, I'm just going to go to the front of the net,' and all of a sudden he had it. I don't know if there was anybody around me or not. I just know he put a great pass on me. He just threw it on my stick and it was in the net. It was a pretty good feeling.

I saw the puck very well and the guys were clearing the rebounds for me so that's a good combination.

I saw the puck was loose, so in that situation you just start digging. Whoever touched it last, it doesn't matter. Jason has a better celebration than I do, so I'm glad they gave it to him.

I think what happened in the third period against Latvia carried over. We just skated to the puck and controlled the game. We pinned them in their own zone; we were buzzing pretty good out there.

Just getting a bit more puck luck, ... The chances were there. I just wasn't putting them away before.

I think Dougie is a great player. I actually played with him my last year here. He's really a shifty guy on the ice. He fakes, moves and all of a sudden the puck is on your tape.

Jeremy Owen just kept pressuring the puck and creating chances for us all night.

Maybe people don't notice it but I feel stronger out there. I'm not getting knocked off the puck as much. Obviously I still have a ways to go as far as growing and getting stronger but confidence-wise, I'd say this is the best I've felt in my three years (since turning pro).

I'm still getting used to the D and they're still getting used to me but I yell a lot out there. They let me see the puck tonight and that's key as any goalie will tell you.

I'm shooting the puck more, but I know I need a big weekend to get 50 in 50. Especially on the power play, goalies cheat to Rob's side because he shoots the puck a lot every game, so I'm looking at a lot of empty nets. With me, I'm usually passing, but you try to mix it up so the goalie doesn't know what you're going to do.

I thought he was our best player. He moved the puck well, he made some real clever passes. He also made some plays where he was getting in himself, using his own speed.

It hasn't been that we haven't played well against them, but more that the puck didn't go our way.

I think Malakhov can log some of the minutes Niedermayer put up. Just look at the guy. He moves, passes the puck and shoots as well as anybody in the league. He just looks confident.

I thought I had it jammed between my body and the glove. I didn't see it and I thought I was going to hold it long enough for the whistle and then all of a sudden I saw it trickle in. The puck didn't go my way on that play.

I thought in overtime we did a lot better passing the puck around, and we were more poised. We have to be more sharp on the power play, and you can't pass up any shots, either.

I thought in the last 30 minutes he was the best player on the ice. I thought his rebound control was great. I thought his moving of the puck was outstanding. He made probably seven or eight key saves for us down in the last 25-30 minutes.

I thought it'd be a 4-3 game. They dominated in the first five minuets, and we dominated the rest. We moved the puck really well.

I thought Jeff was really sharp, and the puck is starting to go for us.

I thought Kevin stopped the puck and so did he. When a goalie doesn't look behind him and is waiting for the whistle, he thinks he's got the puck under his pads. The shot just had enough on it to get through.

I thought he showed a lot of courage tonight. I thought he protected the puck as best he could and could make plays only he could make. He wasn't able to manufacture much offensively off the shot. He played to the best of his ability and it was important to have him in the lineup and in our dressing room.

I was just trying to stop the puck, wherever it was. I was fighting the puck a little bit.

I was just proud of the whole team. That's a team win if you've ever seen one. Everyone competed, and we got some great goals. I thought we were very hungry taking the puck to the net.

I was just trying to catch him. He had a little bit of a step on me. I just waited for him to bring the puck over and I went to lift his stick. But he moved his stick and I brought mine up on him. It was unlucky I guess but they made it count.

I was just trying to focus on the puck and give our guys a chance to win. You have to control the things you can control and for me, that's stopping the puck.

I was just trying to get the puck on net.

I went to get the puck and they waved icing off at the last second. I saw him coming out of the corner of my eye. I was against the boards so I was going to eat the puck. He came in high. I don't know if he came in with an elbow but he definitely left his feet.

I think that we battled very hard (in the semifinal). The puck went their way. It could have gone our way a lot of times. But there are positive games and this was one of them.

I was worried about that. It has happened quite a bit. We have done a lot of good things in all parts of our game except put the puck in the back of the net. You could feel the same thing. But we made a step in the right direction. We didn't wait for something bad to happen.

I think they started off a little sluggish this year, but they really put it together in the second half. When they don?t have the puck they?re very committed to defense. To get through the center zone and to the net - that?s going to be our challenge.

Our power play got us a couple of big ones and our PK did what it had to do. Keep the puck to the outside. They work very, very hard.

Overtime was almost exactly like the end of the third period. We got the puck down in their end and called a timeout. We debated on whether or not to pull the goalie again. We decided to stay the way we were and Abby made an outstanding shot from the corner with 15.1 seconds left to give us the win.

Our special teams are getting better and we still want to keep moving in both categories, ... We're moving the puck and doing the things we want to do.

Over all, this was the best game they've played in the series. They were very tenacious and they caused us to make soft plays with the puck at inopportune times.

Our forwards were able to control the puck down low. The effort was certainly there tonight.

I think he's the ultimate team guy. He sacrifices everything ... does whatever it takes to score a goal, keep the puck out of the net, motivate the team. His skill is underrated. He just works so hard. I think his skill is underrated because of his shot-blocking and the big hits that he makes. He's always willing to do all the dirty work.

I think he was a little surprised the puck came right out to him. He had to take a step back before he could shoot, and I was able to get more set for the shot.

I was trying to protect the puck and he stole it off me. I have to be stronger there, I have to make a play, that turnover cost us a goal.

I was trying to find the puck between my legs. He caught me right at that moment when you're on your heels and kind of backing off and flat footed. That's just part of the game. It was a good clean hit.

I was trying to get there and sweep the puck away. It was an unfortunate mistake and took our momentum away.

I was excited after the first period, we came out and played very well. Then we got cute with the puck in the second and it went from 3-1 to 3-3 in a hurry. You have to play 60 minutes to win in this league.

I was going for the puck along the boards by the red-line. I was trying to dig it out, I was going full speed and I was going to move around the D-man. He kind of stuck his foot out and my stick got stuck in his skate or whatever and I ran full speed into my stick.

I think our prospects are great heading in, but anybody can beat anybody. (Against) Cranbrook we played extremely well, but lost. You need a little puck luck.

I think our team played great -- a great team game. We're back to where we were at the beginning of the season. We're not turning the puck over like we had been, and we're doing the little things you need to do to win games. We were rewarded for our hard work.

I think he's come a really long way. You can just see that he has so much more confidence now and he's what this team needs. He's not a guy who just throws the puck off the glass. He always looks to make a great breakout pass and he's proving to be very good at that.

I think he scored a beautiful goal and did a great job and he is good, ... He scored a great goal and did a great job, and he controlled the puck beautifully. He's good.

I think he made my career. Playing with a guy who can move the puck like that and control the game like that ... just to be part of it was unbelievable. I'm glad I'm here tonight.

It felt like I stepped in a hole. I tried to step up and chip the puck out of our zone, and I must have caught a rut in the ice. The ankle just rolled over and buckled.

I think the puck was bouncing a little more for them today.