Mike Williamson Quotations

Right now, minor mistakes are costing us games. We have to learn how to win, and know that every battle on the ice is critical.

If we play well together, we have the ability to be successful.

(Mucha) was exceptional tonight. He gave us a chance to be in it to the end.

Mike has really developed into a guy where if you need a goal, you have him in on the ice and the same when you are defending the lead. He plays in all situations and provides leadership in the dressing room. He logs a ton of ice time.

He's keeping us alive for stretches of games when we're not playing our best.

We try to preach that if you work hard and stick to the fundamentals, maybe you'll get those breaks.

Martin's agent called us this week and said that Martin realizes he made a terrible mistake and he wants to come back and apologize to the team.

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.

I think consistency has been the big thing. Mike always had high-end game at times, but he would play to fancy. But the last two years he has really worked on that.

I think, and I hope, that there is enough pride in our guys that they'll make it tough. We want to make it very tough for Vancouver to get that next win. We'd like to bring the series back to Portland.

Our goal is to make and then do well in the playoffs. That losing streak was something that needed to end. We're not happy with our season and we want to continue for it to get better.

I think he will be strong defensively with an offensive upside, but he needs to work on his shot and get a stronger to handle the guys up there, but he skates and passes well. The NHL game is a more controlled game than here and I think he will suit that kind of game very well.

You know what? I think what we need Kurtis to do is play the way he has the last month. If you look back to when Kurtis emerged, I don't think there's any more pressure on him now than there was then.

You can go (to the front of the goal) 100 times and the puck might only wind up there once. But if you don't go there, you're not going to get that one.

We knew tonight was going to be tough. We were a tired, tired hockey team that won two big emotional games, and hung on for dear life last night.

Every game on the trip so far we've played some good hockey.

With the confidence not being there right now, it's important for people to step up and push other people to elevate their games.

(Specialty teams) are going to continue to be very important. Our (power-play) percentage is pretty good, but I think the power play is going to have to be better as the series goes along in terms of creating opportunities to score.

He's the best player on the ice. We need to know where he is all the time.

They've played some great hockey on this trip.

It's helped our whole team. We still need to elevate our play quite a bit, but we seem to be playing better for longer stretches (of games).

It's helped us in a lot of areas.

They're not a team we want to fall behind two or three goals to. So we want to have a strong start, get some offense early, but not at the expense of defense.

I certainly don't want to take anything away from Vancouver. They are a very good team. But, we didn't have enough guys compete to the level of their ability.