NHL Peachy: 2014 Stanley Cup Final Post-Game 3 Transcripts (Los Angeles - Richards, Quick)

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An interview with:

MIKE RICHARDS

JONATHAN QUICK

Q. How would you describe the confidence level, your confidence level right now and the team's?

JONATHAN QUICK: I don't think it would be any different if we were down 3-0, and they had the lead. You know, we're just trying to win a game in a couple days here. That's the focus.

Q. As someone who grew up not far from here playing your first game at MSG in the Stanley Cup Final, what did tonight mean to you?

JONATHAN QUICK: It was a playoff hockey game. We were trying to win a hockey game. We did a lot of things the right way. We were able to do that, so...

Now we get ready for the next one. The fourth one is always the most difficult, so...

Q. You're now one win away from your second Stanley Cup in three years. Can you taste it at this point?

JONATHAN QUICK: Nope.

Q. When we talk to you, it's always the same answer, it's like it's 0-0 in the series. Do you ever change your attitude? Are you even excited you're one more game closer to the Stanley Cup than you were a few weeks ago?

JONATHAN QUICK: I would say it's an exciting time of the year. It was exciting against San Jose. It's why you play hockey, to play in the playoffs.  

Obviously nothing's done, nothing's finished. We still have a lot to work to do. We do know the fourth is always the most difficult, so we have a lot of work to do.

Q. Can you talk about how you felt in there tonight. Did you feel like you were going to stop everything that came at you? Did you have that feeling?

JONATHAN QUICK: No, you make one save and then you try and make the next. You know, we had a lot of guys that blocked shots, cleared rebounds. Their PK was very good tonight. You know, possibly the difference in the game, so...

You just make one save at a time and you try and get ready for the next one. That's all.

Q. Growing up so close to New York, what was your relationship like with the Rangers? Did you come here?

JONATHAN QUICK: I didn't come to many games, but I watched a few. I would say I was a Rangers fan growing up. You know, it was a good hour and a half away so it was tough to get in here and watch games.

Q. Did you play here as a kid at some point?

JONATHAN QUICK: That was the one game I was actually able to catch. They had a peewee championship team that goes to the Québec tournament. We did a shootout in between periods, you know. 

To all you guys that said I never played here, I did play here once (laughter).

Q. How old were you then?

JONATHAN QUICK: 12.

Q. How do you compare this team with the last Cup winners you played on?

JONATHAN QUICK: It's tough to compare. It was a couple of years ago. Obviously we got a lot of new guys. We got a lot of guys that were around for that run. 

But, you know, we were able to find ways to win games then. We've been able to do that so far this year. The only difference right now is that team won 16 games, and we haven't won 16 yet, so we're going to keep working.

Q. I asked you a few times throughout this playoff run, are you having fun? You don't look like it even though you're one win away from it.

JONATHAN QUICK: Like I said, this is the time you work so hard to play in the playoffs. It's most fun to play in these types of games, these types of environments. 

Maybe it seems like I'm not having fun. Whether you win or lose, these are the games that you want to play. This is why you work so hard, to play in these types of games.

Q. The first period, Zuccarello looked like he had an open net. Did you get a piece of that with your stick paddle?

JONATHAN QUICK: First period? Second period maybe?

Q. It was the first.

JONATHAN QUICK: I don't know. Yeah, no, I don't know. I know there was my stick, his stick. I think one of our defensemen was there, too. I don't know if it took a weird hop or something. It was kind of a scramble. I don't know. I forget.

Q. Earlier this year when you were working your way back from back surgery, did you ever worry or wonder if you would be able to get back to the level you're at now?

JONATHAN QUICK: Well, the back surgery was two years ago. This year was the grind.  

I didn't have any surgery or anything this year. It's just more of a let it heal type of mentality for that injury. You know, when I came back, obviously we took all the proper precautions to make sure that it was 100% healed, you know, that I was in shape, everything felt good going into my first game with the team. 

I was playing good hockey when I came back. I don't think it was much of a question.  

But obviously it's something you don't want to aggravate or anything like that.

MIKE RICHARDS: Right now or always I guess? 

Ever since I came to this team, it's always been a team that has fun around each other, fun to go to the rink, enjoys each other's company. It's no different to this day. We seem to be a big family.  

I know a lot of people say that. I've been on some close teams, but this is probably the tightest knit group that I've been a part of. I think it shows on the ice how hard everyone plays.

Q. Talent-wise what is special?

MIKE RICHARDS: Well, we can start with Quick, one of the best goaltenders in the world, and Drew Doughty, one of the best defensemen in the world. Then you go to centers and have Kopitar, one of the best centers in the world. 

That's a pretty good start, I think.

Q. Could you talk about how big your goal was? How big a lift did that give you guys?

MIKE RICHARDS: I think Carter's goal was the big one. In a series, we haven't played well off the start. I thought we played a pretty good first period. To get that at the end of the period made us feel good going to the dress the room.  

Any time you can increase your lead I think it's important. Muzzin got the one in the second, and then another one late in the third.  

We're a team that plays a lot different I think when we have the lead and we play with confidence. We don't sit back. We just keep pushing. I thought we did a good job of that tonight.

Q. You've come back from a 3-0 deficit in these playoffs in the first round. How much is that in your mindset that you're up 3-0?

MIKE RICHARDS: Well, we know it's possible. The last game's always the hardest. No matter what series or what the series is at, it's always the hardest to do. 

We played a good game. We're going to have to play a better game if we're going to want to have success.  

It's a good hockey team over there. We're fortunate right now to get some bounces. Hopefully that continues.

Q. You guys were out-shot by a wide margin. What is the confidence level that this group has when you know that Jonathan Quick is behind you?

MIKE RICHARDS: Yeah, he made a bunch of big saves in the first. Gave us a chance to get the lead for him. When he's on top of his game, which he is most of the time, I think that allows us to make plays with confidence. 

When we can make plays, knowing if something happens, he's back there to save us. When we start making plays and we're confident with the puck, I think that's when we play our best.