NHL Peachy: 2015 Western Conference Finals Practice Day Transcript (Chicago - Coach Quenneville) Our Coverage Sponsored by Martin's Tavern of Georgetown Est. 1933
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An interview with:
COACH JOEL QUENNEVILLE
Q. A lot of talk the last day or so whether you would keep Kane and Toews together. Looks like they may be together. Just your logic on why you want to do that?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: We'll see. I know in Game 5 later in the game, they had some shifts together. I thought they were dangerous. I thought they were really good last game as well.
We'll start them together and we'll work it out and see what happens.
Q. Joel, are you at all worried that affects the balance. You usually keep them apart for a reason?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: No, the reason is it gives us depth because the balance gives them more coverage to be concerned with, makes us a deeper team.
So I think that's usually why they don't play together. Sometimes on a need basis or short-term basis we put them together.
Q. Joel, looks like you're sticking with Rundblad over Timonen. What did you see from him in Game 6 that gives you the confidence to do that?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: He was fine in the game. I thought he was quick to the puck. I thought he made some simple plays. Think that's what he's got to continue to do.
Good with the puck and play recognition, got some patience as well. There's some upside in the offensive zone.
Q. A lot of players are saying they dreamed of playing a Game 7. As a coach, is it a dream to coach a Game 7?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: It's fun. It's certainly an intense setting. There's a lot on the line obviously. You know, you prepare like it's a meaningful game. We've been in a lot of big games as we've gone along here with this group.
I think that helps you going into a game like tomorrow. Can't wait for it to start.
Q. Along those lines, a couple weeks ago you said you got nervous before the first game of the regular season and the first game of the playoffs. Are you at all nervous for a seventh game?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: I'll get excited for sure. Probably a different level than we've seen in a lot of these games. I think those first couple games that you mentioned you get nervous. This one you get more excited.
Q. Joel, I asked Bruce this earlier. As a coach, you spend all your time focusing on your opponent, preparing your team. Do you have a chance to ever appreciate just how good this series is or maybe not till after it's over?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: You know, watching the games, when you review the games, watch them, all of a sudden it takes on an element, This is pretty entertaining stuff. When you're looking at it from a technical side, positioning awareness. Then you sit back and say, Man, it's very intense.
It's an amazing series. Commend both teams for where they're at. The consistency, the battle, predictability, the dangerousness, a lot of lines, the pace. It's been great.
Q. Coach, obviously your top four have carried a big load on defense. With Duncan in particular, how much of a comfort level does it give you to have a guy that as he has shouldered more responsibility his game actually gets better?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: Yeah, I think that we're very aware of what he brings and what he means to our team. The consistency, you know, the bigger minutes sometimes he gets better. You know, we've had seasons where we got to try to get Duncan's minutes down from 30 to 28 to mid 20s. We try to work him lower as we go along. Then we get in games where you got to win, it's an important game. More minutes, you got to do whatever you can at that stage. And we find the more he gets, the more he keeps doing it.
He's been great for us. He's having a heck of a playoff as well.
Q. Joel, your team’s goals scored usually goes down in the playoffs, this year it's gone up. Can you pinpoint why you're scoring more goals now than the regular season?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: No. You ask me these questions, not you, but the group, about how many times we've given up three goals in a period this playoffs. It's a different rate. We haven't had too many of those during the regular season. But it's gone the normal number this playoffs. I'm sure that's the reason why, you know, we've given up some goals after big shifts, after goals have just been scored.
I think those are the areas, you know, that we have to make sure that can't happen.
Q. What about the goals for?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: Oh, goals for? Well, every game is different. Our defense has been part of it. The back end has been fine be it off the rush in the end zone. Balance on our lines. Kaner coming back giving us a boost is a big part of that, as well.
Q. Obviously a year ago you called that loss, Game 7, brutal, one of the worst ones you've had. You had to fight just to get back to this position you're in right now. Is tomorrow really a chance for redemption in a way?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: Call it redemption. You know, it's a great opportunity for us. It's a long process when we exited that game at home last year. To get to this stage, it's a long road. There's a lot of twists along the road. There's a lot of bumps and curves and challenges.
The perseverance of the group is amazing. You know, to be right back where we're at today, going into tomorrow, you couldn't ask for a better opportunity.
Q. 'Game 7' is the greatest two words in sports. You get to participate in one. Will you be watching the Eastern Conference Finals today? Can you be a fan at this point?
COACH QUENNEVILLE: I’ll be both. I'll be watching and a little bit of entertainment value out of it.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.
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