Steve Rucchin Quotations

We're just not poised enough with the puck. We're not managing the puck well and we're not taking advantage of what they've giving us. Give credit to Carolina. There's a reason they're in first place.

We're behind the 8-ball a little bit, but there's still a long way to go.

We did not do a good job in managing their pressure. There was a lot of running around and too many quality chances. Definitely the most sloppy game in this stretch, but fortunately, the power play came up big for us.

There are a lot of good teams out there, and if we want to be considered one of them, we have to show up to play for a full 60 minutes. From what I've seen the last two games, teams are sitting back, but our team is not poised enough with the puck. We seem to be ramming it down our own throats and moving it where they have their guys positioned.

Obviously we're not scoring, but we've given ourselves a chance in every game. So at the same time, it's a little bit of a silver lining because we're not being totally dominated in every game. It would be a little harder to swallow if we were being dominated on a nightly basis.

Of course it's not the way you want to start. It was embarrassing. If this game doesn't fire us up, I don't know what will. Obviously, we know what went wrong. We went to the penalty box too much.

I don't feel I've done much of anything through this point of the year.

I don't know what more motivation there is than to be on the brink of elimination and playing before fans that have been great for you all year. Ultimately, we're playing for each other in this room. But without a doubt, there isn't a guy in here that doesn't want to go out and play well and win in front of our fans. I mean, they've been unbelievable for us all year long.

I don't think it was so much what they did better (than Saturday night) as what we didn't do very well. It was just a bad game by us on all counts. It was the poorest of the year by far.

I don't think it took a goalie change to do anything. After the second period, things were going good. It was just a matter of time. It was just the team's work ethic. And Jaromir Jagr stepped up for us.

He does change the outcome of any shift. Knowing he's out there really makes teams change their game.

He's a great goalie. I played with him in Anaheim and I have nothing but good things to say about him. By no means does it surprise me.

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 think that's up to the medical staff. But I don't think that can be a bad thing.

We're not panicking. It's only two games. But maybe it's good that we are realizing that there are a lot of good teams out there, and if we want to be one of them, we have to show up and play a full 60 minutes. It's a great wake-up call.

We have to be really mad and upset with what happened here. This better be a huge lesson for a lot of guys. I hope the guys are pretty upset and frustrated.

Experience is big, it really is big. You understand the significance of not only every game, but every shift. You've been there and seen it.

We feel we have a better team. I've been here awhile and this is the most excited I've been. But we have to focus on making sure that we work hard and keep that going. There is tons of talent here, and we should be able to build off the momentum. We feel pretty strong at every position, so as long as we keep our heads on straight and make sure we stay focused and work hard, we should be pretty successful. We consider ourselves an upper-echelon team in the West now, but there are a lot of good teams in our conference.

We scored three power-play goals and did a good job killing penalties. Our defense did a great job. They allowed us to get the puck going the other way.

You'd see teams when they lost to us, after the game, underneath in the arena, and it would be off just like that.

Five-on-five is just as tough - there's no question in my mind that it's all the power play. It's such a fast game, it's easy to get caught out of position. There's still a good chance you're going to have to take a lot of these penalties.

There's no question it was an unbelievably frustrating game. We really have to be mad about what happened here today. It's not how you want to start. It's embarrassing.

There's no reason why he can't put up big numbers,

I skated with him for a bit. What I've seen this summer, he's ready to go. He's just as excited as anybody else. I think there's no question, he's still a go-to guy and I think that was a great signing by Nashville.

The work effort was a lot better tonight. It's frustrating when the puck doesn't go in. But once again, our special teams let us down. That's two games in a row and that's two losses. It's frustrating sure, but it gives us something to build on. It'll be a great atmosphere at Madison Square Garden. Sure, we're behind the 8-ball a little bit, but there's still a ways to go.

It was the right call. Just inches away; what can you do?

No question the third period could've been a lot better.

They are frustrating and demoralizing to give up, especially since we didn't score any 5-on-5 goals.

It's embarrassing. A lot of guys need to take a look in the mirror and quit taking those foolish penalties, which has been a problem all season long. It's going to have to stop in a hurry.

It was good coming off our last performance. That's what good teams have to do.

It's a huge letdown after our effort the last game. Good teams find a way to show up and not let this happen.

It's a hindrance, no question. I feel pretty confident that when I'm out there, I'll be able to be competitive and productive. Even if you don't get the minutes or opportunities that you might be accustomed to, maybe the minutes you can play will be enough to help the team out in any way possible. There's no question I want to play.

It's that time of year. Every point is just so crucial for a lot of teams we're playing right now. We've set ourselves in a good position, but by no means are we taking it for granted or feel that we're going to sail into the playoffs.

It's another game that will test what kind of team we are. We've had a lot of those this year, but this is so close to the playoffs. It's definitely a test of where we are and it could show what we're likely to do or what we aren't depending on what happens in the game.

It's unbelievable how many times you've seen that. A guy gets traded and he scores in his first game. It's a new beginning for Pete now and it's just a sign of good things to come. He just makes the game really easy for the guys on the ice.

The biggest thing now for us is the goaltending -- they've been giving us a chance to win every game,

It's definitely not a case of an over-dominating performance. We were fortunate in the fact that we played a team that was tired.

It's hard to believe what happened out there today. It's extremely embarrassing. We were embarrassed. And it's our fault. It's unacceptable. It's inexcusable.

It's huge. Obviously he brings a lot of firepower back into the lineup. More importantly, he adds some heart and determination to the lineup. You never have enough guys like that.

It was a pretty lackluster start. We got a little better as the game went on, but only a few guys came to play tonight. I don't want to think we're feeling too good about ourselves, but you never know. It's definitely going to be addressed, there's no question. It's a huge letdown.

No team has an identity yet. The first few weeks will be a feeling-out period.

It was a good bounce. I was coming off the bench high so the puck came right across to me. It was pretty fortunate, but I'll take it because bounces have been few and far between for me this year.

It was pretty exceptional to watch. Something like that will be tough to match, but he works hard and is pretty focused. The playoffs are different than an 82-game regular season schedule. We know he'll be there for us this year, because he's the biggest part of our team. But hopefully people don't expect the same thing, because that would be pretty unreasonable.

Once again our special teams let us down. That's two games in a row and that's two losses.

If you look at the goals against and you show anybody those numbers, you'd think it would be impossible to lose five in a row.

I don't think there's any bigger goal than that one right there, up to this point. It was another highlight reel by our best player. And it just kind of shows the kind of character he has to just take charge like that.

He's one of the best players in the world. I don't care what team it is in the league, you lose a guy like that it's going to be difficult.

I came off the bench with a little bit of a late change. It was a fortunate bounce but if I wasn't coming off the bench I probably would've been a lot lower.

You can say it was a successful season. But to just get to this point is not satisfactory.

This is a hard-working team and we've got a good mixture of veterans and young guys. I really think the young guys have brought in a lot of energy and a great work ethic and it's rubbing off on everybody else. Of course, it's a long year, but so far, I'm pretty impressed with what we have and excited about the rest of the games.

You work so hard to get to this point and then shoot yourself in the foot like that, it's inexcusable. It really is. Guys were losing their composure out there and that obviously can't happen. I guess if there's any light on it, it happened in Game 1. That's going to be a quick lesson for us.

The goals we gave them were totally unacceptable. We need to make teams earn their goals. Our momentum went straight out the window.