Kyle McLaren Quotations

We're in a very tough situation right now. This was a big game for us right there. We can still make it, but it's going to be tough.

So far, the series has been special teams. If you control the puck, you're on offense more than defense. The key is not allowing them to control it as much as they would like. In 5-on-5, when our key players are holding it, it's helped us draw penalties.

So many people projected us not even to make the playoffs 2 1/2 weeks ago. We have big things to look forward to right now.

For some reason, we played well against them (the East), now it's time to play well in our own conference.

Guys are stepping up at the right times right now. For us to make the playoffs we need everybody rolling. Things are going our way for once.

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

I thought we played the rush OK. Playing one-on-one with no stick and a guy's driving the net . . . with the new rules, there's not much I could do without a stick. I don't know what else I could do there besides go down. I really don't know. We played 40 minutes of solid hockey. Then we embarrassed ourselves for 20.

Our speed tonight was pretty good throughout. We have to improve in some areas. ... We gave up one goal, and I don't like giving up any goals, so we have to improve on that.

Marcel stole another from me, ... but at that point of the game you don't care who scores.

Just because the games are supposed to be 8-7 doesn't mean we have to accept it as defensemen. I certainly don't want that.

When they can get the momentum on a couple 5-on-3s, it's tough to take back. They have some really talented players over there. If you give them too many opportunities, especially 5-on-3, they're going to capitalize.

We played 40 minutes of solid hockey, we came back and then we embarrassed ourselves for 20 minutes. That's not the way we play offensively, defensively or in the neutral zone. And everyone's accountable.

We had a tendency on the road to sit back and see what happens but tonight we did the little things right.

We talked about getting off to a good start. For once we were the team that was a little more rested than they were.

There have been a ton of penalties called, so special teams is going to dictate a lot of games. Whoever has good special teams can go far in the playoffs, and I think we have good special teams play when we want to.

Even for us to get the first goal, they were getting the puck deep and not turning it over. They were just doing the little things right and sometimes that can really boost the momentum.

Special teams was good tonight, especially the penalty kill.

Special teams let us down. You have to thrive on special teams and we didn't do it.

They've got a pretty good power play at home. When you give somebody with a good power play like that, it's going to cost you.

They're a really good team and if you give them chances to score they're going to score eventually. We just gave them too many chances at the wrong time.

It's two big points we just let slip.

It's been pretty amazing the run we've been on the past couple of months. To finish as high as fifth when so people projected us to not even make the playoffs just 2 1/2 weeks ago. It's something special. But we have bigger things to look forward to now.

Things fell apart and snowballed. I wish I could put my finger on it, but it's a combination of things falling apart. We gave up four goals in the third period, we can't start doing that.

Things didn't go our way but we didn't hang our heads and we fought harder than we did the last couple of games. But it's frustrating, especially when you're up 2-1 with five minutes to go in the game.

I'm wondering why it took us so long to get started, especially in the battle we're in. It's inexcusable. We've got to get better, because there's only nine games left.

Hopefully we're getting greedy. Two months ago, nobody would have thought we would be here.

I don't think anyone enjoys giving up short-handed goals. We kept our composure and didn't let it get to us. The guys kept it going, we didn't panic.

You watch games and find yourself rooting against teams that are ahead of you. It's a tough position to be in, needing to win games and needing others to lose.

You want to keep playing, especially when you start winning. It's helped a couple of us who have been injured, but otherwise you want to keep the momentum going. Sometimes that's harder with a four- or five-day layoff.