After dropping two games to open up a three-game, California road-trip, the Blue Jackets got a much needed win, downing the San Jose Sharks by a score of 4-2.
John Tortorella
On defending the lead, where the club had struggled the prior two games: "We still had a little bit of the yips with it. Bob made some key saves. Then I thought we settled ourselves down. They're a tough team because there's so many deflections around the goal. The save Bob makes on the Joe Pavelski, that's a set play with him and Burns, they've played together for so long, they're tough to stop. We have opportunities to make it 4-0, but (when they didn't score) you knew going into the third they were going to push."
On getting two huge points: "It's all about results and getting points. Against a rested team, a very good team, I thought for a lot of the game we played very well."
On the push from young players: "They've been put in situations where earlier in the year they weren't put in... And I think they're thriving."
On labeling a game "must win": "You gotta be really careful with the must-win, or, do-or-die, and all those lines... We still have a number of hockey games to be played. And it's so close, we've just gotta take it one game at a time. The biggest difference from this time of year from a coaching standpoint, is I'm going to with the guys that I think is going to give us a chance to win that game. It's not about developing, it's not about trying to help a guy along and see if his game gets going. Whoever's game is going, they're going to play."
On his confidence in Sonny Milano: "That guy has worked at his game, and has cut down on those silly turnovers. He has really worked at that point of the game. I think he feels so much more confident in those situations."
Nick Foligno
On the importance of tonight's win: "Huge. I said that, I said it's a must win game tonight. That was talked about before the game. We've gotta start getting that mentality in here. You win a tight game where they're coming, they're pushing, that's what teams do this time of year. We find a way to get some huge blocks, some good sticks, some huge saves by Bob, and find a way to get it done. That's what you need to do this time of year. Hope guys feel good about themselves that we can win these tight ones. It's gotta carry on into these next 16 games.
On where the team's confidence was after Anaheim versus after San Jose: "The confidence has always been there, it's just frustrating that we have these little lapses that cost us. You look at the whole body of work of the game, man, we do a lot of good things, but these little spurts that we seem to not get out of our game consistently enough. Tonight, we get up 3-0 but we find ways."
On playing with youngsters like Oliver Bjorkstrand and Sonny Milano: "I like it, it's fun. I told them that they scare the shit out of me but I love playing with them. They're so talented and they create so much, and I'm learning a lot from them, too. But I hope they learn from me, too, some of the things we need to do to manage games. But if they play with that kind of confidence and I can continue to help them in that regard, hopefully we can be a dangerous line and they'll be great players for us."
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