Interview With The Coach, “We have some gifted goal scorers and when they get the puck on their stick good things happen.”

Some notes from the post-playoff Game 3 interview with Killer on the TEAM 1200/Dean Brown and Gord Wilson.

(About last night’s game) I thought we played well. But we played well up in Sudbury both games. We came back and I thought we skated really well and moved the puck. And we had some good chances.

(On Sudbury scoring first) We’ve a bit of a habit of coming back. We try to continue to skate and try to get goals.

(On Hulit getting scored) You have to understand he’s a right hand shot coming off the left hand wing. It was a great shot and a much needed goal.

(On Petruzalek’s goal) He went to the net and beat the defenceman with speed. He looked to pass, and maybe the goaltender anticipated the pass. He was fortunate that he found a hole.

(On the 67s’ SOG) We’ve been going to the net and getting a lot of shots ourselves. We’ve got some guys that are pretty talented.

(On Coach Foligno’s outburst during the first period) He was trying to stir up his team, shake them up, let them know that they’ll need to play better. Probably trying to deflect a little pressure from his team. That’s my explanation of it.

(On hit to Mancari) [According to Dean, Lee Versage talked with Ted Baker from OHL, and was told that Musselman has been suspended indefinitely. Tomorrow all the principal players will meet, and a decision likely on Thursday. It’s posted on the OHL Media Notes here.] It was uncalled for and we don’t need it in our game. You’d think that we would learn from past experiences. We’re under the microscope because we’re junior hockey and there’s no NHL. This sort of detracts from the game it is. In the playoffs emotions get carried away and you do things that are not characteristic. It’s tough because kids are emotional. But you have to draw a line, and that line was crossed. Mark won’t skate today. He’s got a headache as you’d expect. We’re hoping that he’ll be in the line up tomorrow.

(Will you be at the meeting?) No. That’s a league decision. They’ve seen the video and they have it. They don’t take the opposition coach for anything. They might ask [Coach] Foligno to join Musselman.

(Things the team did well) The way we moved the puck, took chances, and capitalized. We have some gifted goal scorers and when they get the puck on their stick good things happen. We probably had about 18 good scoring chances. (Sudbury?) I only keep track of my own.

Danny has been the reason we’re here. We just went through a tough series and if it was wasn’t for Danny Battochio you probably wouldn’t be doing this interview with me.

We had a lot of shots and a lot of traffic. When you’re getting chances eventually they go in. Sometimes you’re not quite as sharp because you’re using best players to kill penalties, and then asking them to go out and score goals.

(On talking to the team about controlling emotions) You’ll do it today and you’ll do it again tomorrow. You win games by staying on the ice and playing 5-on-5. If you lose control of your emotions you give the other team a chance to win.

(Workout for today?) A light skate today. It’s not conditioning; that isn’t a problem. Just staying sharp.