“Tage Thompson Led The Way” | Buffalo Sabres Coach Don Granato After 5-2 Win Over New Jersey Devils
What got you through uh the first period um with penalties you got through with a good penalty kill you got through you gave up two goals what got you through it and then on to the perseverance I mean the two goals that went in went off our guys so uh
That’s a tough goal one I think went off two guys and then the next one went off PKA in um but I thought the guys dealt with that very well uh from a psychological standpoint and came out uh the second with uh you know determination
To to elevate and they did did you think that they took I guess a simple approach to get back into the game and not trying to force things and to just chip Puck deep and and just try to create off of that willing to to grind a bit uh
Willing to hit the repeat button on it uh I thought Thompson obviously scored but he led the way he was solid even in the first period uh less frustration um you know even in the first uh when pucks went in off of us um which is is a tough
You know it’s that’s a it’s something you got to deal with and and U like the way our guys deal with it obviously and yeah de’s in a tough spot not knowing you know how many more games he’s going to get just what did it mean to get that
Game and some of the saves he made in those times to that spot yeah he he uh he was very good um very dialed in again in the situation of two the first two goals went off you know the the second one was but Bill said I think
That’s when you wear on another team you’re going to have a better third period you know you laid some groundwork that uh that might not pay off till the third and you know it’s uh it’s a part of the process you have nights like Wednesday where Tage used the word
Compound things can compound and it’s hard to come back from that where you have nights like tonight where it seemed they were quick to get over and resolve issues in their game when you’re on the bench what are the first signs to you as a coach when you’re watching them that
They’re having a night like tonight you could see the energy level different the confidence and it comes across in chatter right away you know um there were the talk and the communication um body language tells you a lot and it’s it’s not hard to see what does it do for
The team when Tage is gone like he was tonight quite a bit quite a bit I mean it’s a it’s a handful when you’re the opposition and and he’s going like that so it’s a it’s a big one just a huge lift I mean the 53 I don’t believe you
Gave up a shot and just the penalty kill itself to kill those penalties off early in the game how big was that for your uh very big and and very big in the situation I’ve already given up too at that point that that was crucial crucial
Um and uh guys Rose and they Rose and they they they perform with confidence and very assertive still um and decisive what you think about the shift before the third goal that kind of seemed like it got the building energized and it certainly wore the doubles down before
That third one oh jeez mad I don’t think I can recall that exact shift but uh um but there there were several good pushes we had in in in segments and you know five on five I thought we were uh you know we we got better as the game went
Is what I felt uh you know I know we gave up the early goals but there were some things that we got better at uh you know so I I can’t recall the shift discouraging not have a power play tonight nothing’s discouraging when you win um you know I think winning and
Winning and I would say you know everybody feeling good after the game not not no injuries are the the two big ones and nothing better than that the off picked up with the Top Line there what has JJ brought to that line that’s given it a different look it has since
He’s been on it um there’s no question and he’s brought a lot of hockey sense I I mentioned the other day he’s built he’s he’s built a stronger Foundation underneath him um you know even the empty net goal positionally defensively these are things he he was you his game
Has had to evolve a lot defensively in in from the standpoint of putting himself in positions to defend and get pucks back faster so he’s on more offense and uh he’s done a nice job and really paying attention to those details evolving his game to the point where
We’re comfortable putting him with guys like that that demand that you know you’re you’re better players don’t want a guy that’s that’s going to get them a minus uh so they have to be responsible and this this league um and and he’s got the confidence of his two Lin mates and
That helps as well
Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato spoke with the media after the team’s 5-2 defeat of the New Jersey Devils on March 29, 2024. He talked about Tage Thompson’s four-goal performance, Devon Levi, and more.
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