Evan Rodrigues, Aaron Ekblad, AJ Greer & Tomas Nosek Discuss Embellishment Call, Leafs vs. Florida
so well together. I mean, not just last night, but this season as well. Um, yeah, for me, I mean, I’ve played with Nos before. Um, I know his style of play and how he does things, and Gad is a simple, effective player. Um, we’ve had a great regular season together. And the biggest thing for us was just having no hesitation out there. Um, which which we did great with. Um, getting pucks deep, playing simple. and when there were opportunities to to attack, we did. Um, so just being able to stick to our game, but also, you know, have no hesitation and and and really be effective at at doing what we do best. E was talking about how you guys, you know, he’s skated with you a bit uh over the last couple months here. Just how you guys kind of treat those practices when you guys are out of the lineup like you are going to play the next day. The intensity, the hits, things like that. Just can you just talk about a little bit how you guys have kind of perfected that routine of staying ready and just waiting for the call? Yeah, I mean it’s it’s not always easy to to not play a game for a long time, especially in the playoffs to jump right in. But, uh I mean obviously they did pretty good job to keep us in a shape and I didn’t feel any any weakness or shortness of breath or anything like that. So, uh, thanks to them and it’s, uh, I’ve been trying to to stay ready and, uh, wait for wait for my chance and it happened and I’m happy for that we win a game. Two questions. First for Tomas. Uh, I know Gajo ended up getting credit for the goal, but can you just take us through the play and the setup to get that goal in the second period? What were you look for? What did you see? And just to be able to be be on the ice for the goal that gave you guys that initial lead. Yeah, AJ recovered the puck pretty good and Schmid rims it and uh I strapped strapped it and uh Gaji did pretty good job. He made a room room for me and I just cut to the middle and use use them as a as a screen and uh it’s a pretty good goal by by by us and it’s a work uh how I said before we work as a line and uh we did pretty good job at that I think yesterday. And then for either of you, when you guys are in playing, what are you able to take away when you’re watching? Whether it’s from up in the press box or wherever you’re watching, what are you able to maybe observe or how what are things that you’re able to pick up when you’re not in the ice so that when you guys do get in the game, you’re able to take advantage? Yeah, you watch the games diligently and um you know, you’re in the meetings and and you you listen to the vibe and what’s going on around you and again, you stay ready and uh everyone’s committed here to winning and everyone’s committed to doing their part in in this uh in this job here. So, being able to stay on top of things and and perfecting your game and doing the the exact same things you’d be doing the regular season when you’re in the lineup or you’re out of lineup. um and and bringing that edge when you are in the lineup and being the differencemaker. And that’s I think that’s one of the biggest things that we did last night was we set the tone and um you know we were given a job and we did we did exactly what we needed to do. Um just being able to to be relied upon when when called. So I think we did a really good job at doing that. AJ, what are you guys doing well on the dumpins, the rims to make it uncomfortable for for Wool handling the puck and lease defense to to break out? Uh, everyone’s kind of staying tight together and we’re using our speed to to be being able to generate that and and one of those the biggest things is being able to get to the red line to dump it in and not ice in the puck, right? So, um, being quick on the forch check is one thing, but positionally sound and staying tight together so that when they they do move the puck, we’re a step away from that guy receiving the puck and being on top of them and then the other guys kind of read off of their linemates. So, um, relying on each other, but also doing your job and knowing that, you know, the other guy has to do his, too. I know both of you guys played with Brad obviously in the past. What was it like watching him have that moment for you guys last night? Yeah, it’s unbelievable. He’s a great guy, great player, and uh uh great leader, too. So, it’s was great addition for us and he’s always uh funny and it’s just fun to be around him and it was in Boston and Sim is here. So he always has something to say and trips the guys and it’s he’s a great guy and great human being and I’m happy to be his teammate again. Yeah, I mean he’s he’s an exceptional person. Um an amazing player and everyone respects him, but I think his leadership skills are, you know, um are something that he brings to the table that we already had here, but also he kind of brings that edge. Um, and he’s definitely one of the the guys that keeps it positive around the locker room. Sometimes, you know, you get through momentum swings and um, you’re not playing the right way or whatever, you get a bad bounce. He’s always that guy that’s kind of trying to get people going and keep the bench alive. So, um, being able to be that good of a player, that that competitive of a guy, but also being able to think about other people and think about your teammates and being that that leader uh on the bench and that vocal presence, something not a lot of guys can do. Um, so he he does check a lot of boxes and he brings a lot to this team. Um, and and we’re so happy to have him. Uh, and I think the the the Panthers fans are are also happy to have him. So, um, I don’t think anyone predicted what he’s going to score game winner for us a couple months ago, but it’s it’s been an amazing ride and, um, we’re really happy to have him. Thomas, to keep with the Brad theme, we saw the clip in the locker room of when he presented you with the puck after the game and you know what he said. just what’s it mean that a guy at that status in the game is so appreciative of the job that you guys did last night? Yeah, it’s obviously huge to be recognized like that by a player like that. So, it was nice feeling for sure and uh doesn’t matter who scored, doesn’t matter uh who play like that or like that. It’s the most important thing in the playoffs or overall. It’s it’s to get a win and and that’s what we try to focus on as a line to help help our team to get get that win we needed and and it it was for sure nice to be recognized for for doing good job at that. Thank you guys. Thanks very much. Thanks in there fresh makes a really big impact. I know you skate with those guys over you know time just in rehabs things like that. What can you say about the work those guys put in just to be ready even though they know their number might not be called at all? Yeah, it’s uh it’s something we talked about when we were out working together is is prepare as if we’re playing. Hit each other as hard as we possibly can. Um you know, get those lumps before you have to go out and do it on the ice. So, you saw they were how they were able to make an impact last night and we love that. Evan, how I mean, you’re still down in the series obviously, but just how much does everything feel different this morning? How coming off a night like that? Yeah, it’s it’s obviously huge to get that win. Um, but our mentality doesn’t really change and how we approach each game. It’s um you know, our style of play doesn’t change and um you know, what we have to do to be successful doesn’t change. So, um, we’ll take it on a game by-game basis, just like we have been. And, um, we’ll start preparing for for game four right now. And Aaron, one for you. Do you do you feel like you’re like completely back in the flow now? I mean, it’s obviously been stop and start for you. Do do you feel like you’re back to normal? Yeah, absolutely. Um, obviously game uh three, what was my game one against Tampa was a was a tough one and it was hard to find um timing and stuff like that. But since then I’ve I’ve felt great and um you know it’s been a tough challenge every single game, but uh a welcome one and and I’ve felt that I’m back in the groove of playing playoff hockey. Evan, you touched on doing what you guys have to do to be successful. What do you think you guys were able to do in game three that maybe you weren’t able to do in games one and two and how do you build on that going into tomorrow? I think just getting some sustained ozone time and um you know keeping things simple. I think that was the biggest thing. Just um not trying to make, you know, fancy plays and break the game open. We just stuck to stuck to our game, stuck to being, you know, hard on it and physical and um you know, kind of let the game take care of itself. Hey Aaron, obviously uh Matthews is getting chances he’s going to he’s been held off the scoreboard at least in terms of goals this series so far. What what if anything do you think you guys are doing well to kind of contain him? Uh with any player like that, the Matthews and McDavids of the world, you’re trying your best at the end of the day. They’re going to get their chances and and what they create um around the net, not so not necessarily with goals uh all the time is chaos, right? They throw everything at the net. He’s in the corner. He’s slinging it to the net. So, he’s always creating whether or not he’s on the scoreboard. So, um you know, we see that and it’s it’s a tough job for sure. Evan, uh that was such a strange call in game two. Just what went through your mind when you found out that you’re getting called for embellishment on that? Yeah, I didn’t find out till after the game to be honest. Um I didn’t have a clue. I just um I figured there was, you know, coincidental roughings or what it was. So, um I I couldn’t believe it. My brother texted me and I was shocked, but um you know, the game was kind of over at that point and you just you move on and get ready for game three. I bet you touched on it in terms of a big picture, but Paul said the second period last night was kind of the first time you guys looked like you should look. What can you draw on from that second period? Obviously, it’s tough to replicate that every period, but what did you learn about your team that period that maybe can help you going forward? Yeah, I liked our fight. I liked, you know, we go down two on two different occasions and we didn’t, you know, we didn’t give up. We again stuck to stuck to our game. We got pucks deep and we got on it. I think um we didn’t have as much pressure on their D and um on our forch check in, you know, the first two games as we would have liked and um I thought we just got back to that uh in the second period. And you played a lot of playoff hockey the last few years. How much do you buy into momentum in a series versus each game kind of being its own entity? Yeah, momentum swings all the time. Um, and it’s something as simple as moving through the neutral zone and not making an extra play. Um, controlling that flow of the game is is something we focus on as a team and it’s extremely important. And then also game to game, when you win a game, you think you’re the best team in the world. When you lose a game, you’re you’re kind of feeling really down. So, it’s something we try to avoid and that kind of experience and vet veteran leadership in our room is what uh takes care of those swings. Last question. E on that. Uh obviously we talked about what the home crowd would mean. Down two nothing. The crowd obviously a little skddish, a little silent, but Bari makes it 2-1. Building comes to life. How much do you guys feel that in the moment? Obviously, you’re happy to get a goal, but do you feel kind of the the feeling of the building change? Yeah, that home ice momentum swing and um having, you know, everybody cheering you on is is huge. and and we really appreciate it. No doubt. That’s extremely important. You know, you feel it when you’re in their building. You feel it when you’re in our building. It’s um true passion and emotion from the fans is is all we can ask for. Thanks, guys. Thanks, guys. Have a good day. Thank you. [Music]
Watch as Evan Rodrigues, Aaron Ekblad, AJ Greer & Tomas Nosek Discuss Embellishment Call, Leafs vs. Florida
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