Clarke sits, remains at threshold - Fiala, teams cohesion taking “a step forward every game”
# Clarke sits, remains at threshold - Fiala, teams cohesion taking “a step forward every game”
# Contributors
# Summary
There were no fireworks in Los Angeles’ 2-1 overtime loss at Chicago on Thursday, but there were important steps towards more consistent checking and team defense, according to those inside the team dressing room.
# Players
# Staff
# Notes and Quotes
# Todd McLellan
We talked about fixing some things after the Dallas game. We saw it today – they did a really good job of it. Gave up very few outnumbered rushes. We were pretty solid defensively, good through the neutral zone. We did a lot of things well tonight. We didn’t get the win. Sometimes bounces go against you, and I think that’s what happened in overtime to Kev in front of the net.
Good players make other players around him better, and I see that In [Kevin Fiala]’s situation. He creates. Carl Grundstrom should’ve had a goal tonight after a tremendous pass from Kevin. He makes other players better, he keeps a lot of plays alive, very creative. He’s starting to figure out our system and our structure a little bit more, so he’s a hell of a player.
I don’t think we had enough polish as we’ve shown offensively. Some real good opportunities where we bobbled pucks, we had chances at breakaways, the two-on-ones, missed the net or we didn’t make the right play. The one thing that’s coming for us has been the offense, and tonight it let us down a little bit. The NHL’s all about winning games. They all balance out at the end, but I thought tonight we may have deserved a better fate but didn’t get it.
# Kevin Fiala
Goals. We wouldn’t find goals today, you know? But defensively I thought we did a better job than before.