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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: BLACKHAWKS v DUCKSMay 24, 2015Bryan BickellANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA: Practice Day THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. After a game like that, overtime, same situation, travel day, everything, what are the challenges of making sure you're ready for the next one? BRYAN BICKELL: I think just mentally get ready. We didn't skate. We'll skate tomorrow in the morning. Just prepare ourselves for that game. The first period's going to be crucial to dictate the pace of the game, what we want to do. So mentally I think is the biggest thing. Q. Brad Richards has points in all four games in the series. He's been a difference maker in this round in particular. BRYAN BICKELL: The puck's been finding him. He's been getting in good spots to receive, turnovers, making great plays can Kaner on the last goal. He's been a guy that's been around this league for a long time. Leadership on and off the ice. Happy to see him doing what he's doing. Q. The Ducks keep making a big deal of they're wearing you down. Only three games left here. Is that really overblown? BRYAN BICKELL: I think it's both ways. They are wearing us down, but they're getting tired from wearing us down, so... You know, it's a three‑game series now. We're excited to get that win last night. Could have went either way. Tomorrow is the next game, so we're set for it. Q. Where do you see Brandon Saad's development? Even from a penalty kill role, it just seems like his role has expanded each year. BRYAN BICKELL: Yeah, he's a guy that is a two‑way forward. That line, three offensive, defensive players. Kind of feeds off that. You could see that first goal, his power and his speed overcome two defenders to get that goal. You could see the goals from Seabrook, working it down low. He's got a good right winger that kind of steering him the right way to one of the best two‑way forwards in the league. I'm sure he's been telling them a lot what to do, what they need to do in certain sit‑‑ you know what I mean (laughter). Q. Two overtime games where it could have been a sweep, could have been 3‑1 right now. Do you feel how close you are, how close you've been to disaster in this series, or do you feel good that it's tied right now? BRYAN BICKELL: We feel good for it to be tied. We just need to bypass the first three periods and play OT (laughter). No, you know, you look back last game, we're up 3‑1, they scored three goals in 37 seconds. It's mental mistakes in crucial moments. I thought the last game was a big step to find the back of the net against Andersen. You see that he is kind of human because he's been standing on his head kind of as of late. Take some goods and bads off of the last game and feed off it. Q. Jonathan Toews talks about tricking your body into thinking it's fresher than you are. The last two, three years, have you learned any routines or whatever? Have you done anything different to kind of recover from these games? BRYAN BICKELL: I think just stay off your feet, try not to do too much. I think, like I said before, to get mentally into this game, and like you said, trick your brain to know you have more energy than you really do. It's going to be a grueling series. It has been. It's the Conference Finals. We're doing whatever it takes to get the wins. Q. You've built a reputation as being able to score at this time of year. The lack of scoring, has it bothered you, or do you feel you're doing enough to still contribute? BRYAN BICKELL: Yeah, you know, it would be nice to see the puck going in the back of the net a little more than it has. It's getting closer. I ran one off the crossbar last game. It was an inch from going in, to swinging the game. You know, I just need to be physical, get in the paint, create havoc that way, and I'm sure eventually one will go in. Q. Was there an emphasis at all to finish checks or did you talk about that? BRYAN BICKELL: No. That's their game, being physical. Our game is speed, being patient. Surprising when I saw the score sheet after the game where we had that many hits. We're wearing them down, too. Hopefully we keep that up come tomorrow. Q. Is that an indication the series is heating up as far as the animosity or whatever? Just seems like it's higher than it's been. BRYAN BICKELL: Yeah, best‑of‑three series. Only a couple games left to really win this series. Every shift, every period, every situation, just two teams that are passionate to win, will do whatever it takes. Q. Are you doing the same things you were doing in previous playoffs when the puck was going in? BRYAN BICKELL: Hmm. I think so. I feel like I'm doing the same thing. To be physical, hard on the defensemen, create opportunities from that, be in front of that. Looking in my journal every day, back in 19‑‑ no (laughter). Pretty similar, yeah. I don't really journal, by the way (laughter). Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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