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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: LIGHTNING v RANGERS


May 25, 2015


Carl Hagelin


TAMPA, FLORIDA: Practice Day

Q.  Is this elimination game like any of the other elimination games you've been through?
CARL HAGELIN:  Yeah, we've been through a lot of them as of late so it's just a matter of coming out and doing our job.  All we're thinking about is winning a game here on the road.

Q.  Does the way they play defensively make you doubt yourself at all about how well you can score on them?
CARL HAGELIN:  Not really.  We had those two games, one scored a lot of goals, and then we had three games that haven't scored enough.
I think yesterday we had some good momentum there in the second period.  We had some good looks.  We didn't find a way to score, and they obviously got two quick ones.
I think it's just a matter of tomorrow, when we have the momentum, we have to make sure we get the puck in.

Q.  It seems both teams have been able to rebound after a loss.  How do you do that again?
CARL HAGELIN:  I think for us, we've been through it before.  It's great guys in the locker room.  We know what it takes, so just, for us, we've got to play the best game we've played so far in the playoffs.

Q.  Who would you compare the vibe of this team right now to a year ago when you reached the Stanley Cup Finals, the confidence level, the vibe, the feel?
CARL HAGELIN:  Yeah, I think it's the same feel.  We have a good feel within the locker room, a lot of the same players since last year that have been through it before.  So we look forward to the task tomorrow, and we know what it takes.

Q.  Both series have some sort of consistencies from game to game, and this series has been kind of all over the board.  Is this more difficult to prepare for a game when you kind of don't know what to expect?
CARL HAGELIN:  You're right when it comes to all the games have been very different in terms of how many goals that have been scored and just overall what the games have looked like.  I felt like last game was probably one of the slower games so far, didn't have a lot of opportunities for both sides.
I think, again, we've just got to focus on what we can do.  We know we can play better than we did last night, and that's what we've got to do.

Q.  Does it surprise you with maybe that part of it, you know, how the game has played a little bit slower, like you said?  And then going into tomorrow night, what kind of confidence ‑‑ because you guys played a lot of those, I mean, that's kind of your bag, isn't it?
CARL HAGELIN:  Yeah, I would say that's more the way we like to play, closer games, obviously, low‑scoring games.  Obviously we don't want to lose like we did.  We go into tomorrow thinking that we've got to go out and match their intensity and try to get the first goal.

Q.  It seems they can play any style of game that you guys want to play.  Is that accurate and is it frustrating, and how do you have to get creative?
CARL HAGELIN:  It's not frustrating.  It's just one of those things.  You're in the Conference Finals and you know you've got to play a team that's really good.  They've done a lot of good things this year, and that's why they are where they are, and that's why we are where we are.  Whatever happens tomorrow, we just need to bring it.

Q.  What do you think some of the big factors are going to be tomorrow?  Are you going to take advantage of power play opportunities?
CARL HAGELIN:  Yeah, special teams has been key in every game so far.  Both teams have seen really good looks on the power play.
For us, we've just got to focus on playing better on the PK.  I think if we can make sure that they don't get a goal on their PP, we can have a chance.

Q.  What is it with Stamkos?  And I know the triplets aren't scoring well, but when Stamkos gets going, I don't know if the right adjective is it's scary or whatever, but what's it like facing him?
CARL HAGELIN:  He's one of those players that gets lost, and then he's really good at finding pucks around the net and really good at finding open areas.  He's one of those guys that you don't see him that much throughout the game and then he just pops up.  I wouldn't say it's scary, but it's one of those things we have to make sure we're close to.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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