6:13 PM: Emily Kaplan said on ESPN earlier today that she was surprised to hear Gerard Gallant say that he expects Strome to play tomorrow.
12:52 PM: Ryan Strome is expected to play tomorrow. (Staple, Stephenson)
Strome was injured early in the second period and did not return yesterday.
5:15 PM:Gerard Gallant met with the media on Monday and said (NYR):
- Is the last game just another instance of needing to respond, “we’re getting lots of experience (laugh) No, it’s been great. We can’t complain about the way things have gone in the playoffs. We’re playing well, working hard. Last night was a tough loss, but we bounce back today and get ready for a big game tomorrow. It should be fun, looking forward to it.
- On Ryan Strome and the impact not having him had on the PP, “Ryan Strome, he’s not skating today, very few of the guys are skating today. He should be fine tomorrow. We’ll see tomorrow, but he should be fine to go. I don’t know what the adjustment was, we put Fil out there and he looked pretty good, actually. We’ll worry about that if he’s not playing tomorrow, but we fully expect him to play tomorrow.”
- How big is Game 4 to go up 3-1, “it’s another big game, obviously we took care of our home ice and lost a tough one yesterday late in the hockey game. You gotta get ready for one game at a time, like I always say and tomorrow is a huge game for us. We gotta compete, battle, play a little grittier than we did last game, but there were a lot of good things and keep playing our game and working hard. It’s 2-2 or 3-1, we’ll see where it goes.”
- On Trouba taking three penalties, “penalties happen, he plays a lot of minutes and so unfortunately he got some penalties, but I want him to play the same game, keep working hard, keep battling hard. Trouba is a gritty defensemen and plays tough for us and plays hard. Couple of tough calls, little trips, but they are penalties and you gotta call them. We didn’t get by some of them, but that is the way it goes.”
- You fully expect Strome to go tomorrow, “I expect him to. I haven’t been told any different right now.”
- Can you take what you did in battling back in prior series to prevent Tampa from doing the same, “Well, you’d like to, but Tampa’s a good team and we knew the pushback was going to be there yesterday. They were down 2-0 coming home and we knew they were going to bring their best game and they did. They had 50 shots, competed real hard won a lot of loose puck battles and played a gritty game. We still had an opportunity to win that game, we didn’t. They aren’t going to give you anything for nothing. They’ve won what? Ten series in a row? We’re going to have to take it from them, we’re gonna have to be a real good team and go out and take it from them, they aren’t going to give us nothing.”
- On Tampa pinpointing a moment where they started to play better, “They played great hockey, I said that from yesterday on. They were the competitive team, deserved to win and they did. We’re gonna bounce back tomorrow, play a little grittier, a little tougher and we’ll be fine.”
- On the PK and Tampa finding some space, “Well, I gotta disagree a little bit. They scored from the play they always do, from the outside, the slap shot from Kucherov and our second one our guy fell and opened up a lane. I wouldn’t say our PK struggled, I would say there were a couple of unfortunate plays for us. Would you agree with that? (laugh) The Stamkos, the lane was wide open, the guy fell and it opened up and he’s got a pretty good shot and then the other one, obviously, the play they always do and he shot it and went through the five-hole.”
- Any concern with Barclay Goodrow’s health, “he blocked that shot, obviously, and it hurt a little bit, but Barclay is a competitor he comes back and plays and that is what he does.”
- So there is no concern, “There’s always concerns, but, you know, tomorrow he’ll feel a lot better about it. Guys on both teams are hurt at this time of year and they find a way to play.”
- What did you think of the Zibanejad line at 5-on-5, “Like the rest of our team, gotta be a little better. A little better.”
- Was there anything specific, “A little better.” (laugh)
- Did Tampa having the match-up advantage hurt you at 5-on-5, “Honestly, they matched up with Cirelli a little bit with that line, but I don’t think it made a big difference in the game. I just think that they were ready to compete a little harder than we were and that was the difference in the hockey game. You can say matchups, different stuff, but overall I think their compete level was a little bit higher than us and we gotta match that tomorrow or get above it. They cone out and were a hungry team and it showed.”
- What concern level do you have with Tampa being around Shesterkin, “I got no concerns when you do it and get in those areas, the only concern I had out of the whole thing was when Kucherov came behind him and stuck him in the back of the knee. I didn’t like that. The other plays are hockey plays, they happen. We ran into their goalie once and got a penalty with Vatrano, but I don’t like the dirt behind the play like that.”