Gerard Gallant met with the media following the Rangers win over Buffalo and said (MSG):
- On the game, “it wasn’t perfect overall, Shesty was the key in the hockey game and the difference for us, he was outstanding for us and that is a good sign.”
- Did you like what you saw when you changed the lines, “for the most part, yea. In the third it was a lot better until the last minute and a half when they had about four great chances, but overall I thought it was a little bit better.”
- It looked like the team was ready to play, “yea, for the most part. Again, we played a better defensive game until late in the third when we gave them those scoring chances point blank and Shesterkin was outstanding for us. Played a solid game overall and you knew Buffalo was going to come out tonight and play a real good solid game and they did.”
- What was the issue in the second period, “I couldn’t tell you, honestly. Things weren’t moving and going and they had some good chances against us, controlled the play, but we got through it and Shesty was the key, it happens.”
- On the line changes, “I’m going to start changing the lines every period now, trust me. I’ve done it for a year and a half and we’ve had a pretty good team and I’m tired of….I’m going to do what is working. It worked tonight and maybe we’ll try it again tomorrow, we’ll see.”
- On Shesterkin making big saves and key times, “It’s unbelievable, but again, late in the period like that in a one-one hockey game, to give up those chances it’s not acceptable for our group and a lot of guys in there should be thankful that Igor made those saves for them.”
- Is it easier to correct things when you win, “we’ve been making corrections and trying to get better and it’s still…it was much better tonight, the rush chances, but late in the hockey game with the game on the line we sort of folded a little bit there and that is not what we are supposed to be doing.”
- Do you practice the 4 on 3 PP, “Yea, we do, 4 on 3, 5 on 3. Usually it’s against no penalty killers. They practice and do more on video than they do on the ice.”
- On fewer rush chances tonight, “I think so, I’ll look at the video…I think we sacrificed too much offense, but it wasn’t like that was how we wanted to play. Nobody told them to stop shooting pucks and getting pucks to the net and resetting pucks and getting chances, but sometimes you get that mindset and want to be a little bit better defensively and you don’t press as much offensively. We know we won’t be successful doing that, it’s just a fine line.”
- On possession on the 3 on 3, “Definitely, those guys possessed the puck real good and drew a penalty which was an obvious call, they had to call that and scored on the PP. The boys were jumping in the OT.”