The daily “NHL Talk” column is your go-to for the top quotes from every game in the NHL. Listen to THW contributors talk hockey every weekday on The Hockey Writers Podcast, available on iHeartRadio and wherever you listen to podcasts.
In this edition of NHL Talk, these are the top quotes from players and coaches following all games played on Feb. 11, 2022:
Winnipeg Jets @ Dallas Stars
Final Score (OT): Stars 4-3 Jets
The Stars came back from an early one-goal deficit, gained and lost a one-goal advantage twice, and eventually defeated the Jets, 4-3, in overtime on Friday. Jason Robertson scored the overtime winner and Jake Oettinger stopped 31 of 34 shots for a .912 save percentage (SV%) to secure the victory.
Stars head coach Rick Bowness: “We’ve come a long way from where we were at the start of the year. We didn’t handle [adversity] well early, and we’re handling all those situations much better now. A little more confidence in the group that we can come back, a little more confidence in the group that we can hang on to a lead. It’s steps along the way.”
The Jets managed to fight back in the game and earn a point in the standings. It was a tightly-contested match, but Winnipeg wasn’t able to steal the win on the road.
Jets head coach Dave Lowry: “I think that was the game we expected. We expected a fast, physical game. There wasn’t a lot of big hits, but it was a heavy game. I thought we did a really good job of defending, managing the game. I thought we got ourselves into a little bit of trouble just by not getting pucks in deep, and we fueled their transition game, allowed them to get some momentum. But I thought we had some good answers.”
New York Islanders @ Edmonton Oilers
Final Score: Oilers 3-1 Islanders
The Oilers played its first game under new head coach Jay Woodcroft, defeating the Islanders, 3-1, on Friday. The victory gets them back on track and ends a two-game losing skid that saw them outscored 8-1 over that span.
Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft: “It’s a good team win. I enjoyed the way the game was played today. I thought our players really played hard for each other. [Goalie] Mike Smith really turned in an ‘A’ performance, it allowed us a chance to work our way into the game. I thought we got better as the game went on tonight, and what I really liked to see, when the game was on the line in the third period, we valued hard plays and that’s a credit to the players in the dressing room.”
The Islanders pushed hard for a goal in the first period but found itself down, 1-0, at the end of the opening frame. From there, New York chased the rest of the game and was unable to tie it up.
Islanders defenseman Andy Greene: “I thought we came out with a great first period, we were skating well, we were creating a lot in their zone and we got a lot of chances. We just couldn’t get that first one to get going. I thought we played a really good game today.”
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Arizona Coyotes
Final Score: Lightning 4-3 Coyotes
The Lightning took down the Coyotes, 4-3, on Friday after falling to the Colorado Avalanche, 3-2, the night prior. Tampa Bay needed a big response after its four-game point streak came to an end in Colorado.
Lightning forward Steven Stamkos: “It’s just kind of been in our DNA for a while now, even going back to the last couple of playoff rounds, we’ve always bounced back after a loss. We didn’t have the best start against Colorado, but it doesn’t linger because we had a really good start tonight. We came in here and got the win after a game that we weren’t really happy with.”
The Coyotes made a valiant effort, scoring three goals against the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Lightning. Arizona fell down, 2-0, in the first period, and fought back to make it a one-goal game three times, but couldn’t quite catch up to Tampa Bay.
Coyotes forward Clayton Keller: “We had a little bit of a slow start, but I thought we got better as the game went on. It was a bit of a weird game, but all in all, I think we battled hard. A few mistakes. They’ve got some great players… I was happy with how we battled back.”
Seattle Kraken @ Anaheim Ducks
Final Score: Kraken 4-3 Ducks
The Kraken got the win, 4-3, in a back-and-forth game against the Ducks on Friday. Seattle forward Jordan Eberle scored with just 1:42 remaining in regulation, stealing the victory in Anaheim.
Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol: “There were parts of the game that we didn’t handle their pressure and speed as well as we needed to. But in saying that, we were able to grind through it and push back at the right times, make plays at the right times and come up with big plays.”
The Ducks put together a strong game, but couldn’t pull away from the Kraken after coming back from a one-goal deficit twice and losing a one-goal advantage, its only lead of the game, in the second period. It was Anaheim’s first game since a 2-1 overtime loss at the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 31.
Related: NHL Talk: Avalanche, Hurricanes, Penguins, Flames & More
Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler: “They were opportunistic and capitalized on their chances. A couple bad breaks here and there and it’s in the back of your net, but I think we left some out there too. I think we’re definitely searching to find our game right now.”
Tom Pepper hosts The Hockey Writers Podcast on iHeartRadio and wherever you listen to podcasts, every weekday (Monday to Friday), and writes the daily “NHL Talk” column. He is a diehard Buffalo Sabres fan in Toronto, frequently driving the Queen Elizabeth Way to cheer on his team at KeyBank Center. You can favourite and/or bookmark this page to stay up-to-date with Tom Pepper’s daily hockey content.