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Sheldon Keefe addressed the media after his team’s series-tying 3-0 win in Game 2 of the best-of-five playoff qualifying matchup versus Columbus.


On Jake Muzzin’s condition:

He was taken to hospital. I am told he is responsive and all of that. We are just waiting his assessment.

On the lack of a penalty call on the initial cross-check by Pierre Luc Dubois on Jake Muzzin:

I think the refs are out there doing their best and doing their job. I’ve got to focus on doing my job, which is preparing our team and getting us ready to go. In that moment there, it was about keeping us focused. A lot of things happen in the game. It is our job just to play through it.

On the team’s ability to generate a lot more offensively:

Every game is going to be slightly different. It is going to have its own personality. Today, I thought we forechecked really hard right from the start of the game. Some loose pucks became available and it gave us some extra opportunity to attack the net.

That was a really good sign for us. Our guys brought it to another level today from a competitive standpoint. That really helped us in all regards.

On the team’s ability to negate the Columbus forecheck:

We were doing a better job up ice on their half of the ice. As a result, most of the time, when it entered our half of the ice, they were in line changes and not forechecking as a full unit. That makes it a lot easier for us. That is obviously every team’s goal going into the game. Today, it worked out for us there.

On the team persevering despite Joonas Korpisalo’s amazing goaltending:

I think we handled it well. It was on my mind to make sure we stayed with it. I just kept monitoring our bench and monitoring our players’ mannerisms and how they were coming back to the bench. You see guys talking to themselves. I think we were just focused on what we had to do on the ice and staying with it. That was really good to see.

It was not unlike what happened in Game 1 in terms of us just staying with it. Obviously, we were generating more today, so there was a little bit more happening in and around the net. Their goalie was a big difference for them, but I really liked how our guys just took a drink of water, got ready for the next shift, stayed with it, and believed in what we were doing.

On Frederik Andersen’s performances through two games:

Goaltending is very important. You are seeing it on the other side as well with Columbus. He gives us belief in what we are doing. If we crack, he is going to be there for us. That is two excellent games for us here now. Today, when we did crack and they had a little bit of a look or a push, he was there. That gives our guys even more life and energy.


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