After a 5-4 win over the Rangers, head coach Jim Hiller discussed the fourth line’s big night, Troy Stecher’s game-winning goal, and Nick Paul’s crucial effort to keep the play alive late in the game.
Hiller on the team’s performance over 60 minutes:
I really liked our game. That’s probably our best game of the year through 60 minutes, for me.
The Rangers played well. They pushed us hard, and we didn’t have those lulls, dips. In fact, I thought we ended up pushing and got some momentum back. Just a really good game for us.
Hiller on the fourth line and Stecher getting rewarded offensively:
They’ve been really good since they’ve been put together. They haven’t scored as much, but they’ve been playing in the offensive zone. Mac jumps in the fight the other night.
Everybody always loves it when those guys get rewarded with goals and points because they do the dirty work. They’re blocking shots, getting all the forechecks going. That’s what makes the night extra special.
Then you’ve got a guy like Troy Stecher, who you can throw in that mix, too, who just quietly gives you everything he can. Then he gets to score a big goal in a moment like that.
Hiller on whether he originally envisioned MacEwen, Duhaime, and Blueger playing together:
We weren’t sure. Mac came off a big injury last year, so we weren’t quite sure where he would go.
Certainly, with Dewey and Bluegs, that was part of the plan John (Chayka) had, I think, and some penalty killers, too, to add some specific role players.
The three of them have looked really, really good together and really give us something. I don’t know what you want to call it, but it’s something.
Hiller on the bench’s reaction to Stecher’s goal:
It was great. I heard the guys jumping up and down, and I just actually saw the goal on TV. I got to see the front of the bench and saw them, and that makes you feel good.
They were excited. They were happy for Stech. I’m sure happy we scored, and happy we won the game. But that’s a lot of emotion for a game that wasn’t overtime. It’s a regular-season game in October. It was great to see. It’s a great sign.
Hiller on Nick Blankenburg leaving the game in the third period:
I haven’t found out yet, but I’ll get it. Probably tomorrow will be the update. But he couldn’t finish.
Hiller on when Marshall Rifai (week-to-week) was injured:
It was from the other night. But he thought he was fine, and then, as it turns out, he’s not.
Hiller on Nick Paul’s effort leading up to the winning goal:
Nobody asked me about Nick Paul’s play at the end.
Drew the penalty and stayed on and forechecked it. His linemates came off because he was at the end of the shift.
I just watched it again. The puck’s there, and he gets up and fights for the loose puck with one hand on his stick. We keep it alive, and then, of course, we know what happens after that.
We talked about the fourth line, but that extra effort, it’s a little bit more. Oftentimes, it doesn’t lead to too much, but you just keep doing it because sometimes it does.
Great goal by Stech, but that moment is pretty important for us.
