After a 3-2 loss to the Senators, head coach Jim Hiller discussed the struggles on the late 6-on-5, the difficulty generating a push in the final minutes, and the Tavares line’s performance.
What did you see as the difference tonight?
Hiller: Well, I think we needed to finish some of the chances we had. We had enough chances to win the game, no question.
There were some careless penalties. The two penalties in the third period really hurt us. It took our momentum away a little bit and gave them some life. They pushed hard.
Did you have any issue with Kirill Marchenko’s high-sticking penalty?
Hiller: I haven’t looked at it that closely, but it is a stick battle, and his stick comes up. It is a penalty. That’s just the way it works. Got to keep our stick down.
What did you make of the power play?
Hiller: Well, a great goal. Really well done. Great execution. But we needed it to come up big at the end. That’s the one that we all leave the building with, right? We just weren’t dangerous.
I think there were some really good moments, but if you evaluate the very last one, when we really needed something to happen, we were disappointed in that one.
Why do you think that happened, with the game on the line at that point?
Hiller: I don’t know. It’s a good question. Give them credit. They did a good job. We just did not execute. We had early puck possession in their zone, and we turned it over. Then we had a hard time getting back in.
Why do you think it was so difficult to get out of your end in the third?
Hiller: Just when they had us running around just a little bit? Yeah. Probably, we had some tired guys at that point, too, and we were looking to push. I probably could’ve had some fresher guys out there.
If you are talking about just specifically the last few minutes there, when we were trying to get out, that would’ve been it. More than anything, probably just a little tired.
Did you see the progress you were hoping for from the Tavares line? How did you see them tonight?
Hiller: Yeah. I thought they started really well. I thought they started really well. You’d like them to get a little bit more again, but there were some flashes there, for sure. Some good looks.
In the first period, I thought Gavin was really skating. I thought Willy skated pretty well all night, and John had some looks. Just not going in here for that crew right now.
Do you feel like you’re generating enough offensive opportunity?
Hiller: Yeah. Oh, yeah. I don’t love making excuses, but somebody said we had six or seven posts or crossbars. I don’t know what they were. Lots of iron. Those are good chances, typically. So, yeah.
