“Everyone has to step up, I think that's the key,” forward Nazem Kadri said.
“Collectively we have the depth to do that, and I think we have multiple guys in this dressing room that can be that guy and that can step up in big moments, so this is no different.”
Defenseman Cale Makar, who logged significant ice time in Game 3 after returning from injury, stressed a short-term focus.
“At the end of the day, this series is far from over in our minds,” Makar said.
“Every team’s trying to win four games in a series and we’re still trying to do that.
Our process this series has been day by day and now it’s even more evident. We’ve got to chip away and see where the chips may fall.
For us, it starts tonight and making sure we feel good with our game and continuing how we started that first period and being more consistent.
They’re playing with a lot of confidence and we have no reason to not do the same.”
Defenseman Josh Manson reiterated that the team must balance extreme desperation with disciplined execution.
“There’s going to be a sense of urgency, but it’s got to be smart urgency,” Manson said. “It’s got to be desperation.
It’s got to be our best style of play the whole night. You’ve got to maintain that sense of do or die, while playing up to the edge.
That’s what makes it so difficult.
The margin of error is so thin now, and you’ve got to be able to balance that for at least 12 periods.”
