Ken Hitchcock Against Quotations

We're starting to gain an identity and a lot of confidence. The game (Sunday) against Ottawa has really moved our game up a notch... You can hear things on the bench, the bantering between players, which is excellent. You can hear the locker room has a lot more life. Our team is starting to gel.

We're starting to gain an identity and a lot of confidence, ... The game (Sunday) against Ottawa has really moved our game up a notch... You can hear things on the bench, the bantering between players, which is excellent. You can hear the locker room has a lot more life. Our team is starting to gel.

We want the division crown. Our focus is still on catching the Rangers. Our record against those (teams) above us is a lot better than those below us. We have no success against Tampa or Buffalo and limited success against Montreal, if any. We want home-ice advantage. Our fear is not who we play.

Goats is a very emotional player and he plays on that edge. Sometimes the edge tilts. But when you get those players they really become factors as the series wears on. There are things that go into people's minds when you play against that type of player.

He has to play a certain way to be effective. He's a very emotional player and plays on that edge. Sometimes that edge tilts, but that's no different than a lot of other players. They play on that ledge all the time. But Gauthier has been really dependable. He's able to play against the other team's best players and it has an impact in the game.

I think you're seeing in our team the realization of how difficult this challenge is, how hard it is, is starting to grasp everybody. I think you'll see our team starting (today against the Czechs) to dig in at a whole new level.

We had nine first-year players against Montreal. We practiced with 15 players today. Everybody knows our situation. We're limping. Still, we're only one point out of first place.

We had nine first-year players against Montreal. Everybody knows our situation. We're limping.

When you're playing against teams who are wounded bears or desperate, they're looking for a reason to play and when you give them a reason, they keep going.

With four minutes left, we gave up a 3-on-2 against one of the top players in the world right now -- Crosby. You don't want to do that.

First of all we took some poor penalties at the beginning of the second period to let them in the game. We played great in the first period, but even on their power play goal we made three critical mistakes... There are two things that really concern me right now. Against the good teams we lose the special teams game and when you can't kill a penalty, that's a big concern.

I've coached against Peter and he'll take numbers and get even in due time. You won't hear anything about it, until you see a body laid out on the ice and you'll wonder how that happened.

Against the good teams we're losing the special teams game, which is a major concern right now. And when you can't kill penalties, that's a big concern.

That one line, you can't turn it over against them. (The Red Wings) schooled us. They turned every mistake we made at the start of the third period into a goal.

His leadership for me has come because he's confident. He's a good player in the league now and he thinks he has a good feel for the game, which he does. He's been in the big games against elite opponents, which means he is a guy who has matured.

I don't think he raises his game. He's one of those unique players who can beat you with skill but also with tenacity. It's wearing to go against a player like that. It's unnerving. You think you've got him, but he out-competes you.