Playoff Quotations

I think we have played like a playoff team for some time. We can still do better. The key thing right now is to look forward, not behind you.

Playoff hockey is the best way to market your team. It's the best way to grow your fan base and give hope to your players and for them to develop.

Vijay Singh won a playoff in 2004 at Whistling Straits after a final-round 76, which was the highest last round by the winner of any major since 1938, when Reg Whitcombe won the British Open with a 78 in a storm that blew down the exhibition tent at Sandwich.

In many college classes, laptops depict split screens - notes from a class, and then a range of parallel stimulants: NBA playoff statistics on ESPN.com, a flight home on Expedia, a new flirtation on Facebook.

So you wake up this morning and find you're president of the United States. Pretty cool, no? Helicopters and a 747 at your disposal; courtside seats at any NBA playoff game of your choice; everyone stands up and the band plays when you come into the room.

The positive was we defended down the stretch. That's what we're going to have to do when playoff time comes.

We started to do a lot of the things today that we've been working on. We need to continue to do those things in each game and keep improving so we're at our peak come playoff time. Derek Graham possibly had his best game of the year with two goals and an assist.

We started the first and second half with a bunch of turnovers. In a playoff game, you can't afford to commit 20-some turnovers.

We are looking forward to the playoff game with Mount Pleasant. They are a good offensive team. Our defenders must maintain concentration and composure throughout the game in order to stop their attacks.

We are a team in transition and need to play our young guys. Out of respect to Aaron, I thought it best for him to be with a team where he has a chance to play and that is in a playoff hunt.

We struggled a little bit in the first half, but we came out in the second by making some stops, ... We played really well together, cycled the ball around through everyone, and that's what it's going to take to make a playoff run this season.

We still want to try and improve our playoff standing. We've got two next week so we'll have to come ready to play and see if we can't get two wins.

We still only had 10 turnovers for the game. They were magnified as far as when they happened a little bit. When you're playing well, they try to throw everything at you. From that standpoint, as I say, the more things that are thrown at you, the better prepared you are come playoff time.

We're in a playoff situation, and we had to win this game. We didn't win, and we go home.

We're in a playoff race. There's no time to put your head down and pout. We've got to get ready to get back at it (today).

We're in a playoff race, and not only in the race but fighting for home-court advantage, and he had to step up and get meaningful minutes. When he did that, he responded. Nothing is more meaningful than the playoffs in the NBA. That's why the league went after him.

We're in a perfect situation. All we have to do is take care of business. I felt like if we had won at Cooper we could still win district. Now we can get in a playoff spot, but there are a lot of possibilities left.

We're in a must-win situation every night. We have to win games. It's important to be a playoff team. We have a string of years and we want to keep that going.

We started a few games where we started strong, experience-wise but we should have played better in the end. We needed this game to stay in the playoff hunt.

We're not going to look at this game in the way that, if we lose, it's the end of the world. But, definitely, it's going to be a key game for us to get a playoff mode going.

Until we clinch a playoff spot, we have to play every game with a sense of urgency and desire. If we play Fayetteville like we played Jacksonville (on Tuesday), we'll lose by six goals.

We're going to throw everything and the kitchen sink at them (tonight) and see what works. They have a lot of juniors and seniors and have been in the playoff environment before. It's going to be a really tough game for us. We really have to play well.

We're going to need everything out of Ricky ? and all of us ? to make a playoff run.

When we came into the season, I don't think there were a whole lot of people who thought we were going to be close to a playoff position, maybe including the organization. We have to battle every night to get there. It's going to be tough, still. But we can be there.

We were supposed to be contending for a playoff spot right now. Instead, we're contending for the No. 1 pick in the draft. Our fans are kind of frothing at the mouth over it.

What a comeback. There's a lot of fight in this team. We're still in a playoff race, and they know that. They're not going to give it away. They're not going to give an inch.

What he has shown here is what he has shown from his first start in Double-A two years ago, pitching in a playoff atmosphere. One thing we've seen repeatedly is every time we've challenged him, he's responded favorably with an increase in his stuff, whether it be through velocity or action.

We can control our own destiny, especially playing Atlanta twice more and Florida three more times, those teams are the closest to us outside a playoff spot.

We felt like this was it, make or break for our playoff run. This was how it's supposed to look all season.

We better start turning things around. We're getting near the end of the season, and things change. It's not the same hockey you're playing in December. It's different. It's playoff hockey. We're still playing December hockey.

We feel the addition of Mark and Brent will strengthen our team down the stretch as we battle for a playoff spot. Mark is a proven NHL scorer and will be a boost to our power play and Brent will solidify our defensive corps and has the versatility to play in all situations.

We're fighting for a playoff spot, where Florida had such a good start that they know they're going to make the playoffs. We're fighting for our lives.

We're fighting for a playoff spot. We're fighting to keep a winning season. We've had seven consecutive years of .500 or better. I remember in 2000 that was our third straight winning season. That was the first time that's happened at Charles Henderson since 1981 or '82. Plus, we are playing Stanhope Elmore. I've told our guys if we win this game they can say something that an awful lot of good Charles Henderson football players can't say - they've beaten Stanhope Elmore. So this is a big game for us.

We're fighting for a playoff spot. Coach Sloan says that playoff basketball is crunch time. We need to run a play, execute and get a good shot. It's frustrating to fight the whole game, have a lead and then all of a sudden, we stop doing what we did to get there.

We're fighting for a playoff position and just to make the playoffs.

Were just now coming around to play together with everyone coming off the injured list. Thats going to help us down the stretch as we look to make the playoff run.

We're frustrated and we should be. How many times do you have to go through this? How many games is this now that we could've won? We play pretty well, but it's not good enough for me and I don't think it's good enough for them. When we play playoff teams, we need to play a lot better.

We're hoping that last year's playoff game will inspire these guys to work hard. Our goal is to be one of the three teams to go to the playoffs from our (Skyline) league. They're motivated.

We're battling for first place with Ottawa, so all those games are going to be huge. Then Toronto and Boston are fighting for playoff spots, and Montreal's trying to stay in. Those are all going to be huge, key games for us. Those are all four-point games.

We're battling for a playoff spot and every game is important for us. The (next) three games, there's got to be no steps back. We have to go forward and win all those.

Three teams in it, two make it and one will miss it. Every game is like a playoff game. It's going to be as big as if it were a seven-game series.

We're real excited and focused and relaxed. Our season is not about how we started out but how we finish. It all comes down to a one-game playoff and we feel we can beat St. Joseph.

With the new rules we think our team can benefit from that, we have good agility and good skating, ... People are going to question our goaltending a little bit just because of the lack of NHL experience but we feel good about both young guys and think they're ready. So we certainly feel we're a playoff team.

We know what it's about and Fort Macleod has been there a few years ago too, so they know what it's about. We expect a very good game, not much different from our playoff atmosphere here. I think it'll be a great game and following us Grande Prairie plays a little bit later. I think both games will be really good.

We know how important this weekend is, not only for the team's confidence, but also for our playoff outlook. This weekend will go a long way towards determining if we're up near the top fighting it out, or scrapping for a berth at the end of the season.

We know as a team it's a huge game; it's kind of like a playoff game for us . . . just an all-around big game.

We're still in the playoff picture. I know we don't play like it sometimes because we give away easy baskets, but we are still right there.

We?re still in sixth place. We still have a lock on the sixth playoff spot.

We're still hoping. The Kings have got the playoff spot we want. We know we've pretty much got to run the table from here on out.

We're still fighting for that playoff spot and that just means those teams in front of us have to keep winning to stay ahead of us.

We're starting to play playoff hockey. Early in the season we were winning games 7-4, and you're not going to go very far in the playoffs if you're all offense. You've got to be able to play defense as well.

We want to play (tonight) as if it's a playoff game.

We have no excuse to not get back to where we were at or even better. I think the competition will be greater from now on because of the stretch drive. Some teams are going to try to secure playoff spots. Some teams are going to try to get back in the mix. Some teams, like us, are trying to stay alive and move up with the big guys.

Whenever there's a ceremony like that, if you're home or away, you always have to be careful not to get too stale. But it sparked a lot of emotion, and that kept us going. It felt like a playoff atmosphere out there.

We were at the lowest of lows last year. We couldn't get any lower. This year we are looking to make a playoff push, and trying to win the division.

We've won playoff games before, but not down 18 on someone else's home court. Yeah, this is pretty special.

We want to take advantage of the opportunity that we're playing at home for the last weekend of the regular season against two very good opponents. What better way to get tuned up for playoff hockey? I see this weekend as being no different than how we're going to have to play in the playoffs. We want to finish as high as we can. We don't know what opponent we'll have, but we don't want to be complacent. We want as many points as we can get out of the season.

We were in a position to put them away and we didn't. Playoff hockey is coming up and if we can't keep a two-goal lead we're in trouble.

With wood bats, when you get into playoff baseball, you're going to be in some close games. Teams aren't going to run away from each other, so I think winning these games is good for us.

We always expect a good game from them. It's playoff intensity.

We did it for all the playoff games last season, and pat-downs have been part of the Super Bowl since 2002.

What we need to do is start 5-1 and keep it going and get some home playoff games.

There are expectations to have a better playoff than last time -- there's only one way to do that. Last time, there was more of a happy-go-lucky feeling. We expected success, but we didn't demand it. Going in, it's a more mature team, a more mature outlook.

We're playing playoff lacrosse a little earlier than we planned.

We're playing in front of our fans. We're playing an NFC opponent. The playoff thing, it hurts, but we're all grown men and we've got to go out and play the game that we love to play and get paid to do.

We're playing for our playoff lives, if you want to put it that way.

We're playing for first place in the division and we're fighting for a playoff spot. This home stretch is going to be key for us.

We really don't need them to have a huge game, just a solid one. One of the things you need to do when you get into a playoff situation is let the guys realize that they don't have to play an extraordinary game. They just have to do their job.

We did our best the last couple of weeks, we really put on a push. But the teams ahead of us were also playing playoff hockey.

We didn't want to go through this by choice. That is how it went. Last year, we were a No. 1 seed. This year, we had to win our final four games just to get here. So we've been on a playoff mentality the last four weeks of the regular season. It's win or go home, so we've gotten used to playing with pressure.

We have played two really good teams who had something on the line. It was very difficult to win in San Angelo and (the Odessa High) game was very much like a playoff game for them.

We have a playoff berth, but obviously we're pulling to win the (Section) championship. That's where our focus is. We still have some tough section games left. If we can win out, we'll get a pretty good seed.

We have had some tough battles with Traverse City this season. Competing in a playoff environment will continue to challenge our guys and prove to be great experience in the development of our players.

We're looking forward to it and I know he is. It's not a playoff game or a final. It's another win to get you into that playoff spot. We want to win it for sure.

We're here to win ballgames. That's why we play this game. The Pro Bowl honor is nice. It's an honor to represent your team, but it's about everybody getting a little extra cash in the form of playoff money at the end of the year. I'll be elated when that happens.

We're happy with the No. 2 spot and the possibility of hosting a couple of playoff games. We're the defending champs and will have a target on our backs. We need to be ready to carry that.

We're good enough to be a playoff team with those two, no doubt about it in my mind. We're a different team with them. We're fast. We run and get out on the break. ... The entire climate has changed.

This win is like winning a playoff game. We're a young team, we stuck together and took it like a man. It's tough to stay tough, but we did it.

We've talked about playoff hockey and that's what it is. You limit teams, don't give up odd-man rushes and you play disciplined. I've said all along that if we score four goals a game, we like our chances.

When I make a mistake with my kids at home, I sit down with them and say 'I'm sorry' and that I made a mistake and that I'm going to be a better dad. And you do the same thing with your job. I said, 'Hey, I'm sorry that I didn't come through today.' The good thing is that this wasn't a playoff game and that it's not the end of the year.

When I came up last year, we were battling them for a playoff spot just like we are now. Any time we play each other it's a big series and every game is right down to the last pitch, for the most part.

We won the conference championship, made it to the Upper State semifinals and won two playoff games at home. Our players deserve the credit because they worked hard and played as a team.

We won't be successful in a playoff game like that. We'll take the win and learn from our mistakes. It's easy to whine and cry. But we'll whine and cry our way right out of the playoffs if we do that.

The pricing is on par with other professional playoff and all-star tickets.

We were chirping at each other and I don't really like the guy. It's playoff hockey and maybe he tries to get under my skin. If he wants to fight, we'll fight.

When the rotation doesn't give you innings, it's tough on the manager and tough on the players. Most playoff teams have consistent staffs, and it begins with the starters.

When there was that situation with that fumble (late in the playoff win over Indianapolis) that was rectified by that tackle, that proved that it his destiny to win this game.

We've never been preoccupied with whether we end up first. ?It would be great to win a title, but the No. 1 thing most of us do is set yourself up to be a playoff team.

The plan is to make sure we're the best team we can be come playoff time and this was a bit of a step back for us.

We're confident in our game plan; we're confident in our personnel. The good thing about having a playoff series is you get to go watch film and see what adjustments have to be made for the next game.

Like everyone else in here, I hope those two moves are the moves that help us get past that playoff level to the next level. They had a chance to get Ricky, and they went out and did it. And it's like everybody says, we're going to ride him until the wheels fall off.

Losing a game like tonight is a killer. These are four-point games. We have six games left against these guys. Who knows, those points might determine a playoff spot.

Looks like he lost a little weight. Looks lighter, quicker on his feet. He's going to be a tough guy to stop. It's close to that time now, so I guess he's getting in playoff form.

Last year, we had seven players leave. Those seven players had a combined 52 playoff games. We've signed four players to date, and those four have 30 playoff games ? a younger, healthier group. I think you can see the direction we're headed.

Last year we had a really exciting playoff experience so you would think that we would again. But we got unlucky in the middle of the season and we dug ourselves in too deep of a hole.

Last year was a huge stepping-stone for me. Playoff experience, starting experience, relief experience, pressure situations -- I'm just trying to build on that, just keep building and take it into this year.

She seems to rise to the occasion. This is playoff time. This is crunch time. She does what it takes to win.

Oh yeah, I noticed it. Everyone was standing up. He's a great player. I watched that playoff run.

Since the first day of training camp, he talked about us playing more like a playoff team and scoring playoff-style goals. It's a theme we hear every day. Sometimes you don't like the news the coach is delivering, but he's the coach. It's not his job to fit in with us. It's our job to fit in with him. You need one guy in charge, and he's the guy.

Six games away from the playoffs and we are still refining some aspects of our play. We need to work on finishing checks, but overall I am pleased with the way this team responds to adversity and generates opportunities. We've got six games left to get better - to be playoff ready.