Transcripts Courtesy of the NHL Communications Department

Off Day comments from San Jose Sharks Head Coach Todd McLellan, Dan Boyle, Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, and Joe Pavelski

Q. They went to a lot of effort to get the matchups they wanted, line combinations, in San Jose. Is that something that is surprising you at all or is there something you need to do to try to counter that?
COACH McLELLAN: No. It doesn’t surprise me at all. We saw it in the Vancouver series, they did a really good job against the Sedins. Joel is very good at it. He has a ton of trust and belief in the Bolland line.
I don’t think that’s going to change here at all in Chicago. In fact, it will probably be easier for them now because of last change. So we’ll have to have a plan for that, continue to try and mix and match and move people around.
But the simple fact is, if our big line ends up on the ice against those three, they have to find a way to outplay them. There’s nothing that we can continually do to get away from it. They’re going to be up against them. At the end of the night, they have to find a way to be productive.

Q. Yesterday, Dan Boyle said it’s time for us to raise our collective middle fingers in the air. He gives us these quotes, seems frustrated to be in this situation. You talk to the players in the room, they talk about how easygoing he is. How does his personality apply itself to the team in this situation?
COACH McLELLAN: Boiler, from my opinion, I’m around him a lot, he’s a very easygoing guy in July and August at the lake when he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing. When he’s in the locker room, around the rink, he’s as serious and intense as anybody that I’ve been around.
That’s a very good quality right now. We need that from him. We need him to grab some people and take them with him right now. That’s why we consider him a real valuable leader.
With that, he’s got to watch how far he takes it because he can’t get guys in too deep or too frustrated as well. Danny can handle anything individually. He’ll continue to lead collectively.

Q. The frustration your team showed a little bit on the ice, apparently in the locker room after Game 2. Is that unusual for your team? Did you like seeing that?
COACH McLELLAN: Not unusual and I did like to see it. I said this yesterday in San Jose. You’re allowed to be passionate at this time of the year. We expect that. We expect you to be frustrated when it’s not going your way.
But it’s what you do with that, how you handle it, how you channel it. We as a group, as a team, likely won’t be good enough to beat Chicago and frustration. We have to pick one or the other. If we end up trying to beat the frustration all the time, we won’t have enough left in our tanks to beat Chicago.
If we channel it, try to target Chicago, use our frustration on them, we have a chance to come back.

Q. Two days off before Game 3. Are you taking the time to sit with some of your leaders, players, may do that tonight or tomorrow?
COACH McLELLAN: We have. The good thing about that is it’s no different for them. When you don’t do that during the year, you start doing it now, it could be seen by them as a panic situation. That’s not the case.
After every game, we find a way to meet with either a small group, individuals. It’s either to reward them and let them know we caught them doing a lot of good things and we like what they’re doing. Sometimes it’s on the other end of the scale where it’s, Hey, we expect more from you. Here are a few situations. We’ve done that. It’s not out of the norm. We’ll continue to do it as long as we play.

Q. Any chance we could see some mixing and matching with your top two lines? Move them around a little bit?
COACH McLELLAN: There’s a real good chance of that. Obviously, we talk again of the match scenario. We’ve only scored three goals in the series. We have to find a way to be a little more offensive.
With that said, we can’t open up the game so much. We respect their offense enough, that you can’t open it up totally. That’s what happens when you’re chasing a series. We’re now behind and we’re chasing it. You’ve got to adjust in one area, but you have to make sure it doesn’t affect the other.

Q. Dany Heatley only has two goals in the post-season. Do you need him to start finishing more of his chances?
COACH McLELLAN: Yup. There’s no other way to say it. Yes is a real simple answer. As coaches, we’re always aware there’s 19 others that play the game as well. We need that from some others.
Heater has the skill, the ability in the past that he’s proven that he can put the puck in the net. There is some pressure on him right now. He feels it. I’m sure he’ll handle it appropriately.

Sharks Defenseman Day Boyle

DAN BOYLE: Opened up USA Today and there was a quote saying we are not working hard enough. I don’t think it’s a work thing. We are working hard. I’ve seen the guys working hard. There’s a difference between working hard and working smart. I think that’s the difference the first two games.
We’re working. We’re working hard. Definitely I don’t think that’s the problem. There can always be improvement, of course. But working smart is a different thing. It’s one thing to work, but if you’re not getting it accomplished, you’re just wasting time.
So it’s execution, it’s getting something accomplished every time you’re on the ice. You don’t have to be scoring goals, but getting something accomplished. That’s more the message I wanted to relay after Game 2. It was taken out of context. I meant more the effort.

Q. It’s been called a must-win game for the Blackhawks.
DAN BOYLE: We were in this position last series against Detroit. You don’t want to give them a pulse. Their game plan is to go up 3-0 and finish this off. I think that’s a good attitude they need to have. Ours is obviously to get ourselves back into this thing. We’ll get that pulse and we’ll grow from it, be a better team.

Q. Is it a good thing or bad thing that Nashville and Vancouver came in and won their first games?
DAN BOYLE: It means absolutely nothing, to be honest with you. It’s another round, another series. It really doesn’t matter what their home record is. We’re aware of it. It really doesn’t matter. We don’t really care about that.

Sharks forward Patrick Marleau

Q. The way you handled the frustration on the ice towards the end of Game 2, the talk in the locker room afterwards, was that unusual for this team, or did you like it?
PATRICK MARLEAU: I think things happen that way. I think obviously late in the game, people get into it. It’s on both sides, too. It’s frustration on our part, but that you are getting into it as well. It’s just one of those things.
Just talked about coming here, getting our game going, playing a lot better.

Sharks Forward Joe Thornton

Q. What is your experience in this building, the way it is, even during the regular season?
JOE THORNTON: Good. I love playing in this building. It’s pretty electric. 20,000 fans going crazy, it’s a good building to play in. We’ve had some success here in the past. We’re looking forward to that tomorrow.

Q. Dan Boyle, his approach, attitude.
JOE THORNTON: He’s just easy. You know, yeah, just always relaxed. Doesn’t seem to panic.

Q. Good influence on the room?
JOE THORNTON: Yeah, no. All the guys love being around him. Very contagious. He’s just a light-spirited guy that all the guys like to be around.

Q. Whatever frustration or emotion you showed on the ice at the end of Game 2, and apparently in the locker room a little bit, is it a healthy thing getting the frustrations out at the moment?
JOE THORNTON: Yeah, you know, we know we can be better. We saw some this morning to show we can be better. You go through your ups and downs. But it was a good week. We addressed everything. We’re ready for tomorrow.

Q. Having a couple extra days to think about the game, looking at the video, are there areas you can be better?
JOE THORNTON: Yeah.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about that?
JOE THORNTON: No (laughter). You’ll see tomorrow night.

Sharks Forward Dany Heatley

Q. Do you want to start scoring more, now that the series is continuing on?
DANY HEATLEY: Yeah, you got to score goals. You know, I haven’t had that many so far. Again, just trying to do the right things, create chances, make some good shots.

Q. Do you feel like you’re getting your chances?
DANY HEATLEY: Yeah, I mean, getting shots, getting chances. Sometimes it goes in for us, sometimes it doesn’t.
You know, got to find a way to score some goals.

Q. They’re trying to contain you guys, also trying to irritate you.
DANY HEATLEY: I mean, you know, to tell you the truth, we’ve been mixing and matching. The people we’re more concerned about when we’re on the ice is the big boys, Kane and Toews. They’re good with the puck, good offensively. You know, the other lines, we’re kind of playing against them, we’re playing against Madden. We’re really playing against all four lines. Really doesn’t matter what they’re doing, it’s what we’re doing.

Q. Sometimes does the media make too much of the agitators on the other team?
DANY HEATLEY: It’s fun for the media to have that line, agitators against offensive guys. Really it’s four lines against four lines. Both coaches are trying to get matches. I’m sure they’ll get more of the matchups they want here.

Q. Has a player ever gotten you off your game by talk?
DANY HEATLEY: No. Everyone likes to talk. I like to talk. I find it fun.

Sharks forward Joe Pavelski

JOE PAVELSKI: You feel good with the lines, feel like you have chemistry, but the bottom line is you have to produce. We’re getting some chances. At this time of the year it doesn’t do any justice unless you produce.
We’re looking to bear down, play, make his life miserable in front of him. There’s a couple areas we went over that will help us next game.