The Blue Jackets dropped Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series to the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-1, on Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena. Game 2 is set for Friday night in Pittsburgh, while Game 3 is set for Sunday at Nationwide Arena.
Here's a collection of post-game comments and reaction from Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella and the players after tonight's game:
HEAD COACH JOHN TORTORELLA
When did you find out Fleury was starting in place of Murray?
"We saw it on TV that something happened to (Murray). Doesn't change our thinking. It was kind of peculiar...but that doesn't affect us and what we're trying to do."
How do you stop the Penguins' highly-skilled power play?
"We need to try and stay out of the box. They've got some good players. Where they hurt us (on the power play)...is through the seams. It's a lot of moving pieces. We've got to limit the penalties, and I do think seam plays were exposed tonight."
Happy for your young players to get this experience out of the way?
"Let's not use youth...to me, that's an excuse. I don't think we were nervous. The first period, I thought we did a lot of good things there. I'm not worried about the team. This is why it's a series. We had some good minutes, even in that second period. I'm not going to buy into this youth stuff, I think it's to your advantage. I'm encouraged. They surged on us, and we have to learn from that."
BRANDON DUBINSKY
On the Penguins' second period:
"I think they got that first one and put us on our heels a little bit. They got some more momentum with their second. We lost momentum and weren't able to get it back, but overall, not a bad effort for us."
On bouncing back:
"We've got to play the same way that brought us success in the first. They're going to score some goals, and we have to respond the right way. We had a pretty good third period and something to build on for Game 2; it's a marathon, not a sprint."
What worked in the third period?
"(In the third) we got back to our physical game. We have to do a better job of getting shots through."
NICK FOLIGNO
Takeaways from Game 1?
"Everything counts...every play makes such a big difference. There were a lot of good things. It's one game under their belt."
Lessons from this game?
"We have to understand that we had (momentum) in the first. Even a fluky goal like the first one happens, we have to get right back at it. That can be the difference in the game. We have to capitalize on our chances, too, and our offensive guys need to step up and they will. I'm not going to overreact - it's Game 1. There's lots of hockey left. Anything can happen. We had the jump, some bite-back...the push was there. We have to make sure we're doing it the whole game."
ZACH WERENSKI
On his thoughts after Game 1:
"I thought our team played well for most of the game. For eight minutes or so there, they got momentum. Other than that, I thought we played a really good game. We had a lot of chances, a lot of pucks laying there. We have to find ways to get one by them."
His reaction to his first career playoff game:
"We know what we have to do next game. We know the style the play, the team they are. It's just hockey, you have to go out there and play. We've approached it like any other game."
