Vancouver Coach Alain Vigneault met with the media after Sunday's off day practice. As ususal he offered little information, keeping things very close to the vest.
Make the jump to read what he had to say courtesy of NHL Media Services...
2011 SCF Off-Day Transcript (Vancouver: Coach Vigneault)
THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach Vigneault.
Q. Ryan Kesler didn't skate today. Can you update his status?
COACH VIGNEAULT: He's fine, just gave him a day off. That's all. Usually keep it at day-to-day. Don't want to spoil you guys too much (laughter).
Q. Alain, the wins and losses are obviously in your favor, but every other number in this series is in Boston's favor. What do you make of that? Why do you think the games have been so different in Vancouver than the two here in Boston?
COACH VIGNEAULT: Again, talked about this a couple of times here. Two games in Boston, the second periods were a problem. We played real well in the first two periods, and for whatever reason, the game got away from us in the second.
Obviously we all know that we need to be better. We need to make every shift in every period count and that's what we're going to try to do tomorrow.
Q. Alain, you've obviously in your career had to kick-start a player here and there to get 'em going. When you're dealing with the twins, that have not had much production in this series, is it different trying to tune up their game because of the innate communication they already have?
COACH VIGNEAULT: When you're dealing with those two players in particular, they're so demanding on themselves that they don't really need anyone to point certain things about their game out to them.
That being said, I do think that they're playing much better than their point total indicates. I think they're moving the puck well. They're doing a lot of the right things, and a lot of the things that should enable them to get on the score sheet.
You've got to give credit where credit is due. Their goaltender has made some great saves on them. And their defensemen have done a great job, they have been shutdown now for a few games. But I'm confident the tide should turn here soon.
Q. Alain, the last two games by Roberto here were poor. He had a great game in your building. Do you think playing here will be different for him?
COACH VIGNEAULT: I think Roberto and the rest of our group tomorrow are going to try and put their best game on the ice. We are focused on the one-game-at-a-time mentality since training camp. Tomorrow's game won't be different. We're going to have a plan and try and execute that plan the best we can. If we do that, hopefully the results will take care of themselves.
Q. Alain, I noticed Christopher Tanev was playing with different partners out there in the third pairing. Are you thinking about making a change in the third pairing or keep it as it was?
COACH VIGNEAULT: If I was, I wouldn't be telling you. But I'm happy with how the guys played last game, so must have been just sometimes stuff happens in practice.
Q. Same lineup?
COACH VIGNEAULT: Pretty close to saying that (laughter).
Q. You've been at this for two months now. I think this will be your 24th playoff game. A, did you wonder what this grind was like when you watched others go through it, and B, now that you've been through it yourself, can you characterize it?
COACH VIGNEAULT: Obviously for players and for us, the coaches and management professionally, when they say it's the hardest trophy to win, they're absolutely right. It's so taxing physically on the players, so demanding with the travel, et cetera, et cetera, that it makes it a challenge.
But I think as far as our group, we said all along, since day one, that we were ready for this and we're trying to prove it.
More Later...
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