Say What - 'Couldn't Defend The Rush'

Coach Huska on how the game played out:

“They were the hungrier team. We turned over a lot of pucks and we couldn't defend the rush – and they have some good skill and they played a good team game.”

On puck management:

“If you're going to turn over as many pucks we did tonight, you're asking for it. Then, it's just a steady dose of odd-man rushes against and that's not a recipe for winning at any level.”

Is he sensing any frustration in the room?

“We got it handed to us tonight, so they should be frustrated after a night like tonight, So, there's no real sugar-coating that.”

On playing with pace:

“I think a lot of it is making sure you're ready to play, for one. But how you move the puck, number two, and then, what you do with it. If you want to get pace going but you're consistent in turning it over at either blueline, it's hard to get that pace for any sort of consistent period of time.”

On the new line combinations:

“They weren't great tonight, that's for sure.”

Backlund on the 1-3-1 road trip:

“We're not playing the way we want to. We're not playing as a team. We talked about it in camp and we're still talking about not turning pucks over and we've got to play more simple hockey here. We played really well against Washington and Buffalo, and then these last two games haven't quite been the same. We've gotten away from the hard-nosed game and play with a little more pace. When we don't play with pace, we look like a slow team. That's the reality. So, we've got to pick up the pace.”

On managing the puck/playing with tempo:

“That's how Vegas plays. That's how they won (the Stanley Cup). The puck gets out in the neutral zone, it's a quick up and the forwards are ready to go in on the forecheck - and that's the way we've got to play. It's what the best teams do and it's what we have to do, too.”

On the mood in the room:

“Six games in and there's a lot of hockey left to be played, but we've got to pick it up. We don't want to fall behind here. We want to stay within the race and you can't take anything for granted early on even though it's a long season, because it might hurt you in the end. We've got to pick it up here. We did some good things on this trip, but we need a really good homestand before the outdoor game.”

Tanev on the high number of turnovers:

“We're not going to win (that way). ... Teams are capitalizing on that and that's our fault. We need to be better with the puck and be better as a team defensively.

“Just communication, re-loads, turning pucks over. We need to clean that stuff up before we're going to get better.”

On pace:

“We were slow today. We were slow everywhere. Forecheck, breaking pucks out, neutral zone. We're not going to win if we play like we did today.”