Say What - 'Treat It Like A Playoff Game'

Mikael Backlund on finishing the road trip strong:

"We have a good chance here now to make it a good trip, played some really good teams and if we can get a win here tonight, it’ll be a really good trip. It’s exciting times, going home with 20 games left. Just gotta leave it all out there. Really excited for tonight."

On the group's energy level:

"We feel good. Came off the break going into this road trip, which is a lot better than if it had been in late January - before the break - we could have talked about fatigue then. I think now the guys, coming off of the break, everyone’s really excited and refreshed. We have a good opportunity to make it a good trip."

On building off the Philadelphia win:

"I thought we played with a good pace, more our style our game. It was our fastest game this trip, since coming back from the break. I think we can be even better tonight, especially on the forecheck - create more - and be at times, a little more simple in the neutral zone, turning less pucks over, being more direct. Last game was definitely a step in the right direction."

Joel Hanley on the chemistry between he and his defence colleagues:

"It’s been good. Everyone’s been playing well, and working together well. We have a lot of good pieces back there, I think we’re confident in each other, for sure."

On being paired with MacKenzie Weegar:

"He’s obviously an amazing player, it’s great playing with him and he’s a great guy. He’s easy to talk to, in-between shifts and stuff, he’s easy to read off of. I’m just trying to make the most of my opportunity playing in that spot. I just want to continue to grow every game, he’s been amazing to play with."

On facing his former Stars teammates:

"They obviously have a great team, I think they’re one of the best teams in the league. It’s gonna be a tough game, I think getting the puck up to our forwards as quickly as possible, and making clean breakouts. They’re a fast team, so they’re on top of you pretty quick. It’s gonna be a fast game. I think just managing the puck well, and playing in their end is gonna be big."

Blake Coleman on the number of high-sticks he's absorbed recently:

"For whatever reason, my face has had a big shiny target on it, but it was good to get the win. You try to contribute any way you can. When goals and points aren’t coming like they have been for me lately, you just try to find other ways to contribute, until they show back up. If I can eat a few high-sticks, and it helps the team get a win, I’ll eat ‘em."

On keeping energy and focus up at the end of a long trip:

"You treat it like a playoff game. We’ve got 20-whatever playoff games coming up, that’s just how it is, you look at our schedule and the race. That’s all you can ask for, to be in meaningful games this time of year. We’ve given ourselves that opportunity. Coming out of this road trip 3-2-1, you’d feel pretty good about that considering the cities, the travel and the teams we’ve played, things like that. We’re excited for the challenge, we feel like we can hang with anybody when we bring our game. I feel like the energy’s good. We’ve gotten good rest. Guys will be ready to go."

Ryan Huska on tonight's challenge in Dallas:

"We have a great opportunity. We can leave this trip above .500, and that’s important, and we’re playing arguably the best team on this trip tonight. I think our players are looking forward to it. It gives us a chance to play in a tough building, against a very good team, to try and finish the trip on the right note."

On how goaltending decisions are made:

"Jason (LaBarbera) does a lot of work on buildings, and who’s playing well against certain teams. There’s all sorts of different things that come into it - upcoming opponents - we look to put the guys in situations where we think one, they’re going to be at their best, two, they have the proper rest and three, is there a situation where someone’s going to give us a slight advantage to win. This trip’s been harder, because both guys have been out of this world. They’ve been great for us, and they’ve given us chances to win every night they’ve been in the net. I know Vladdy’s going to do the same for us tonight."

On the penalty-kill's recent run of form:

"I think Trent (Cull) has done a really good job of bringing the guys together, and making sure we’re not giving up the quality of chances that we were before. Your penalty kill has changed over the years, where powerplays have gotten significantly better - I think Dallas has the best penalty kill right now, it’s around 84%, it used to be significantly higher - you just want to make sure the kill does a good job of generating momentum for our team. Whether it’s bringing pressure, making a kill like we had in Carolina. The one challenge that we have for our guys is to stay out of the box, there’s been too much of that over the last little while for us. Against the better teams in the league in particular, if you’re taking more than two to three - max - penalties, you’re not going to win a game. Our team is physical, our team has to play hard - that’s the way we are, that’s the way we’re built - but we have to do it in a manner that keeps us out of the penalty box."