Gerard Gallant Continues To Take Things One Game At A Time

Gerard Gallant's hockey team won 51 regular season games as well as the Pacific Division banner and is now enjoying the afterglow of sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. So don't expect Gallant to begin reinventing the wheel all of a sudden. His way works. It's also the only way he knows how to do things.
"Turk is Turk," he said earlier this season. "I've been doing it this way since I started coaching. It's the way we do things and it's the only way we know."
Gallant was asked about his emotional state right now and if satisfaction had begun to creep in after an unexpected regular season had now translated into similarly unexpected playoff success.
"The funny thing is, until you said that question, I was really excited after the game and I was really excited the next afternoon," said Gallant. "But it's forgotten now. It's in the past and now you're thinking about the San Jose Sharks. Yesterday, getting ready to watch that game I was thinking who our next opponent was going to be. San Jose or Anaheim? It wasn't even about enjoying winning that series against the LA Kings. There was nothing about that. That lasts for about 24 hours and then you move on."

Gallant has preached a one-day-at-a-time mentality all season and he said on Thursday his group wouldn't veer from it now. He was asked if he had stopped and said thought to himself, "Why not? Why can't we do something special?" and he politely waved off the notion.
"I'm not there. Let's face it, it's all been a great season and it's been a surprise. So far, it's been the perfect storm and everything is going our way," he said. "We had a great regular season and we just had an outstanding first round of the playoffs. I just try to make sure that we stay one game at a time and one step at a time. You can't look ahead. As soon as you start looking ahead bad things happen. We'll just take it one game at a time."
Here are some highlights from Gallant's media availability on Thursday:
Thoughts on their matchup against San Jose…
Nothing has changed in their game. They play the same game. They're a very good hockey team and they do a real good job. The same as us, we played our division enough and you know the team very well. You talk about the four game sweep. Anytime somebody sweeps somebody in four games, you're surprised by it. We were surprised by our success. The league is so close now. The teams are so close. You have to be playing real good hockey to be able to sweep somebody four games and focused hockey. I think San Jose did that.
Thoughts on Evander Kane joining the Sharks…
He fits in with their team good. He's a good hockey player. He's up and down and he's a big, strong guy that can skate and score goals. He's just doing his job. He's fitting in with his new teammates.
Thoughts on the goalie matchup between Martin Jones and Fleury…
Every team has great goaltending and that's why they're in the playoffs. Jones is another guy that played really well. You watch last night's game and he's a solid, solid goaltender. Anybody you play now this time of the year is going to have great goaltending.
Thoughts on the difference in the intensity in the second round compared to the first…
Once the playoffs start, the intensity is there. I think it will be the same thing, actually. I think both teams are going to have a lot of time off and they're going to be rested and ready to go again. I don't think there's a whole lot of difference.
Thoughts on the challenge that his staff has to keep things fresh in terms of preparation for the Sharks…
We're going to practice the same way that we've practiced all year long. We'll look at tape of the Sharks. Like I said, we know the team pretty well. It's not like they're going to surprise us with a whole lot and it's not like we're going to surprise them with a whole lot. It's going to be a good series, but I think both teams will be really prepared. You've got lots of time to get prepared. We'll just worry about our team getting ready, practice hard, have the right amount of days off and work hard when you're at the arena.
Thoughts on the amount of time off before their next game…
It's more like training camp. We're going to have a week. Same as the Sharks. We'll have an extra day, besides them. But it's pretty much the same. It will be two teams that are rested and probably pretty much all healthy. Away you go.
Thoughts on the difference between the bye-week break and this break…
It's a big difference because the guys are focused. During the bye week the guys are ready to get away and get away from hockey. Now, we're still in the playoffs and we're getting prepared for the second series against a real good team. It's not that the guys are going to take off from here and go somewhere on vacation. The guys are getting ready and they're getting focused on playing San Jose. It'll be fun. They have a couple of days where they can relax and enjoy themselves. Tomorrow they'll come back and go to work to prepare for a real good team.
Thoughts on the players who will benefit from the rest…
All of them. All of them, for sure. Everybody played really well in the last series. It was four games, it was competitive games. Do I wish we were starting the series on probably Saturday night? It'd be better, obviously. Our players are ready to go and I'm sure it's the same with the San Jose Sharks. They're ready to go and to get going. There's a lot of time in between. We'll have to work hard and have fun, have good practices and get ready for next week.
Thoughts on how much tougher of a matchup the Sharks will be than the Kings…
I don't think anybody is tougher. To be honest with you, when people ask you when the playoffs start who you want to play, you look at those three teams and I don't know. Really. You look at the three teams and they're pretty balanced. You look at the four teams including their self. Who would you want to play out of those four teams. I really don't know. So, it's going to be a battle. Didn't matter who you play in the first round, doesn't matter who you play in the second round. There's not a lot of pick from those teams.
Thoughts on if you like regional matchups better for travel and rivalries…
I think it's great. The NHL sets up the playoffs, I think it's the best way to do it. I think it's great. Obviously for us, traveling to LA is an hour flight. When you're battling teams, now we're going to San Jose, an hour and fifteen minute flight. I think it's perfect. I like the setup. I think they do a good job with the setup.
Thoughts on how well you guys played defensively in the first round…
I think that's the identity of our team. People say we score a lot of goals, we're a good offensive club. I think when we played these games that meant a lot to us, really important games, I think if you look back at these key games, we always had a great defensive game. We always played really well. I think there's a lot of games this year where our team wasn't mentally sharp. The last couple in Calgary and Edmonton. There were a couple other games where we weren't mentally sharp. When we play good games and teams, when we win those hockey games and battle in those hockey games we play good defensive hockey. It's not like our team can't do it. Some nights the mental part isn't there, like every other team, when I look at our team as a complete team and we always talk about doing it for the players, playing in all zones and that's important for our group. I think the guys really do that.
Thoughts on what's underrated about San Jose…
I think they play a solid, structured game. Pete DeBoer is a great coach, their coaching staff does a great job with them. If you look at San Jose, I think they're solid right across the board. I wouldn't say they're the best team on offense or the best team in defense but they're a solid, solid hockey team right through. That's why every year they're in the playoffs. They're in the final a couple years ago. They're solid, they've got a balanced attack, they've got veteran players, they've got character. Again, you look at the playoffs and you see the teams and you say who's going to win, I don't know. There's so many good teams and so many battles. You've got to play your best hockey to beat anybody.
Thoughts on some examples or anecdotes on how your team has fun in hockey…
I think if you go watch our practice with the way we set things up, I think they're enjoying themselves. I don't know if it's because the fans are out there all the time and they enjoy the fans' interaction with players. You've seen guys knocking on the glass with little kids out there. That's a little different than most teams. It's been fun, it's worked real well for us and we enjoy it. I mean, I guess our guys come to the rink and they have fun. I don't know if it's because of our veterans, because of the way we set things up from the get-go, I don't know. They're having a lot of fun.
Thoughts on when during the season your team is playing their best hockey…
I think over the last almost 14 periods we just finished in the playoffs, I think this is as good of hockey as we've played all year. Now I mean was there a period, first period in L.A. the other night where we weren't great in, yeah. But every time that happens we always seem to bounce back and play a great second and a great third. I don't think any team you can watch and say they've been consistent for twelve periods over playoffs or what it is. I'm real happy with how we've played every game in the playoffs. And again, L.A. in the first two periods the last two games, they took it to us and they forechecked and that's part of it. They were behind in the series and again I thought we didn't play well in the first periods, but it wasn't like we were brutal. Fleury had to make some key saves but he didn't have to make a ton of them.
Thoughts on the joy you have from the success you've already had this season, and anticipating more success…
I'll enjoy it when it's over to be honest with you. Yesterday was a fun day, relaxed and we came in here for an hour. Coaches don't get to enjoy it until right after the game when we win the first round. When the season is all over and you look back and say you know what, it was an outstanding season. We had a great regular season, we had a great first round and we'll see what the next hopefully six weeks bring.
Thoughts on the way you guys played in the final two games to finish off the series…
Yeah again we played the team with the best goals against average in the league. They're tough to score on, they played a real solid game. I don't think a whole lot changed in the series. Again, this series against San Jose might be similar to that, it might be a little different. I don't know. Our team can win any way at all. Hopefully we play well. If we play as well as the last series against LA, I think we'll have a good shot. We'll see.