They Said It: Top Preds Quotes Ahead of Game 1 Against Winnipeg

The pre-series soundbites are almost over. Almost.
With only a few hours to go until Game 1 between the Predators and Jets commences in Nashville, the two clubs hit the ice on Friday morning for a final pregame skate before addressing the media, one last opportunity to discuss what they expect when the puck drops.
Here are the top quotes from the Preds locker room ahead of Game 1:

Head Coach Peter Laviolette on his team adjusting to play teams with different styles in the postseason:
"Our team has done a really good job over the last few years of just adapting to whatever team we've needed to play against… We know what type of game we need to play successfully, but I do think our team, because of our division and the opponents sometimes that we have to face, some of them are bigger and heavier and stronger and fast and skilled. This team has done a good job of managing who we're playing against and trying to adapt and adjust to who we're playing."

Forward Colton Sissons on what kind of tone the Preds want to set tonight:
"We just want to come out of the gates flying. We want to have energy and just be feeling good about our game and not be trying to find it after the first period or halfway through the game. We want to start the right way."
Sissons on utilizing home-ice advantage:
"[Bridgestone Arena] is always a tough building for teams to come in here and play. Our fans are rowdy and loud and having fun, and as long as we take advantage of it and set the tone, I think it's a tough thing to battle through."
Forward Nick Bonino on how the Preds and the Jets match up against one another:
"There's a lot of skilled players on each team, a lot of good skaters up and down the ice. Their D are active, our D are active, I'd say the only weird thing is the goalies. For [the season series] to be that high scoring (41 goals in five games), you get in those games where they're shootouts sometimes. It's something we'd like to avoid for sure."

Defenseman Ryan Ellis on how the Predators have changed and gained experience since he first arrived:
"Through the course of some changes and philosophy changes, our team has developed more into an offensive threat. When I first got here we were more focused on defense, and not that we don't prioritize our defense as well, but this group has grown. The core group has grown and then added a piece here and there, and it seems every year we get a little bit more confidence, a little bit more experience and a little bit better on the ice."