Derek Laxdal
Derek Laxdal
Derek Laxdalis a former professional ice hockey right winger. Since 2014 he has been head coach of the AHL Texas Stars. Previously he served as head coach of the WHL Edmonton Oil Kings and the ECHL Idaho Steelheads. Laxdal led the Steelheads to the Kelly Cup championship in the 2006–07 season and won the 2014 Memorial Cup with the Oil Kings...
game great hockey normal playoff taste tonight
There's a great taste of playoff hockey right there. ... Tonight was probably more of a normal game you're going to see out of these two teams.
beat game guys points
I told the guys we'd feel a lot better after the game if we won. ... Right now we're beat up and sick, so we'll take points any way we can.
coming dressing game last love
The big thing is, when you're coming to the end of your career, your love of the game intensifies. When you're in the dressing room, there's such a camaraderie. They're you're family. If it is your last year, then that magnifies it.
game good great guys hard hold lead played
I thought our guys played a great first period. You get a big lead and you play hard and sometimes it's hard to hold on to a big lead. But it will be a good character-building game for us.
good literally
We literally got outworked in every zone. It was a clear, simple, good ass kicking.
history last obviously tonight
I don't know what kind of history they had there, but obviously we had some history tonight and last night. And it makes for some entertaining hockey.
coming good solid sure
We have a big one coming up in Alaska. We've got to make sure we go up there and play solid hockey. It will be a good test.
good series solid three
This series was good for our confidence. We got three solid goaltending performances.
best hockey plants playoffs sun time
The playoffs are the best time of the year. The sun is shining. The plants are budding, and playoff hockey is in the air.
becomes captain contest pick popularity reason training
The reason I pick the captain is a lot of the times it becomes a popularity contest in training camp.
excitement
That's overtime. That's the excitement of the game.
both competing easier five four guy guys hurt stick sure trying
It makes it easier if you can play both guys. If you get a guy hurt or especially if you get one called up, you know you can stick with a guy for four or five games. Right now, we're just trying to make sure both guys are competing down the stretch.
It's a seven-game series. We stole two there and now they got one here.
mentally physically team
We're a physically and mentally fatigued team right now.