Rick Tocchet on Flyers keeping their composure heading into Game 3 vs. Penguins | Unfiltered

The Unfiltered crew talks with Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet about returning home for Game 3 vs. the Penguins.

Rick Tocchet on Flyers keeping their composure heading into Game 3 vs. Penguins | Unfiltered originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

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Joining us now, Flyers head Coach Rick Tocchet.

Rick, how the boys feeling, man?

Two-all against the Penguins.

Yeah.

thanks guys.

yeah, good.

They're feeling good.

I, I, I got to For a young group, they're pretty even keel though.

Gotta give them a lot of credit.

I was s- you know, on the bus after the game, not a lot of hooting and hollering.

really businesslike.

So I gotta give them a lot of credit, really mature.

A really mature group for a young guy, bunch of guys.

You know, Tocchet, you know as well as I do, the, the Flyers had been on the back burner for a little bit.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Now all of a sudden you guys are in the Let me put it to you this way, you're on everybody's mind in this city now.

I know you've been away for a couple days, but I will tell you this much, this city is fired up, ready to go.

Do you guys feel that in the, in the locker?

Yeah, I think the, the last five weeks gradually, you know, just a little bit at a time.

I, you know, you trying to make, I think the group's making people believe a little bit.

You know, obviously we had a, like what is it, 3.8% cha- We all know that 3.8% chance and all that stuff.

But, I, I, I think the way we played on the road this year, that California trip, our road record has really given us confidence.

Now, we gotta make sure we play somewhat the same at home and try to get that crowd, which I think they'll be pretty insane.

but we gotta be careful.

We Sometimes, you know, Ricky, you know, sometimes you're amped up, you come home, and the crowd's And sometimes you get too amped up.

So we gotta kind of find that sweet s- sweet spot.

You know what's funny?

'Cause I've talked about this in the past.

You guys went on that road trip, you come I think there were two or three road trips in a row, and you came home on that first game, and you guys looked a little bit flat.

Yeah.

Well, i-i- Yes and is that just because you, you were so ready to come off of the road, and then you, you relaxed a little bit?

Or was it that they were almost too amped up?

Well, I think you're getting that, you know, you, you know, from playing on the road, that mentality.

You know, you go to the hotel, you know, some guys take a nap.

Like, you're just getting these things.

Then when you come home, you know, you get out of a little bit of routine.

so, but I don't know.

I- it's, s- it's, I think it's a lot of mental part of the game is, the road and, and the home.

I think there's a mental aspect.

and we've worked at that.

and like I said, you gotta use the crowd to our advantage, but not to a point we're running around and we're trying to, you know, kill.

You know, we're trying to manufacture so many hits that you're running out of position.

That's when I get concerned.

So we had a lot of hits last game, but I think we, when it was there, we made the hit, but when it wasn't there, we didn't.

I think that's what you have to do.

I- listen, I don't want them to play like I used to play.

I run-- Sometimes I'd run around out of position trying to kill somebody, and that's what I don't want them to do because, I mean, I was a donkey sometimes.

So I want them to be controlled.

We're talking to Flyers head coach, Rick Tocchet.

Yeah, now that control- Yeah I don't like complaining about the officiating, but in that first period last night, it seemed like it was very one-sided, but you were able to manage that.

Oh for eight on the power play so far for the Penguins.

How do you keep that under control?

How do you make sure you're not taking penalties when the emotion is really up?

Yeah, and I, I gotta be careful.

I was pretty a- animated in the first, period.

I, you know Listen, the, the, the officials are doing their best.

I mean, they had three, you know, these high stickings, and they missed two on us, and that's what got me kinda upset because, you know, it's a tough building to play in.

You got great players that have won three Stanley Cups over there, so I was just, you know, I was just trying to And the guys were under control.

That's the good thing.

you know, they got their coach like a lunatic, and these guys are worried about killing the penalty.

So yeah, like I said, r- that helped the composure of, of, of the guys on the bench.

I gotta ask, game one.

I'm watching game one, and the one thing I thought that y- y- you guys had to do as a whole was be a little pesky.

Make sure you're making the hits early on.

Let them know you're there.

Wa- was that part of the game plan?

Yeah, I mean, like, listen, y- they got great players over there, but that doesn't mean they can't be hit.

That means they can't You know, they gotta get around you to get to the good areas and y- you know, it's just like anybody, you know.

frustration comes in, just like we can get frustrated so.

But I still It's hard to do, right?

That, hey, Ricky, it's hard to do that every game, and that's what the playoffs are is, continually doing the right things.

We, we, we, we talk about over and over again it.

And sometimes some parts of the game might not be sexy.

You know, it might be a neutral game, zero-zero, or, or tight game, and sometimes you just gotta let the game come to you and just keep doing the right things.

Then, then you get a, like a tip goal, like a, like a home run hit, right?

He comes from nowhere on a short-handed goal, one-man show, and he hits half on the back door.

I mean, those are special moments that you're looking for.

Now, going back to the trade deadline.

Yeah.

Rasmus Ristolainen, subject of a bunch of trade rumors.

He ends up staying here, and now it looks like he's playing some of his best hockey.

I mean, how did you handle that with him from a mental aspect, where he was the subject of all those trade rumors, and now he's here, and he's contributing in such a big way?

Yeah.

It really helped that, to be honest with you, 'cause when I g- when I took the job, he was hurt, right?

So he didn't, he didn't play for, like, 40 I forget how many games.

40 games.

and then around, you know, he started to play a little bit for us and playing well, and I'm like, to our coaches, "Man, this guy's a big defenseman that can move the puck."

Like, I love this guy.

And you know, y- you know, he wanted, he wanted to play playoff hockey, you know.

And I'm not saying he wanted to get traded but, you know, guys get to that, you know, what is it?

800 games or something, he hasn't played in the playoffs.

So, I really feel special for him for the guy be, you know, be in the league this long, and now he's playing playoff hockey.

And you guys see him at, the first two games.

He's a monster out there for us.

So I'm really happy for him.

You know, for a guy that's been that long, you know, playing the playoffs.

You look at the depth of your lines right now and, and like a lot of people, myself included, think because of Tyson Forster coming back, because of Martone, being added to your team, that made your team that much better as the lines get deeper.

Is that the way you feel right now?Yeah, I mean, if you look at it, it's like having two big trades, you know?

Like, we didn't have those guys, right?

bringing those guys in, you know, it-it-- the, you know, the depth's there, you know.

you know, and then like, you know, it's gonna happen in the playoffs.

I ran, I ran nine forwards the last, like, 12, 13 minutes, and a couple of guys didn't get out there, and that-that's okay sometimes in the playoffs.

You gotta go with your gut feeling, and I thought the guys were doing a good job, the guys that were playing at that time.

but you know, it's a full slate next game.

We'll g-get the other guys in there and get some ice time for 'em, and, you know, hopefully they can contribute.

Yeah, skaters are definitely playing well, but let's talk about your goalie, Dan Vladar.

Yeah.

Not only what he's doing in the net, but how much of a leader he's been for this team.

Yeah.

Yeah, real calming influence.

even, like, y-you know, I've seen him lo- let a couple of goals come to the bench, saying, "Hey, man, you know, I'm not gonna let the third one in.

You know, stay in it, stay in it."

I've seen him, we're up two-nothing, and the team's peppering us, and he'll come, "Hey, we're-- don't worry about it.

Don't worry, I'll make the saves."

Like, he's calming the young guys down.

Like, he-he-he's a very unflappable guy.

He's a great guy, and everybody wants to play for him.

You know, even, even Ursh, like, you can just tell.

I mean, I don't know how many blocked shots we had last game.

We didn't have the puck a lot, certain parts of the game.

We have, we have to improve that for tomorrow.

But, we blocked a lot of shots for him, too, when he-- when, you know.

But when we didn't, he was there for us, so, there was a lot of dedication in that game, for blocking shots.

yeah, you out-outblocked the Penguins.

Twenty-three blocked shots for the Flyers, only eight for Pittsburgh, so you're, you're right on that one.

Yeah, getting the lanes and things like that.

But, you know, you gotta have the puck more.

Like, you know, you don't wanna be a team that just blocks shots, because that means you don't have the puck.

So we, we're gonna have to, you know, hold onto pucks more, skate with the puck a little bit more than we did last game.

But like I said, I like the resolve of the team, and obviously killing those penalties are huge, especially at the start of the game.

You're, you're up two-oh, coming back to Philadelphia.

Yeah.

What's the message to your team?

Yeah.

there's a lot of messages, but for me is, is, is stay really even keel.

Like, I get it, people are going crazy, and the fans.

I But I think we gotta play our game.

You know, sometimes you get amped up, and you try to do something one-on-one at the wrong time.

your F3 dives in or, or D pinches at the wrong time.

All of a sudden you get a two or a three-on-one, and it can kill momentum.

So to me is we just gotta stay with what's got us there.

you know, continue to play aggressive.

I mean, the fans love when, and especially in Philly, you play aggressive, but we just can't cross the line.

and we just gotta make sure we're disciplined, and, you know, in, in especially the first period.

We can't be taking You know, it's-it's-it seems like every time we go into Pittsburgh, you know, we-we're in the pu- you know, we're in the penalty kill the first couple of 10 minutes of the game.

Now, hopefully, we can get the advantage here in Philadelphia.

Rick, we appreciate the time, man.

Let's keep this thing going.

We're rooting for you, man.

Thanks for the support, guys.

Appreciate it.

Got me fired up.

Yeah, he does.

There he is, Flyers head coach, Rick Tocchet.

Dude, I-I- I, we can't talk enough about the job that he has done, Ricky.

I mean, you really can't talk enough about it.

The fact that this team had a 3.8% chance to make the postseason, and they go on that tremendous run from the Olympic break, and now playing the best hockey we've seen them play all season long.

When you're trending at the right time, that's how things go in, in the NHL playoffs.

Right.

Anything's possible.

But it also has to be a firm belief in yourselves.

I mean, that's what it really comes down to.

You looked at a 3.8.

He, Rick brought it up himself.

We, we didn't bring that up to him.

He brought up the 3.8%, and what's the only way you make the playoffs?

Literally, you gotta take it game by game.

You can't go into that thing and say, "We're gonna chop down nine points tonight."

It doesn't happen like that.

And, you gotta give Toc a lot of credit.

He kept this team focused, and he had a belief, and the, and the players bought in.

And when that happens, a- then you have a whole roster fill-filled with believers and, and that's always a good thing on a b- on a sports club.

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