Weber: ‘There’s no quit in this group’

MONTREAL – The Canadiens bested the Maple Leafs 3-2 in overtime on Saturday night at the Bell Centre to force a seventh and deciding game in the series.

SHOP: CHic Playoff Line

Following the contest, forward Tyler Toffoli, defenseman Shea Weber and forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi spoke with reporters via Zoom.

They were followed by interim head coach Dominique Ducharme.

Here are a few highlights from their respective chats:

Toffoli on the power play finally starting to click:

The first one was definitely a dirty goal and Nick made a good play on the second one and we got a good bounce off the glove. We’ve been working, we’ve been talking about our power play a lot and how we needed not only to score goals, but generate some momentum. I thought we did that. We had so many chances to capitalize after that. They have a good goalie over there, but we stuck with it. Now, it’s do or die.

Video: Toffoli on the energy from the fans in attendance

Toffoli on staying focused in overtime after surrendering a two-goal lead in the third period:

That’s just hockey. You just have to find a way. One shot wins it. Would we have liked to be in their zone the whole time in overtime? Yes, but that’s not what happened. We just found a way and that’s what good teams do.

Weber on the character of the team after staving off elimination twice in a row:

It says a lot. There’s no quit in this group. Even though we’ve given up leads in the last couple of games, we grinded it out. I thought Pricey played unbelievable. He kept us in it, especially in overtime when they were pushing, and gave us a chance. Obviously, that one shot made the difference.

Video: Shea Weber on playing heavy minutes in Game 6

Weber on the impact of the 2,500 fans in the stands:

We could hear them before the game and going out for warmups. I had chills again. Honestly, it was unbelievable. It felt like a lot more than 2,500 people. It was amazing. I can’t imagine what 20,000 people would be like right now because that was electric for that amount.

Kotkaniemi on his game-winner in overtime:

It was pretty unbelievable. I think that was probably my first ever OT goal. It’s pretty remarkable. It’s a great feeling, especially with the fans back in the stands. It just gives you goosebumps. It’s an unbelievable feeling. It’s hard to describe.

Video: Jesperi Kotkaniemi on netting the overtime winner

Kotkaniemi on the fans being back in the Bell Centre for the first time since March 2020:

Seeing the people out there with the towels, we’ve been waiting for that the whole year. The new guys were talking about that. It was really special just to see people out there. I think we finally have a feeling we’re moving in the right direction.

Ducharme on Kotkaniemi’s OT tally:

I’m happy for him. I really like the way he’s played since the beginning of the playoffs. I felt that he needed a good week of practice before starting the postseason. I’m happy to see him get rewarded. He understood what was happening. He worked and made an effort. It’s good to see a player get rewarded that way.

Video: Dominique Ducharme on Carey Price’s leadership

Ducharme on the impact of Corey Perry:

We’ve often talked about what he brings to a team. He’s an incredible competitor. He’s a winner. He inspires our young players and even our veterans.