Goaltender Jonathan Quick hasn’t always been talked about favorably in the Kings’ 2014 playoff run like he was in 2012 when he won the Conn Smythe Trophy, but he had a tremendous game last night and Los Angeles is just one win away from the Stanley Cup as a result.
That’s not enough to make Quick lose his composure though. When asked about the team’s level of confidence after the game, he said that it’s the same as it would be if they were down 3-0 in the series. He deflected the idea that, as a Connecticut-native, playing at Madison Square Garden was special to him, and flatly dismissed the notion that he can “taste” the Stanley Cup.
So was he at least excited after decisively winning a critical Game 3?
“I would say it’s an exciting time of the year,” Quick said, per LA Kings Insider. “It was exciting against San Jose. It’s why you play hockey, to play in the playoffs. Obviously nothing’s done, nothing’s finished. We still have a lot to work to do. We do know the fourth is always the most difficult, so we have a lot of work to do.”
The key there is that nothing’s done. There’s nothing to celebrate yet and while it might seem natural to be particularly excited this close to winning the championship, the Kings know they have to stay focused and they have plenty of experience to lean on to help keep their emotions in check. Not just their experience winning the championship in 2012 either, but also overcoming a 3-0 deficit against the San Jose Sharks.
They know better than any other team that this isn’t over.
