Anaheim Calling, an Anaheim Ducks community

I already can’t wait to get back on the ice next year. I think the rivalry against the Kings increases tremendously…. I can’t wait to play them. Both organizations have won a Stanley Cup now, and they’ve got the latest one. So I think every game next year is going to be exciting. The battle of California is really on right now. Whether it’s us, San Jose or L.A., I think when those teams are playing each other, you are going to see great games.

"I thought this was the hardest I’ve seen a team work this year that I’ve been coaching ... and that includes the Capitals too."

"Shots aren't the important thing. Scoring chances are way more important than shots."

I asked Bruce about that flat-out today. I said, ...I know how you are, you kind of look for these historical things and you use them to motivate your team sometimes. What would this mean for you, ... seven straight [road] wins, that record stood for 27 years and you can own it tonight.

And he says, you know what, I used to care about stuff like that. After last year I learned that...none of that stuff matters. So we're just looking to win hockey games and get points, and whatever happens happens.

"I think you absolutely have to throw Boudreau in with the half dozen or so worthy candidates for the Jack Adams. He's convinced his team to change its colors, adopting a more defensive style that should, in theory, apply itself better come playoff time. That's a coach that learned a valuabe lesson from the playoffs last year and applied it this year. Impressive. Look at last night, once the Caps went up 3-2 on the Habs, they totally shut the game down, Montreal didn't get a sniff. That's just something the Caps didn't know how to do before this year."

"You don't like it, don't come to the games."

"With Steve Downie, if I were a referee I would never give a call when he's out on the ice. Stamkos, he dives every two seconds. Downie, he dives every two seconds, so you see that and you start to get a little hatred on."

"We're all going to make mistakes as refs and coaches and players, but I think the whole idea is to get it right. And if it takes two minutes to get it right I don't think viewers are going to turn off their TVs because the game ended at 9:37 [p.m.] instead of 9:34."

I think this also gives a guy like Tomas Fleischmann a chance to show everyone how good he can be. He is bigger and stronger than he was last year. I am a big Fleischmann fan, and I know how good he can be. He is the player nobody knows about on our team, but he is a really good glue guy. He is responsible and is a top-six forward who can play both offensively and defensively and those guys are really hard to find.

"Flash is probably two weeks away - not cleared for contact quite yet, but close. I think there's a good chance that when he's back, Laich gets bumped down to the 3rd line, as he's a better fit on an energy/checking line than Flash and he (Laich) gets most of his goals on the PP anyway (not a great 5-on-5 guy). One thing to remember about Flash is that Bruce loves him (way too much for my liking, but seriously - he'd adopt him if he could, I think)."