1/10 PHI vs. MTL Postgame: John Tortorella

Hear from John Tortorella following the Flyers 3-2 shootout win over Montreal.

On last game you after the game you wanted to talk a lot about James what he meant to bring into this team the crowd’s reaction when he was announced starting the first point what does that say that what the crowd is getting behind him so much for yeah there’s a

Lot of stuff that came with them huh as far as what happened why the deal was made all that stuff and uh uh I I thought he’s 21 gets up at five o’clock four o’clock in the morning flies here having coaches bark at him about this

That the other thing goes out and plays a game and I I thought he played really well uh living in a new place he’s got so much stuff going on I I was impressed with him how he handled himself encouraging too that he gets on the

Board right away you throw him out there for that first Power Play yeah and makes a great pass to Spring frosty in the three on three it’s going to be a weapon three on three uh really good lateral movement uh I don’t know how many chances he had in

A three on three himself so uh I mean his ability to skate is going to it’s going to be uh a big thing for us as far as the way we’re trying to play talked to uh Sam Arison and seanu a few minutes ago and they both said that this was

Kind of a mental toughness game given the way it started and the way you guys were playing despite not getting rewarded for it would you agree there yeah I like the way we handle ourselves to me our our whole meeting it it was a reset for us we

Needed to reset how we play uh last one last home game before we go all for three um I just don’t think we’ve been playing fast enough uh I don’t think we’ve been direct enough going north um I you know Montreal plays hard they they they find a way to stay in

Games they’re not a top team uh you know neither team here is a top team I I just I like the speed of our game and and uh that was the most important thing for the coaches is just get to get back to our checking to allow

Us to get the puck to go north as quick as possible and I I I thought we did it fairly consistently tonight we talked to Jamie earlier he said that he thought he got up the ice well which is something you’ve mentioned you wanted him to work

On what did you think of of his performance in that yeah yeah he he he was up the ice I I I want him to go more uh we I I want him he he’s a candidate to be like a Rover uh not a defense are

Rover uh just just because he he’s just on top of the ice the way he skates so yeah he there were a couple times where he was up the ice and we didn’t get him the puck um so yeah he he was aggressive and we’re just going to stay on top of

Him uh as far as trying to push it and push it and take a chance and I think he’s more than willing to do that is it good now you guys are going on the road forced integration to get him in because there’s nothing like a road trip to get

Guys bonded together yeah yeah I mean they accepted him right away you you could see that uh uh you go on the road you’re you’ll go for a dinner or two there’s a day off in between um yeah so it’ll be good it’ll be good is the is the guy here is there

Doesn’t the guy here that that caused Kevin Hayes a problem yes you yeah are you kidding me you think Kevin Hayes is going to do something like that it’s you by him it just it pisses me off that that you guys throw that around and affect someone’s life no Kevin Hayes and

I had a problem we couldn’t come to an agreement how to play that’s a good man that’s a good man and and what you said is going to stay with them it’ll it’ll that’s what you guys don’t understand you say something and you’re going to sit there and say you have the right

Sources I call go ahead I’m sorry first I’m letting the first two buy him and then shutting the door the rest of the way how did you think that is that the podcast excuse me is that that silly podcast you guys do it is a podcast yeah

I’m sorry first and letting the first two by him and then shutting the door the rest of the way how did you feel he responded yeah unfortunate uh the two goals Ur can’t do nothing about two deflections it’s that’s uh three of them in the past couple of games really four of them

Uh he he he’s unflappable I think that’s where he’s grown uh we we we’ve talked about his mental toughness that continues to grow and uh Ur is earning his time here and uh again does a great job in the shootout uh I was worried if

We lose if we just get the one point I just felt it needed to be a full result tonight uh s s did his job it’s a tough game for him to play third period we we just we’re just stupid we give up three three on twos or three odd man

Rushes when we didn’t give up one all game and uh Ur made a couple saves there to keep it there they go up 3-2 I’m not sure where it goes Dale just seems like he’s got so much like innate ability how much better do you think he can get just

With age and time he’s 21 it it’s so I’m not going to jump up and down but I am excited that we have a 21y old right-handed defenseman that can skate like that um it’s it’s a perfect timing uh as far as where we are in our process last one thanks