Peca, T-Birds Itching for Start to Conference Finals
Jun 3, 2022Voice of the T-Birds Ryan Smith sat down with one of the ex-Rocket players on Springfield’s roster, Matthew Peca, to get the veteran’s thoughts on the matchup and what has him and his team feeling confident heading into the Eastern Conference Finals against Laval.
Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.
RS: With the Conference Finals upon us, you guys have gotten into a pattern of, whether you like it or not, having long rests between series. It seems like this team has been able to use that to your advantage. Game 1 of the Charlotte series saw the group perhaps take lessons learned from Game 1 of the Wilkes-Barre series. How do you try to build even further as the Conference Finals begin?
MP: You said it, we keep learning and we keep building. Game 1 of the Penguins series wasn’t our best. We were much better against Charlotte. Our Game 3 with a possibility of closing out the series against Wilkes was really bad, and then we learned our lesson and played much better in Game 3 in Charlotte. These little things happen in the playoffs, and we have some young guys who are still learning. We don’t have a whole lot of players who have been through this long of a playoff run. We’re adjusting really well.
RS: It’s been five years since you made a run to the Calder Cup Finals with Syracuse. Now you’re older and leaned on as a veteran leader. What did you learn from that Cup run that you can share with this group?
MP: I learned a lot in the sense that, when you go through that kind of thing, you learn what it takes to win, and not just at the regular season level but at the playoff level. To me, it has always been about composure – keeping your cool and understanding that there are going to be highs and lows in a game, a playoff series, even an entire playoff run. Things are never going to go the way you want them to go exactly. We’ve done a really good job of (maintaining composure) – Game 3 in Wilkes-Barre was a perfect example of that, where we want to put that series away and we’re down 4-1 in the first period. We’re a composed team, we adjust and make the necessary changes, whether it be lines or systems, and we keep playing our game.
RS: This series holds a lot of meaning to Charlie Lindgren. You weren’t part of the Canadiens’ organization quite as long as Charlie, but on some level, when you’re this far along and now a berth in the Finals is on the line, does the matchup against your old team provide an extra kick of motivation?
MP: Oh, there’s for sure extra (motivation), and it’s not that there’s any hostility. It’s no negative emotions or anything like that. It’s just that anytime you play a team that you’ve played for in the past, or you’re facing former coaches, teammates, you want to get the better of them. You want to show that the move to leave was the right move. We’re competitive guys, so once we’re out there, it’s going to be war. I enjoy playing against guys I’ve played with before, so I’m looking forward to it.
RS: You and Charlie can attest to the atmosphere of Place Bell. It’s going to be loud, boisterous. How can you convey to the younger guys of how to manage the game in that environment?
MP: They do an excellent job there. Like I said, though, we’re a very composed team and we’re not easily intimidated. It’s going to be nothing but positive. It’s going to be a great experience; we’re going to go in there and use that energy for us, even as the (road team). It’s a great atmosphere, it’s an unbelievable rink, facilities, you name it. The entire road trip to Laval is fun. It’s a great place to play if you’re comparing American League travels. We’re very excited about the opportunity to play there and hopefully make it a quiet night.
RS: The special teams have been what have made your team so special in these playoffs. I don’t think you could have dreamt the power play hitting its hottest point of the season at exactly the right time. You’re 38% on the power play and Calle Rosen hasn’t even played a single AHL playoff game yet. How do you keep the train rolling?
MP: We have 10 really good players that go on the ice on our power play. A big part of the reason why we’re excelling is that we’re getting scoring from all four lines, both power play units, and everyone is elevating their game. It’s strange to say, but I think our penalty kill being so great (*19/22 entering this series) helps our power play too. When you’ve been killing penalties greatly, you go out there on the power play, and you’re on. You’re ready and you understand the gravity of the situation. You want to get that winner as the power play unit because your PK has been doing the job all night. Our PK has been excellent all playoffs, so every time we go out there on the power play, we know what we have to do.
RS: Laval has been a team that, like Springfield, has not been easily ruffled. They were down to the final minute of their season in Syracuse in Game 5 before tying and winning that game and series. Then they had to overcome two deficits and survive a triple-OT Game 3 in Rochester. How do you guys take the next step and be the team that can finally knock down the Rocket?
MP: I think it comes with preparation. We’re a very confident group, especially when we’re prepared. We got this time to dig into how they play and how they tick. We’re composed, and we do a very good job adjusting to teams that we’re playing without getting away from our own game. They’re going to be a much more structured team than the last two we’ve played. I think that’ll be a good challenge for us, but I think it plays into how we want to play against other teams. We don’t play a run-and-gun game, we’re a structured team as well, and we have the ability to create scoring chances with the skill that we have. It’s going to be a fun matchup.
RS: I obviously was not going to go a full conversation without bringing up Sam Anas. He got to play one playoff season in Iowa. Now that he is on a team here with the depth you have, he has taken his game to levels that go even beyond what we thought was possible. Without Sam Anas, where is this team?
MP: Well, our power play wouldn’t be as good as it would be, for one thing. He just makes plays. You can always trust him to make high-level offensive plays, but he’s also really good at finding ways to get pucks out of the zone or get sticks on pucks. He’s an elite player with his stick and with the puck on his stick. We have so much confidence in him to be trusted in every situation – power play, 5-on-3, 5-on-5, 4-on-4, 4-on-3, you name it. We want the puck in his hands, and when he’s your guy that does that and he's scoring, the possibilities on the ice are endless.
RS: You guys knew the support you had from the fans all season long, and you saw in the first two rounds what this city would become in a postseason run. As we get closer to the Conference Finals, how much more do you guys feel the lift the city and fanbase are giving you?
MP: It’s why we play. You want to play for a good fanbase and bring people together. You want to be entertainment. It’s hard to put into words, but when you leave the rink even after a loss, and people are still thrilled to see you and you’re signing autographs, it goes to show you this product we’ve put together and how hard we’ve worked is paying off for fans. It goes beyond us and it’s great to see that in the playoffs.