John Gruden, Toronto Marlies head coach Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden discusses his team\u2019s 1-0 win over the Chicago Wolves in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Final.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
On taking a 3-0 series lead:<\/p>\n
We know what playoff hockey is all about. We\u2019ve done a really good job of putting ourselves in this position. And we know what is at stake.<\/p>\n
We are not going to get ahead of ourselves. We know how we need to play moving forward, as we did in the second and third periods. We were a completely different team when we came out in the second. We just have to make sure we simplify things and keep supporting the puck, manage it, and the rest will take care of itself.<\/p>\n
On the character of this group of players:<\/p>\n
We wouldn\u2019t be here without it. I can\u2019t say enough about what Logan Shaw, Dakota Mermis, Matt Benning, and Marc Johnstone have meant to us. Those guys are policing our room and making sure our guys are ready to go, even when we have a bad period. Today, they were making sure our guys would be focused and dialed coming in.<\/p>\n
There is character all up and down our lineup. If someone is hurt, someone comes in and does that same job. It is impressive. Again, we will need it even more so on Thursday.<\/p>\n
On Easton Cowan\u2019s goal and strong second period:<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t have the best first, and not just him. We were a little bit\u2026 I don\u2019t know how to say it, but we just weren\u2019t ourselves. We made a few nice plays early to get a couple of opportunities. In the first five minutes, I thought we were good, and then we got a little sloppy. You know what happens when you get sloppy.<\/p>\n
Cowan, and a bunch of other players included, were outstanding coming out for the second. You could see the confidence grow after he scored that goal, and how much better he played detail-wise \u2014 200-foot game, and he was making all of the right plays and skating. He was creating. That is when he is at his best \u2014 not trying to do it himself.<\/p>\n
For him to come back like that after the first just says a lot about him. It\u2019s no different than what happened in Wilkes-Barre. His growth just continues. You just can\u2019t get this experience any other way than playing in it, and he was a big part of that win today.<\/p>\n
On Artur Akhtyamov\u2019s shutout performance and critical work in the first period, in particular:<\/p>\n
We don\u2019t have enough time. You guys will get mad at me for explaining how great he has been for us and how much confidence he has given our group. He just looks pretty calm in that net. He makes the big saves when he has to.<\/p>\n
Again, I think that might have been his best. He really, really looked sharp. He was dialed the whole night.<\/p>\n