See more MLHS in Google Add MLHS as a preferred source + Add After a 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres, head caoch Jim Hiller discussed his team\u2019s struggles under the Sabres\u2019 late push, Gavin McKenna sitting for the second half of the game, Kirill Marchenko\u2019s scoring breakout, and his familiarity with newly acquired Aatu R\u00e4ty. <\/p>\n
Hiller on the game getting away from the Leafs<\/a> after leading 4-2:<\/p>\n At the 11-, 12-minute mark (in the third period), they just started coming, and we didn\u2019t have an answer. We made some mistakes in those moments.<\/p>\n I know it\u2019s hard when you\u2019re on your heels, but you just have to be able to have a little poise and somebody to make a play. Give them credit. They put us on our heels, and we just couldn\u2019t make two plays in a row. Consequently, we got what we got.<\/p>\n Hiller on the team\u2019s defensive-zone struggles:<\/p>\n It seems like that more so over the last three or four games than the first home stretch, I would say.<\/p>\n Sometimes, good players can do that to you. They can get some separation, and then it makes it look difficult. But we\u2019ve got to be better there. There\u2019s no question.<\/p>\n Hiller on why McKenna sat for the second half of the game:<\/p>\n That was my decision.<\/p>\n We went for a stretch\u2014I think we had those penalties. I wanted to get him out there. He sat through those penalties, and then I didn\u2019t get him out there through that stretch.<\/p>\n The last few minutes of the period, we\u2019re just trying to get out of the period, I guess you would say. Now I\u2019ve sat him for so long, and he sits in the intermission.<\/p>\n I probably should\u2019ve gotten him out there early in the third. I didn\u2019t, so I\u2019ll talk to him about that.<\/p>\n Hiller on whether he spoke to McKenna about the decision:<\/p>\n Yeah, I\u2019ll talk to him for sure, but I haven\u2019t talked to him yet.<\/p>\n Hiller on McKenna\u2019s game before he sat:<\/p>\n It was okay. It was fine.<\/p>\n Again, the big thing is the penalties. He doesn\u2019t get to play. We get into the thing, and now, he hasn\u2019t played for 30-some-odd minutes.<\/p>\n We talked about getting him out in the third, and then I guess it just didn\u2019t happen. That\u2019s on me. Once we got into that stage, I said, \u201cI\u2019m not going to put him out there now. I\u2019ve sat him there for 30 minutes. It\u2019s not fair to him.\u201d<\/p>\n Hiller on whether sitting McKenna for so long could affect his confidence:<\/p>\n I\u2019ll talk to him. You\u2019re always worried, but you guys have talked to him. I\u2019ve said this before. I\u2019ve talked to Gavin. Very, very mature. Lets stuff roll off him. Doesn\u2019t take anything too personally. That\u2019s what I\u2019ve gotten from him.<\/p>\n He\u2019s usually ready to go. There have been other times I haven\u2019t played him as much and put him in there and double-shifted him and those kinds of things, and he\u2019s responded.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll talk to him, but I don\u2019t have a big concern about that.<\/p>\n Hiller on whether Marchenko\u2019s performance was what the Leafs<\/a> envisioned when acquiring him:<\/p>\n It is, obviously. Those were big-time goals, right? Two of them, for sure. The other one was just a great play by Sissons.<\/p>\n He\u2019s got that dynamicism, for sure, and we\u2019re going to need that. You knew it was going to come sooner or later, right? You can\u2019t be that talented and not score. It\u2019s going to come like we saw tonight.<\/p>\n Hiller on how he can coach the team to show poise and make plays under pressure:<\/p>\n I guess it\u2019s difficult. It happens sometimes. You wish it didn\u2019t. It\u2019s happened to us in the second period at different times this year. It\u2019s happened to other teams at different times. I\u2019m sure we\u2019ve done it to other teams.<\/p>\n In that moment, when it\u2019s going against you, you\u2019ve just got to find a way. Really, it\u2019s not one play. Sometimes, it\u2019s two plays in a row because one play doesn\u2019t get you too far. Two plays in a row get you up the ice, and we had a difficult time making two in a row.<\/p>\n Hiller on his familiarity with new Leaf\/Marlie Aatu R\u00e4ty<\/a>:<\/p>\n I was with the Islanders when we drafted him, so I had him in a training camp and really liked him. Had really good hockey sense. Really, really nice kid back then. He had made a really good impression on me, I remember.<\/p>\n