Q.   Bryan,  you've  had  a  pretty good post-season.  Talk about how

things have gone for you, also playing on the top line yesterday.

      BRYAN  BICKELL:   Yeah, it's been a good post-season.  It's been fun.

It's been fun playing with Jonathan and Hoss last game.  I thought our line

had  a  lot of good opportunities and chances, and hopefully we can keep it

going tonight.


      Q.  When did you become more than just a big guy?

      BRYAN  BICKELL:   I don't know.  When I bring my physicality, I think

it  opens  the  ice  for  my linemates.  The opportunities for me have been

there.   I  know  I  had  a couple opportunities last night.  Unfortunately

bounces didn't go my way.

      We were happy to get the win, get ready for tonight.


      Q.  Bryan, we talked about the post-season, being on the sideline for

that.   What  is  it  like  to  be a major player in the playoffs this time


      BRYAN  BICKELL:   You  know,  to experience what they went through in

2010  was  unbelievable,  just to be there, to see what it takes to win the

ultimate goal.

      Experience-wise, it was a good learning experience for me to bring my

game  where it is.  It's been fun and it's been important.  We need to keep



      Q.   What did you add to your game since watching in 2010 that you're

applying now?

      BRYAN  BICKELL:   I  think  just my consistency in my game.  I know I

started  my  career in the minors.  My game needed to be more consistent to

be up here.  I felt the last three years it's been something I've wanted to

concentrate on.

      I  think  as  of  late  this  year, it's been a huge boost for me and

confidence.   I  know  I  can  be  more  consistent.  Just got to keep this

rolling here.


      Q.   Do  you  feel  like it's almost like a perfect storm, size being

critical  in  the  playoffs,  your  skill set is transferrable going from a

third line to a first line?

      BRYAN  BICKELL:   L.A.  is a physical team.  One of the more physical

guys  on the team to bring that every night.  To throw me on the first line

with  Toews  and  Hoss,  I need to bring that.  Hopefully my skill can take


      Mostly I can be physical.


      Q.   Last  round  you  handled  Detroit pretty easily in Game 1, they

responded in Game 2.  What are you expecting out of the Kings tonight?

      BRYAN  BICKELL:  Same as what Detroit did.  I don't think Detroit was

happy with the first game, and I don't think L.A. is either.

      It's  going to be an exciting, different game.  I think their offense

is  going  to be a lot better than they had last night.  We're just looking

forward to the challenge.


      Q.   Johnny,  a lot was made about the forecheck of the Kings.  Seems

they didn't have it going early.  Was it what you expected?

      JOHNNY  ODUYA:   Yeah,  I think they forecheck pretty hard.  They got

some  big  forwards.  Puts a lot of pressure on you.  Last night I think we

had  the  puck  most of the first part of the game, which it's always tough

for them to forecheck.

      It's  going  to  be  tougher  today.   I  expect a tougher game where

they're going to try to throw everything at us to steal a game.


      Q.   Getting  back  to the second Detroit game.  Seems like that game

shifted  that series, started things rolling in their favor.  Did you learn

anything from that as a team?

      JOHNNY  ODUYA:   Yeah,  I hope we learned something.  Being down 3-1,

that's something you don't want to do, especially with a team like L.A.

      I'm  not  saying  it's  impossible  to get that back like we did last

time, but it's not at all a situation you want to be in.

      We know they're strong at home.  This is an important game today.


      Q.   Johnny,  both  goals yesterday initiated by defensemen.  Is that

something you talked about?

      JOHNNY  ODUYA:  Yeah, you always want to get pucks to the net, people

to  the  net,  create  rebounds,  screens, tips, whatever it is, especially

against a good goalie like that.  You don't create any commotion around the

net, it's going to be really easy for him.

      I  think  that  goes  not  just for him, but any goalie at this point

that's  really  good.   When  you get - how you say - free time to work his

game.   I  think  in  general  we  tried  to do that.  We tried to put more

pressure on him, yeah.


      Q.   Bryan,  you  talked  about the 2010 experience, learning what it

takes.   What does it take?  What did you see in your teammates that either

surprised you or that you had to learn from?

      BRYAN BICKELL:  You know, it kind of feels like we have it now.  Last

series,  to  be  down  3-1,  to  come back the way we did, shows character.

Looks like the 2010 team.

      You  know,  just the will, what it takes to finish series off, games,

late  opportunities  in  periods.   It's important.  I think the confidence

level, it goes a long way.  We just need to get this going here again.


      Q.   Bryan,  your  impending  free agency, has that weighed on you at


      BRYAN  BICKELL:   No,  you  know, I'm just playing game by game.  I'm

just  doing  whatever  it  takes  to help this team win.  I know after this

season me and my agent will talk and negotiate things.

      For  right  now,  I'm  excited to be in this situation I am right now

with the Hawks.  It's been fun.  We have to keep this rolling here.


      Q.  Johnny, talk about the rigors of playing back-to-back?

      JOHNNY ODUYA:  Yeah, obviously a little bit different than is usually

done.  I never played back-to-back in the playoffs.  During this year, too,

especially  with  the  compressed schedule, a lot of games, maybe this year

than  any  year, we're more prepared for that type of mentality coming into

the second game, two games in a row there.

      You  know,  I think we feel comfortable.  It's the same situation for

both  teams.   That's always a good line to throw out there (laughter).  It

really  is.   But  they have to prepare, too, get ready in the same kind of


      We  feel  comfortable.   Like  last  night, we rolled a lot of lines,

played a lot of guys, more spread-out minutes.  That's been something we've

done all year.  It's been really good.

      I think come tonight, I think we'll be ready to play.


      Q.   Bryan,  how  special  is  it  to  play  in  this building in the

playoffs?  What kind of a boost do you get?

      BRYAN  BICKELL:   Yeah,  it gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

As  the  games go on, it gets louder and louder.  For the home team to have

that spark before even the puck drops, it's been fun.  It's been exciting.

      I  know  coming  in here for other teams, it sparks them up, too.  We

take  the  momentum  off  the  anthem to the first puck drop and we go from



      Q.   Bryan,  two,  three,  four years ago, was there anybody you were

trying to pattern your game after?

      BRYAN  BICKELL:  Yeah, I think so.  I think you look at Penner.  He's

a  similar  player to me.  He's a bigger guy that has good puck possession,

got  a  great  shot.  I think looking at when he was in Edmonton, I kind of

patterned myself a similar style as he did.

      But,  you  know,  I'm  not Penner.  It's my own game.  I just need to

bring it every night.


      Q.   Johnny,  there's  been a couple rock concerts.  They've torn the

stage  down  twice.  What are the ice conditions like out there, especially

when  it's  muggy  outside?   Does that change the way you have to play the

game at all?

      JOHNNY  ODUYA:   No, I don't think it's anything you can really focus

on.   We know what the ice is or not.  Obviously it's tough.  It helped out

a  little  bit  when  the Bulls are not here.  Also this time of year, it's

warmer outside, too, I've been told (laughter).

      That  helps  out a little bit, too.  It's always a little bit tougher

when you have 85, 90 degrees outside maybe.

      But  same  thing there.  The ice is going to be what the ice is going

to  be.   I  think  it's been okay.  Maybe at the end of periods, it gets a

little  bit  chippier  than  you would like.  Same thing, it's the same for

both teams.  We should be able to manage that by this point.


      Q.   Johnny,  this  is about the penalty kill.  A couple of guys that

don't  get  a  lot  of credit are Krueger and Frolik.  What are the keys to


      JOHNNY  ODUYA:   Two  guys  that  were  really good, John Madden, Jay

Pandolfo,  a  tandem  pair,  two  smart players, the same as Krugs and Fro.

They  have  that  way of being smart, read off of each other, know where to

go,   not   to   go,   put  themselves  in  positions.   They're  not  huge

shot-blockers,  but  if  you're  smart  enough to put yourself in the right

position,  you  don't  have  to  block  as  many  shots.   They  show  that

consistently all the time.

      Yeah,  I  don't  know.  It's tough to say why it works.  I think it's

chemistry.   For  those  guys,  obviously they don't get enough credit.  It

makes  it  a lot easier for the D, too.  All the D feel the same way.  When

you're  on  the  PK,  you feel very safe and it feels very solid.  That you

might  have to block a shot or two, that's fine.  Just that overall feeling

and the confidence going into PKs, it's good.


      Q.   Bryan,  you mentioned you want to model your game against Dustin

Penner.   He  and  other  big  guys  talk  about  the pressure of having to

constantly  be  physically  involved, the challenges of that.  How have you

managed that?

      BRYAN BICKELL:  Yeah, it takes a toll on your body.  I think you need

to pick your spots.  You don't just run around hitting everything in sight.

If  the hit's there, the hit's there.  I know some games they're not there,

but  to  bring  my level or any big guy's level up, the body is a big part.

Especially  at  this  time  of  the season, wear on the D, get a hit on any

forward,  it  slows them down.  It's part of my game, I need to get my hits

in when I can.