32 Thoughts: The Podcast - 4 Nations Championship Preview

Episode Date: February 20, 2025

This episode of 32 Thoughts is dedicated to Penguins broadcast legend Mike Lange.In this edition of 32 Thoughts, Kyle Bukauskas and Elliotte Friedman talk about the anticipation of the game and the moment. They also unpack all the injury news ahead of the 4 Nations Championship Game. In this second segment they sit down with Drew Doughty (20:26) and JT Miller (28:14) to talk about their experiences at 4 Nations.Email the podcast at [e-mail] or call the Thought Line at 1-833-311-3232 and leave us a voicemail.This podcast was produced and mixed by Dominic Sramaty and hosted by Elliotte Friedman & Kyle Bukauskas.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates 

Kyle and I wanted to begin the podcast with a special note. There is a massive, massive hockey game in the United States on Thursday night, and there would be a time where one of the people who would be at the front of the line to call it was Mike Lang. Mike Lang was the voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He died Wednesday at the age of 76 years old, and he was as synonymous with Pittsburgh as anyone could ever be. If you were a Penguins fan, he was the soundtrack of your life, with his distinctive voice and his incredible calls. You listen to a Penguin's game, not necessarily to see what he would say, but how he would say it and the excitement he conveyed with it.

I do remember the first time I met him as a young hockey night in Canada reporter came up and he welcomed me said congratulations on getting this job and it was like you were being recognized by royalty. Obviously at Hockey Night in Canada you spent a lot of time in Pittsburgh from all the great players who were there to all the team's success it was always always always a pleasure to see him. He was a big time star, but he never big timed anyone. We heard the news as we were beginning to tape the special Four Nations Championship

Game preview podcast, and we feel there is only one proper way to recognize Mike Lang and introduce this special pod. Welcome to 32 thoughts the podcast presented by the GMC Sierra at four X Tom Elliot and Kyle are with you once again, this time for a special edition, Four Nations Face Off Championship Preview Show. Elliot, we remain in Boston in the lead up to Canada versus the United States,

part two from TD Garden on Thursday night for all the marbles. We've got a couple of interviews we're gonna get to a little later on in the show. But Elliot, first off, I can't tell you how impressed and also maybe even a little bit surprised. You knew this was going to be juice going in the amount of players that have won Stanley Cups or have come very close to winning a Stanley Cup that have described the emotions building up to this game here on Thursday night. If they're not at par with, say, game seven of a Stanley Cup final or the night you can win the Cup, it is just, just below. They are wired for what's going to come here Thursday at the Garden.

So are we, I think, and so are a lot of the fans. I cannot wait for this game. I'm very excited for it. The same way I felt in Montreal last Saturday is the same way I feel as the night turns towards Thursday in Boston. I don't think it'll be the same game. I think if there's a ton of fights, it'll be a blowout one way or the other, which I don't want to happen. I just think there's too many players, like JT Miller tells us in the interview, he's not fighting, but I just think that there's going to be too many players who aren't going to want to spend

at least five minutes in the penalty box in this game. Maybe we get one early, but I don't think we're getting three. This is going to be very different but it doesn't mean it's not going to be the same brutal, nasty, hard fought, every inch is earned game on the ice that we saw last Saturday. You know one of the things that a couple players said to me was, who aren't playing in this game was that that game on Saturday between Canada and the USA does not get credit for what a great defensive clinic it was. And that doesn't really sell. You know we think about the all the talent, the fighting and everything else that was the crowd and what was great about that game. But the people who played at the highest level were blown away by how committed to defense

everybody was. And when you think about all of the elite talent that is playing in this game, all of the scores, all of the pastors, all of the players in this game that can do great things with the puck, for there to be as little room as there was showed how committed all 36 of those skaters were that night. I'm looking forward to this again Kyle I think it's going to be a great great evening and I don't think it's the same as Montreal, but I think Boston is a perfect, perfect city to host it. Yes. We saw the, you and David talked about on Monday what the prices were then on the retail market for getting into that building on Thursday. It's, it's going to be spectacular. I wondered,

like, it seems like Canada's kind of maybe unlock something here with the line juggling that John Cooper did before the Finland game, Connor McDavid with Braden Point and Mark Stone and Reinhardt down with Sidney Crosby and Nathan McKinnon. And it's funny when you think about it, like Braden Point and Mark Stone, two guys that were kind of criticized for their skating very early in their career when they were coming out

of their junior days, and now they're paired with maybe the greatest skater of our lifetime. So I just wonder now, like, it's going to be, I think, a different mode of attack, I would think for, for Canada slightly, because you've got some combinations that are different compared to Saturday and they seem to be in a mode where a lot of trying to force things the first time against the U S and they seem like they've got kind of a renewed approach to their offense. I don't know what you've seen. I still think Canada has yet to play its best game.

I thought John Cooper had a great line in the media conference on Wednesday. He said we played 30 minutes against Sweden, we played 40 minutes against the US, we played 50 minutes against Finland, and we have to play 60 in this championship game. I don't know if Cooper was rehearsing that line or not, but I thought it was perfect because I think it's true. In every one of these tournaments Canada has won, they have been better at the end than the beginning, and they are trending in that direction. You know they have the three

best players in this game I believe in Crosby, McDavid and McKinnon but I also think top to bottom like Brad Marchand called the US on also on Wednesday the best team he's ever played against and I see what he's talking about. I think USA's roster 1 to 18, and I'm talking about the skaters, has played at a higher level so far than Canada's roster 1 to 18. I think the US has been better top to bottom and I think it's gonna be so important for Canada to match that. Like there are stars scored against Finland. I just think in this game somebody who we're not thinking of from Canada is going to have

to be terrific or make a play that makes the difference. Macar is playing, so Canada will be different than they were in the previous matchup. But you know, the US has some things going on. You know, Brady Kachak, we know Charlie McAvoy is not going to play. Brady Kachak mispracticed on Wednesday. We'll see what Thursday looks like. You know Matthew said don't worry about it. They said it wasn't injury, it was illness. You know now they've got Tej Thompson and Brett Pesci coming in just in case. And there's no doubt that flu or whatever it is has

played a part in this event like Monday night and Sweden's game against the US because of Benajed was at the game he was in the dressing room and he was there to play and he had to leave early and go back to his hotel he just couldn't do it so you know this has kind of made its way through the event and look I want Brady Kachuk to play. Number one I think it's better for the game. Number two I think the players would want to play against the best so I hope it's not a thing but obviously Team USA is bringing guys around because it's a bit of a thing. So you'll remember, WrestleMania 25, Undertaker versus Shawn Michaels, regarded as one of

the greatest matches of all time. The next year- Was that the one where the Undertaker had his streak broken? No, no, no. Goodness. His streak was broken by Brock Lesnar, but don't remind wrestling fans of that. No, Undertaker won. The next year, it was a rematch, WrestleMania 26.

It was the career versus the streak. And Undertaker one again, I mean, it wasn't quite to the level of the 25 contest, but it was still a great, great match. And so you kinda, you got me thinking about that when we've got, you know, the return contest here between Canada and the US after what we saw on Saturday because of your tweet the other day that this has become like the Royal Rumble.

Who's going to be coming down the runway here next? So it's leading me to Quinn Hughes. What the heck happened here? Because on Tuesday you had Mike Sullivan saying he's on his way to Boston, but he never left Vancouver. So I think, I don't think Mike Sullivan is a liar. I don't I think that Mike Sullivan in that moment honestly believed that Quinn Hughes was coming to Boston to join team USA and

You know, there were there were a couple of things that happened, you know, I was on kipper and born talking about on Wednesday and one of the things I talked about was the McAvoy Boston thing and my comments went kind of viral from there. And at the end, I mentioned the fact that the Team USA doctors were the Wilds doctors. And you know, I want to make something very clear. I don't think anyone here intended to do anything bad, but someone called me a bit later on with a really good point. What he said was, the thing that I talked about briefly in that clip is that they're

probably going to need to have some independent doctors be in charge of these situations in the future. The thing that he thought was most interesting is you've got the Minnesota doctors working with Team USA and this player plays for the Boston Bruins and the Boston Bruins GM is the GM of Team Canada. And he says, look, I think that's too interconnected because, you know, there could be a lot of questions about what are your duties do you have to inform the Bruins that their player is injured and undergoing care because if you do you could be informing the team candidate

GM that a player is injured and then you know what does the team candidate GM's responsibility become and I'm sure everybody handles this differently, but his argument, and I thought it was a good one, is take all of this out of the equation. And like I said, I don't think anyone did anything intentionally wrong here in terms of McAvoy's care, but again, I thought the most interesting thing was this person telling me you should take

all of the NHL conflicts out of the equation Because it's just safer that way and I think when Hughes was called Late at night on Monday night like very late slash Tuesday morning. It was it was probably well after midnight Eastern and You know what had complicated all of this was I don't know who believed it overall, but I know some people did. Quinn Hughes had been on the Eastern seaboard. I don't know if it was New York or New Jersey or wherever he was because someone told me that they didn't even realize the Vancouver thing was going to be a problem because they thought he was still East.

But I think it was Monday, he went back to Vancouver and he said, yeah, I'd love to be there. So I think Sullivan's going on that. Yeah, he says he wants to be here. He's going to be here. Well, he hadn't said it for, and it was such a great viral moment. He said it, the tweets go bananas. Like that's the best thing about sports fans and hockey fans. Like the tweets were incredible. People were so excited. You could see the enthusiasm building. And somebody called me and said, you better look into this because I don't think he's coming. And so I made a couple calls and what I was told was He wasn't gonna be going if he couldn't play he had to know if

He had to know he was gonna be able to play now. I will say in the aftermath That was kind of disputed to me that Hughes was kind of thinking he might just go anyway to support the team disputed to me that Hughes was kind of thinking he might just go anyway to support the team even if he couldn't play, but it was explained to me in the moment that he wasn't going if he couldn't play. And then someone else said to me, you have to watch the Canucks practice and if Hughes is on the ice, he's not going unless he can play. And so it was 520 Eastern, 220 Pacific time, he got on the ice and I checked is that still the case and someone said yes and I tweeted that he wasn't going unless he was playing

and one of the reasons was the idea of going Vancouver, Boston, Vegas didn't appeal to everybody. Now and I'm not faulting anybody else. I think it just shows you how crazy this whole tournament has been, Kyle. But like there were people who were like, he's the things are going to change or he's going to change his mind, or he's going to be allowed to go. And like the best source I had kept on telling me, if he can't play, he's not going. And at the end of the day, he didn't go. And some people asked, was it Team Canada? And I don't think it had anything to do with Team Canada.

Like I heard Team Canada was like, hey, we got our hands off here. Whatever happens, happens. If Quinn Hughes shows up to play, then Quinn Hughes shows up to play. I do think the Canucks were bothered by it. I do think Hughes wanted to come, but I think the Canucks were really concerned about the travel. And, you know, I will say this, and again, I think there's still a lot more to this McAvoy story that has to be uncovered. I think there were some people who were nervous about the fact that McAvoy's injury happened here and they didn't want anything to happen to Hughes. I would assume that's a Vancouver issue. I think all

of those things played into it. At the end of the day, Hughes wasn't going to be cleared to play unless there was another injury or illness. And number two, I think Vancouver was really against the idea of this much travel when he still hadn't returned to NHL action yet. So that's what I believe occurred. So it's so interesting, Ali, because, you know, as the point that you made when we had our disagreement over when this event should be scheduled,

all the points that you highlighted have come to fruition here. It's been really great ratings on both sides of the border. The interest has transcended the typical hockey fandom. We're down here stateside, you know, shows on ESPN that typically wouldn't lead as much time to talking hockey or talking hockey. I saw Rich Eisen did a big bit on it on his show. It's been everywhere the last few days, which is great. Amber is telling me he's getting requests to do interviews in places you would not believe.

Right. Which is a great thing. So Matthew Kachak in a piece that's going to air tonight on the broadcast, he says he's just walking around Boston and people are just coming up to him. Oh yeah? Cool. Yeah, just coming up to him. Oh, yeah? Cool. Yeah, and just talking to him about it. And you know, Matthew Kachuck is a Florida Panther, probably not the most popular hockey

player generally in Boston, but he says it's been incredible. I think it's fantastic. Right. So you've got all that, that's aces, but we're also two months away from the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs, give or take here So how much angst you think will be with all eyes on? 2028 is the league would like to have it. They want to do it in February What do you think the feedback will be from the clubs here as we move on from this thing?

well, I think there's no question in my mind that these general managers and coaches are going to be sitting down to watch the game on Thursday night and they're going to be like, I'm so excited for this. And they are going to be like burning incense to the proper deity say, please don't let my guy get hurt. Like, just think of all of the superstitions that you believe in. Rabbit's foot, lucky charm, your potion drink that you eat to ward off the evil spirits. They're all going to be doing this.

I think one of the most interesting things is going to be, are there going to be players who come out of this tournament, who play in this game tonight, and they're not going to be playing for come out of this tournament who play in this game tonight and They're not going to be playing for their NHL teams this weekend Like I think I think some teams are going to give guys rest like Winnipeg talked about they maybe they give their guys Arrest But I wonder if some guys are going to miss more games because they're hurt I think they're all kind of wondering about this. All right, last question then, Elliot.

I mean, your pick going into this was the US. Do you still feel that way going into tonight? I don't know. Like, you know me. I'm like, once you say something something you have to stick with it. I Know I've watched Crosby Here like how can you bet against that guy? I? know But that American team is incredible, too

It's but like it's a great team like there are so many great players in this game Mm-hmm. I'll just say I do not feel like betting against Sidney Crosby. That's a good answer. It's a treat, like it was a treat to have it once on Saturday and now to have the return fair in less than a week. We are spoiled. Very spoiled. All right. We'll take a quick break and come back. Conversations with Drew Doughty of Team Canada and JT Miller of Team USA as we march towards puck drop, the Four Nations Faceoff Championship.

You're listening to 32 Thoughts of the Podcast. All right, as promised, our conversations from Wednesday with JT Miller and Drew Doughty. We will start with Doughty in kind of an ironic way. It's been a number of months in the making. You'll remember we were in Los Angeles back in September during training camp. One of the things we were hoping to accomplish there was a chance to sit down with Doughty for the podcast and for television. And the day we got in was the night that he got injured in that preseason game in Vegas. So thankfully he was able to come back. He wasn't on the radar for Team Canada for a long while. Alex Petrangelo gets hurt and he ends up getting the call

last minute to join Team Canada. So you'll hear about the emotions for him in getting back to be part of all of this and what it all means to him. We begin with Doughty and you hear from JT Miller after that. Enjoy the conversations. So Drew, the last time we had a best of best event 2016 and the night game two against Team Europe, Marshan scores late to clinch it and you're in the penalty box for it. What do you remember about those last few minutes of that game in the Wave of Legends? Yeah, I remember that actually pretty

good. I was in my pants to get on it, you know? Like I Like I was in the box they could score and I think we would have had to like play another game or something if we had lost so Yeah, I was feeling down in the box and nervous and then yeah, they go and score shorty I was pumped. Yeah You are one of the most passionate people About hockey. I think we all come across. And I was just looking at like your career now over the last 15 years. Olympic gold medal game, two. World Cup of hockey championship, two Stanley Cups.

Like you have played in momentous game after momentous game after momentous game. Where does this one rank? Well, I haven't played in one in so long. Haven't made finals in ever, haven't even made it out of the first round in ever, and then haven't played for Team Canis since 2016. So, I mean, at this moment right now, it feels like the biggest one,

just because it's about to be happening and stuff like that. And we'll see what happens if, you know, if we win where it'll rank, maybe I can do a better job at them, but right now this is the biggest game for me. Are you surprised you feel that way about it? Because I guess we were all curious coming into this event of like, how's the hockey going to be? I don't think anyone really thought it was going to be anywhere close to an All-Star

level or anything because you got national pride involved, but are you at all surprised that? No. I expected this. This is like, it's do or die when you're playing for a country. It's everything. Same thing when you're playing for your club, but you're playing so many games and stuff like that.

Obviously, when you get into the playoffs, it has the same kind of feeling, but man, this is... Even our first game against the States, I was shocked at what went down. I knew there was going to be a lot of emotion and a lot of fun, but I had chills in my body when I was watching those fights early on. And I was just like, man, anyone that wasn't a hockey fan, if they watched that game, how could they not become one? At any part, did you think you you were gonna fight in that game?

I thought there's a possibility like I'm not what a guy to go looking for like I'll play physical and I'll get in people's faces and stuff like that but I got one fight on my career and I got smacked by Joe Thornton so yeah I came down to it yeah I'm gonna do it there's no doubt about it but no I wasn't going around looking for it but I had a came down to it. Yeah, I'm gonna do it. There's no doubt about it, but No, I wasn't going around looking for it, but I had a feeling I could happen It when it comes to the US in this tournament Is there more hate between Canada and the US or is there more respect between Canada the US? I would say hate to be honest, obviously we respect them. They're good players but I mean growing up since I was like,

when I first started playing AAA, we'd make trips to Michigan or play teams from America in tournaments and our parents put it in our heads that it was do or die, you know, against that beat the Americans. And it was almost bigger than playing, you know, the Toronto Marlies or something like that beating the Honey Big team so it's been in our blood since we were young kids and it hasn't left.

How's this whole year been for you? Like when did you really start to think that this could be possible for you? Well I was hoping it was possible before the season started, worked my butt off all summer. Then I got injured, had to work my butt off to come back. And then, you know, I still had in my mind, like, you know, D-Men get hurt often. I was like, there's a chance that someone could go down. I'm obviously not wishing that upon anyone at all, but, yeah, so I was just in my head, like, there's a chance,

but not really thinking about it, but then I heard Petro went down, got a call, and then I still wasn't playing yet. So I started getting on the Kings and I was like, hey, I want to play. I maybe wasn't necessarily ready to come back. And, you know, thankfully for them, they didn't let me come back exactly when I wanted to. Still maybe a little ahead of schedule, but yeah, once that happened, all I could think about was this. That's it.

I obviously was trying to play my best for the Kings, but in my head it was like I got to play my best to make this team, too. Did you have any conversation with Jim Hiller about like, because I mean, you came back and like minutes were high right out of the game. Yeah, that wasn't planned. That wasn't planned, but first game I played well, then had a little bump in the road my next two, and then kind of got back to myself the last three I got to playing.

But they're playing me lots of minutes. One of our top D went down, so kind of just happened to what definitely wasn't planned. Their range for me was like 15 to 20 minutes in my comeback for the first week, and that did not happen. No. Have you heard from Dustin Brown at all?

No. Well, like yes, but not about this. Oh, I was wondering if you heard, like if he reached out. I'm actually surprised I haven't got a text from him because I wonder what he's thinking. I maybe I'll reach out to him, but I've got lots of texts from American teammates and past teammates. What are they saying?

Yeah. I can't, don't really, some of them you probably don't wanna, I shouldn't say what they say, but. They're, yeah, I'm not gonna say it, but all of them wishing me luck and telling me I'm playing well and pretty soon everyone's been texting me

saying you're looking better and better every night, so that's a plus. What does Kolpitar say? Kolp is just good luck, Play your game. Have fun. I would think he's cheering for us. I would think so, but I was curious. I was curious. I think he's cheering for us.

I know his brother is. His brother texted me. Oh, good. Connor was in here and said that, I mean, you're one of the louder voices in the room, as many would expect. What is the dynamic like with this group of Team Canada? I mean, like, we go after each other all season,

like, play hard. Like, Marshy's asking me to fight every time I play him, and then we come in here, and... Man, like, it's crazy how quick we just, like, all gel together. Like, it's honestly insane. We have so much fun together. We're laughing all the time.

We're sitting at tables in the lounge for hours, just chatting, just hanging out. It's crazy and like it's amazing how quick you want to, how quick it turns into I want to win for these guys as much as I want to win for Canada and myself, you know. It's actually wild. Last one for me is, since 2010 who has changed more, you or Sid? For sure me, I would think. Growing up a little bit, I was a little wild back in the day. Sid's kind of been the same the whole way through, you know.

Honestly, he's been such a great pro, great guy his whole time. Been a great guy, not a great pro at all times, but now I've got kids and stuff. Like, I've grown up a lot. I've changed quite a bit. I'm still myself in many ways, but I learned a lot over my years. Last one for me. I mean, I'm sure the result Thursday, I'd love for that to be different than Saturday, but in terms of like intensity, like, what can we expect for an encore after a few days before? Well, I don't know if you're going to see three fights right off the hop.

But, because in a final game, I don't think too many guys want to be going in the box for five minutes. They want to be playing, right? But the intensity is going to be the exact same. The physicality is going to be the exact same. The will to win will be the same. It's going to be a great game. I'd probably even expect a better hockey match, to be honest, but with the same intensity, maybe not as many fights.

Got it. Thanks very much, Drew. Thanks, Drew. I really appreciate it. It's always a problem. So, Chidi, I think one of the cool things about that first meeting on Saturday is that it seemed to transcend beyond your typical hockey viewers. Of all the people you heard from after that night,

like who was the one that reached out the most out of left field? Or you're like, I didn't think I was gonna hear from this person about what happened. Yeah, I had some friends from like an old country club I belonged to that are really hockey fans reach out. I just remember reading their texts, they're gonna be like,

we're definitely watching the next ones. I was like, they're not all like like that just to be fair. But I think that to your point it was not just hockey people. I mean I had people from all over reaching out just to say that was the most awesome hockey experience and sports experience that they've seen. You know the amount of support has been insane. So you know we're trying to win a game against our biggest rival, you know, for a USA hockey guy. Like, that's, you know, but how much it went beyond that, I think we weren't really expecting.

We have to ask, how was the group chat leading up into the final? I hate that they talked about the group chat. Because it wasn't that. It's about, you know, it seems, the group chat seemed like it was this big plan, but it was, you know, it's more of a set, but the tone has to be set. You're playing against Canada in the Bell Center, you know, and if you don't come out and set the tone as a group, and then you have, you know, 97 and 29 out there flying around with that building rocking, I mean, and you don't feel like you have gained a little momentum

I mean, that's a dangerous thing. So I just think that's just a way of saying hey, we're here It's gonna be a long night and I laid out for the most part I don't think it's anything more than that But I think at the same time you just you know being in their ground I think that we had a little sense of pride that we had to show like hey was you know We're here is there gonna be an easy night for you guys and it's nothing more than that So one of the things I was curious about is, everybody loved that game.

Can it happen again when you're playing for a championship? Like, can you have a start like that? It isn't even possible. You mean in the sense of the fighting? Yeah. Listen, I'm not playing, I'm not fighting in this game. I have no issue saying that, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna play any different.

That was, that's an opportunity that comes around not very often. And, you know, for me, my focus is, you know, bringing my best game, one game. It's not a series, it's one game, and they're going to be more ready than ever. You know, they get another crack at us, and we're looking at it like, you know, we played well last time we played against them, we want to do that again. And, you know, it's a one game, you got to bring your want to do that again. And you know, it's a one game. You got to bring your A game. And I think I'm more focused on that than the chaos.

I'm more focused on playing my game when it's at its best. And I think to a man, that's what our group's looking to do. And it seems like you two are so evenly matched. Like, you beat them once. I imagine, like, what is the challenge to try to beat them twice in a row? Because of all the adjustments and... Yeah, I spent a lot of time playing against Connor and when you beat them once, you have that feeling of it's hard to stop them again.

And I think you got to ignore that and worry about the outcome of the game. I think you think about, start thinking about what could happen, you know, that could affect the group. So I think for me, like like we're just worried about ourselves and you know if we know what to do to win and we know how to play to win and You know if we just worry about that worry about us versus them I think that we're gonna give ourselves a good chance. You've played against both Kachuk brothers separately What's it like to be in the same dressing room as both Kachuk brothers together?

Yeah, it's just contagious and these guys are just built for this. I know that everybody knows that. They absolutely love hockey and they're winners. The way they prepare and the way they play and the way they hold the room and the way that their leaders, I mean, as I can go down on and on and on, they're just the most contagious hockey players

I've probably been around in a positive way. And they're not even very old yet, which is just crazy. So they have a lot of hockey left in them and they're very, very special players to USA Hockey. Have you thought at all about like the lasting, you say it was a big deal for you to represent USA Hockey. Have you thought at all about just the lasting impact, this whole event, Saturday, of course,

but who knows what we'll see Thursday night the impact it'll have on the sport in your country long term? I don't think I've thought about that as much you know I think that I'm you know I've been I just I just look at it like I just feel so lucky to be a part of the group that I do what I'm just focused on what I can do to help and contribute and stay in my lane and stay focused and bring energy and like I said if we start thinking about what could happen if like that's a dangerous road to go down so I'm not saying the 24 year old version of myself would have said the same thing but now it's you all you do it where ever to a man worry about

yourself and do what you do best and Try to just bring your game, be emotional when it's time and control that, ride that line of emotion and you know, worry to temper that. And you know, the environment's gonna be there no matter what, so the bigger you make it, the bigger you make the whole, everything you could say to yourself. So I'm just trying to stay in a good frame of mind.

I think it was Hagel last day who was asked how often he watched his fight. They say, I think like 500 times he said or something like that. Have you watched yours much? How many times? A lot. Yeah, we all do. What do you think of the uppercut?

What's that? Yeah, I know that was getting some for that. Okay, no, I just tell them I was close to I'm not even close to connecting with him. He's like six eight. So at least I connected with myself. Now that was a unique thing. I still don't know how it happened. But yeah, I think, like, I don't do it very often. So I think that it's an exciting thing. It takes a lot to do that. I think that the magnitude of the stage and I just think that theay doesn't present itself very often and I think that it was awesome for hockey and awesome for Canada and awesome for US.

And I mean, it was awesome. That word just keeps coming to my mind. I mean, it was just an awesome thing to be a part of. Yeah, so I just have one more question about that. Like when you went into the net there, like are you just, are you looking for anybody? Did you kind of have Pareko on the mind? Cause you guys were chatting a bit,

the earlier phase up before Bennett. Yeah, listen that point it's so it's very hard to come down from the level of emotion I was carrying so it's like I wish I didn't take a penalty in doing so and it was probably the most stressed two minutes of my life in the penalty box trust me but you know I played against Colton a long time and he plays so hard he's a very nice guy we had to be teammates at Team North America he's awesome guy it's that I'm not targeting anybody It's just that like I said you get that that chance doesn't present itself very often I just watched the Chuck brothers do it

I felt like it was my turn in that moment and just I think it was good night, you know I mean, it's it's not like that's something I look for often, but you know, I thought You know kudos to him for obliging and you know, he's a big shot guy and you know, obviously did well so I'm looking forward to that. Here's my last one. I was wondering how are guys gonna go back to the NHL after this? Like it's an important time of year but the emotion like I'm just imagining what it's gonna be like you to play like on Saturday after you play that game on Thursday. I mean you know me, this is pretty standard for me like this isn't too far fetched for me but it may well too far-fetched for me,

but it will feel different. But going back to a new team for me, everything's fresh still, so it's exciting. I still look forward to being around the new guys and getting to know them, and we're fighting for a playoff spot, so it's not gonna stop anytime soon. So I think it's gonna be hard, but especially what, we don't know what's gonna come

tomorrow night, but we know it's gonna be an gonna be hard but especially what we don't know what's gonna come tomorrow night but we know it's gonna be an emotional hard-working, you know energy type of game and You know, there's gonna be a little calm down off of that for sure But you know, I think that we're not even thinking about that right now, you know We're gonna enjoy the day with the families and then once tomorrow comes as you know One of the biggest games of our lives So has this experience been what you hoped it would just in terms of you were talking beforehand the opportunity of just something different considering the season it's been to this point? Yeah, no, this has been awesome. Like this is the most fun I've had in a long time.

You know, it's just being around these guys. I've played against so many of them. I know a handful of them. To see them every day and how they prepare and practice has been pretty sweet. So very special group here. I keep saying how lucky I feel because this young talent is so good. And I, you know, to be a part of it is something I'll remember and cherish and always take pride in. We're in the USA, I swear. All right, thanks again to JT and Drew

for making some time for us on Wednesday. That'll do it for this special edition podcast of 32 Thoughts. A reminder, we are actually on the air with a full one hour pregame show on the lead up to the big game Thursday night, seven Eastern, four Pacific on Sportsnet, and then puck drop a little after eight Eastern

from the TD Garden in Boston on Sportsnet, and you can stream it on Sportsnet Plus. We will be back with our regularly scheduled podcast on Friday morning to break down all that we see Thursday night from the garden. We'll talk to you then. Enjoy the game.