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“The one thing I will say is he’s brought our group way closer together,” said captain Mark Giordano after his club advanced through the NHL’s first-of-its-kind play-in round with a 4-0 shutout in Thursday’s clincher against the Winnipeg Jets. “He’s just a guy who demands respect. He has been there and he’s won before, so his words carry a lot of weight.”

“I think he has done a really job of us buying into one another, buying into the system, making us believe in ourselves and believe in each other,” said Lucic, who goes way back with Ward — they sipped champagne together with the Bruins. “Yeah, the systems and Xs and Os and all that type of stuff is there, but from a motivating standpoint and bringing the guys together and making us believe in it all, I think that’s the biggest thing he’s done.

“I think Wardo has done a really good job of making everyone feel important and embrace their role.”

“We tightened up quite a bit, and you can see we’re not giving up nearly as many chances,” Talbot said after his 31-save shutout in Game 4 at an empty Rogers Place. “We pack it into the middle of the ice really well, and we don’t give a whole lot of chances from the middle. We’re doing a great job of forcing guys to the outside, forcing guys to the top, and then guys are getting in shooting lanes, blocking shots and forcing them to go back to below the goal-line. So we’re not giving up a ton of Grade A chances.

“But in the room, too, (Ward) is such a good motivator. He’s a calming influence. He’ll give you the kick in the ass when you need it, but he’ll also praise you when the time is needed. He’s been a heck of a leader for us and a lot of the credit has to go to him stepping into that role and really owning it.”

https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey...box=1596825562