Jeff Petrie made an interesting confession on the eve of the match against the New Yorkers. Asked about the famous pressure with Captain Shea Webber’s long-term injury, the 33-year-old American has made no secret of the fact that it has bothered him since the start of the season.
“I think so, I felt more pressure,” Petrie said. There were times when I felt the need to up my game and was looking to be someone I wasn’t.”
“I don’t need to put any more pressure on myself,” he continued. I have to play like I did in the past. I need to skate well and play with conviction. I would say I was putting too much pressure on myself. I just have to focus on my game to get back to being the defender I was last season and before that. On the issue of leadership, I’m not the most talked about guy in the locker room. I need to be a role model on the ice. But it’s hard when you expect to play at a certain level and you don’t. “
Wounded against kings
Petrie is the Petri again that we know when visiting Red Wings. A duo with Ben Shearoot, No. 26 played 26:22 against the gang in Joe Filino and Philip Zadina. He secured the assist in the first goal of the match, Nick Suzuki’s, to collect only his second point of the season.
“I’ve spoken with Luke Richardson (defense coach) for the past few days,” he said. I need to simplify my game. If I focus on my defensive game and play well in my own zone, I will end up generating more offensive scoring opportunities. Clicking will start again. Points will return.
Petrie has played eleven of his matches since the start of the season. However, he could have pulled out of his last two matches, against the ducks in Anaheim or against the wings in Montreal. But he refused to do so.
“I got shot against the kings in Los Angeles,” he said. I felt a little sore afterwards. But after the match against the Kings, I got treatment and soon felt better. I just have to be careful. Nothing too serious. “
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