With me being a big guy and a physical presence out there, that's what I need to do – lay the body, have some big hits, play strong defense and, when you need to fight and the opportunity arises, go at it.

I've felt better with the way I was just getting the puck up ice, playing smart defensively and playing well on the PK (penalty kill). I'm just trying to carry that into these last games of the season here.

It helped out a lot that I was in Providence. I got to know some guys, the coaches, and the style of play. That makes it a lot easier than it is for some of the younger guys coming out of college or junior.

It's different in college. You're playing smaller guys who are a little bit harder to hit, but out here [in the NHL] it seems like some guys don't expect it sometimes, so I get those shots in when I can. It differs from team to team.

That's the way I play. I played that way in college.

They gave me an opportunity to play. It helped me grow as a player, every year I played there.