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BRIDGESTONE NHL WINTER CLASSIC: CANADIENS v BRUINSDecember 31, 2015Patrice BergeronZdeno CharaTuukka RaskBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Q. For Z, you guys are at the home of the Patriots. Did you have a chance to meet Coach Belichick or any of the Patriots players and what's it like to be here? ZDENO CHARA: Yeah, I saw Mr.Belichick this morning in our locker room as we came off the ice, and it was a pleasure, obviously, and honor to meet him. Some of the players just stopped by, I guess, after their practice in our locker room. So, yeah, it's just so nice to interact and meet some players. Obviously we wished them a good finish of the season, and good luck in the finishing of their season, and they wish us good luck. So, yeah, it's nice to see, and obviously, it just shows you how the teams players are supporting each other. Q. Patrice, you're so used to having Marchand on your left side. What do you think it's going to be like with Loui there, and also just play one game? PATRICE BERGERON: Yeah, it's going to be an adjustment. At the same time, I think they're definitely two great players. We just have to go out there and play our game. I guess that's what the message was today is just whatever you bring, just go out there and do. You know, sometimes it is a bit of adaptation and adjustment, but at the end of the day I played with Loui before, and I know kind of his tendencies. And Seth is a smart player. He knows where to position himself on the ice, so, yeah, it's got the potential to be a good line, and we just have to go out there and play our game. Q. Tuukka, after backing up (Indiscernible), assuming you'll get the start, what's it mean to you to be playing? TUUKKA RASK: It's definitely fun. I've got to be more focused than last time, actually playing hockey. But at the end of the day it's the same game and you just try to stay focused on what you need to do out there to be successful. But it's something that might come once in your career. Personally I've got to make the most of it. Q. Talk about your Patriots mask design? TUUKKA RASK: Yeah, it came out nice. Our trainer, Matt Falconer, designed it. He just had to approve it by me and a couple Patriots players who are in it. But, yeah, we wanted to pay tribute to their success and some of their players and make the biggest part of the mask about the Pats, I guess, with the Bruins colors. So I'm pretty happy with the result, and it's been a secret for months now, and now you guys see it. Q. You don't like to change as much, but was it much of a decision? TUUKKA RASK: No, no, it's a special event so we wanted to do something special, kind of a souvenir or memory you can keep for yourself after. The reason I don't change them often is just because I like the mask I have. That's about it. But definitely in an occasion like this, you want something special. Q. Could the three of you talk, maybe start with Tuukka or Patrice, whatever you want to do, but just a little bit about being here where the Patriots have won trophies, but also what you guys have accomplished in the Boston sports landscape, playing the Montreal Canadiens and what it means to you guys? PATRICE BERGERON: That's kind of a long question. Obviously, every team in Boston, the fans have been spoiled. Every team has had such good success over the years. We've been part of that too. But coming here you can definitely sense the professionalism they bring and you've seen all the guys and coaches how professional they are with their jobs and you get the sense. So I think we're just happy to be playing in the stadium where they've won so many championships in front of 70,000 fans. So it will be a great experience. Then, too, you know, our seasons going on at the same time and seeing these guys here when they're in their uniforms, it's kind of cool to interact and say hi and stuff like that. So it's a great experience. TUUKKA RASK: Yeah, I think it's special to be here. It's definitely an organization that we respect a lot. Just with the success that they've had over the years, year after year. So it's a special moment. I mean, especially here at the Gillette Stadium with 60,000‑plus fans, that's something we don't get to experience at all. So we're going to try to take everything in and enjoy the moment. ZDENO CHARA: Pretty much the same. I mean, it's obviously one of the highlights of the season for the whole league, so it's a privilege and honor to be playing in this game. Again, it's one of those experiences you will always treasure and remember. But at the end of the day, it's business as usual. Q. Tuukka, what was it like on the ice taking the shots? Was there a glare on the ice? TUUKKA RASK: There was on the other end, my end where I stayed for the most part was good. But somebody said that the sun was going to go behind the wall at 1 p.m., so it shouldn't be an issue. You can't start the game at the other end as bad as it was today. We're taking some shots at the end there from our "D" man, and you can see half of those shots. So that's my gift for goalies. Q. Dennis Seidenberg mentioned that in one particular corner it was really hard to turn, and there were parts of the ice that were slushy. Of course in an outdoor arena that's expected. How is that going to change the way you play? TUUKKA RASK: It shouldn't change the way we play. For the most part in our practice we tried to stay away from that corner or that side of the ice for safety reasons, obviously. I'm sure it's going to be probably fixed and it's going to be an issue for tomorrow. You can't really be trying to change too much because of the ice conditions and our playing our style of game. We just really have to focus on playing our game. Q. The last time you played these guys, that signature road win up in Montreal, that had to be your best hockey up there. How big a deal was it to get that out of the way before having that be part of the thing on your back like this? ZDENO CHARA: Anytime we play Montreal, it's a big game. It seems like it's a bigger game. Obviously, it's a big rivalry, and the focus is always on those games more than maybe other games. We knew we had our share of disappointments with this team. So it was a big win for us, big two points. But, again, it's a new game tomorrow, and we've got to bring what we brought there last time we played them and even more. Q. Patrice, over the years you guys have won some big games without some big players in the playoffs and stuff, so what do you take from those experiences going into tomorrow without Brad and David? PATRICE BERGERON: Yeah, I think that's the way we've approached these kind of situations where we're missing key guys. It's about everyone stepping up and helping out in whatever way possible. I think it's about playing your game and not trying to do too much and trying to be somebody you're not. If you're playing at your best, and we all do that, I think the guys that are stepping up to replace David and Brad are good enough players and great players to do the job, and that's how we have to approach it. Go out there tomorrow with the guys that we have and believe in ourselves and do the job. Q. Patrice, I heard winning these types of games just feels bigger because it is bigger. Do you remember the feeling last time? Did it feel different than just winning a game? How does experience help you do it again? PATRICE BERGERON: Yeah, I definitely think that even though it's a two‑point game, that's the way you have to approach it. They do feel bigger. It's on a bigger stage. Like I've talked about before, double the amount of fans if not triple, actually. It's special to be here. I know with the whole league and everyone's watching, it's a big stage. We're happy to be here. We try to take everything in and enjoy the moment. But you're right. I had the feeling at Fenway, winning in overtime was very special and something that I still remember and I have great memories of. So you want to do that again, and we're happy to be here. But at the same time, it's a regular‑season game. It's a big game for us for the standings, and that's the way we have to approach it. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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