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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL: LIGHTNING v PENGUINS

May 25, 2016

Sidney Crosby

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Practice Day

Q. You played so well as a team last night. Simple game, nothing fancy; can it be done at home, playing like that?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I think it has to be. I mean, that's the way we have success. You know, I think when we get into a big game like that, you just have to go out there and do the same thing. Obviously the results are important, but you've got to worry about just how you're going to have success and what's got you there, and that's what's got us here to this point, just trusting that and going out there and doing the right thing.

Q. You've played for the right to have home ice in front of your fans. How much are you looking forward to having this big game?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I mean, we're going to try to feed off their energy. You look back to games towards the end of the year and throughout the Playoffs where we've really fed off that energy, that should give us a big boost. But at the same time, we obviously don't do anything special. Everyone just needs to play their game, but we'll use that to our advantage.

Q. The last couple of Game 7s, this team has been a totally different team. What lessons do you take off of the last couple of Game 7s into this one?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I think, if anything, just going through different experiences like that, I think you just learn anything can happen. You give yourself the best chance of winning by just keeping it simple and not trying to put too much emphasis on kind of the story line around it and just -- we're in the exact same situation we were last night. That's the bottom line. You saw the way that we played and reacted to that, so I would expect much the same tomorrow.

Q. Does momentum carry over from last Saturday or does the team start from scratch tomorrow night?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I think everything is out the window. I think Game 7, the desperation level of both teams is going to be there. You expect that. It just comes down to executing and who's going to do a better job.

Q. You have three winning goals in this series. Do you put a certain amount of pressure on yourself to score goals like those?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Well, you want to produce, especially this time of year. You want to contribute. But I think we have a lot of belief, a lot of trust in everybody. But it's worked out that way. Yeah, I think that we just really believe in one another and believe that someone will step up to get that big play, whether it's a goal or a blocked shot, anything. That's what you need.

Q. The way your starting players came out to the forefront, Letang was plus 4, you had a goal, Malkin an assist, Phil. Is this the time of year and situation where your best players -- I know it's cliché, but have to be your best players?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I think that guys want to rise to the occasion and make sure that they're playing well and leading the way. It doesn't always mean it's going to reflect in goals, but you want to be playing the right way. Just trying to lead by example, and I think all the guys have that mentality.
Like I said, it's a group thing, but definitely guys have been through different things, want to make sure that they're setting a good example.

Q. When you score a goal like last night, it was a special goal and it was scored in a special way. Do you go back and see what happened exactly just to check what happened there?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I mean, we usually have a pretty good idea. Yeah, I mean, you watch the highlights. It's not something you need to watch over and over again, but I think that, yeah, it's fun. You want to be able to, like I said, contribute and be able to put the puck in the net when you get a chance. Yeah, that's a fun part when you're able to do that.

Q. Do you have to remind yourself to sort of have a moment to think about the position that you're in and the fact that one more win gets you to a place you haven't been in seven years, gets you an opportunity to do something that very few people get a chance to do?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I think you look at it just as an opportunity. You know, probably you don't think about a lot of other stuff besides the fact that it's really hard to get there. It's a game -- it's one game, and we've got to find a way to win it and try to enjoy it as much as you can, but also understand that it's a great opportunity, and try to leave it all out there.

Q. If Stamkos somehow gets back in for Game 7, what do you think that would do for them and what do you have to do to combat that?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I'm sure it would give them a boost. I mean, adding a player of his caliber. But I think regardless of what happens, I mean, it's really got to be about our game and what we need to do. But if he's in the lineup, it's something you have to be aware of 100 percent. We'll see what happens, but I think a lot of our focus has got to be on putting our best game out there and seeing what that brings us. But yeah, if he's in the lineup, we'll have to be aware of it.

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