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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL: LIGHTNING v PENGUINSMay 25, 2016Olli MaattaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Practice Day Q. Olli, what does this mean to you? What does being in this position mean for you personally? OLLI MAATTA: It's a lot of fun. It's an exciting time. It's the best time of the year. I think that's the way to take it, we have to embrace it. Q. For some of the young guys who haven't been through this kind of experience, do you think you want -- do you think it's important to think about, if you win, you go to the Stanley Cup finals, or do you try to think of it as, okay, this is just another game, this is just 60 minutes or whatever it takes? Or do you think it's good to think ahead and say, hey, this is the prize we've been waiting for all year. OLLI MAATTA: Well, I think everybody's different. We just have to -- I don't think anything changes. You just do the same thing you've done all year. It's another game. Obviously, it's Game 7. It's a little more nerve-racking, but you do the same thing as you did before. You know what, if you play the same way, play the right way, we're going to be just fine. Q. Since you've come back in the lineup, has it been easy coming back into the lineup in terms of it looks like your confidence is there. What's it been like for you as you come back in and have a chance to go on to the Stanley Cup finals? OLLI MAATTA: First of all, I've had a lot of fun. It's just a plan to sit out for a couple of games. When I get back out there, I've had a lot of fun playing. That's probably something I want to take out of it, and I want to do every game. It's fun playing hockey again. Q. Can you talk a little bit about Sid has scored a winning goal in all three of your victories. Last night he scored a special goal, and just the way that you're facing elimination, just the way he's been a leader throughout, and especially last night, what that means going into Game 7. OLLI MAATTA: Yeah, he's our leader on and off the ice. He knows it. Everybody knows it. Even though, if he doesn't score, he still produces. You know what, he's over there for the guys mentally, but you can see on the ice, he's an absolute, like probably the best player right now. Q. How happy are you with the "D" line's performance last night, and what do you want to carry over to Game 7 for your group as a whole? OLLI MAATTA: I don't think it's only the "D" men. I think it's the whole team. I think Murray played great. We played as a team, and we didn't give them much the first two periods. Obviously, they made a push, and we knew it was going to be like that, but we battled through it. Q. Is there any significant lift when a guy like Sid, who is your leader, steps up in a big game? Do players feel a lift from that? OLLI MAATTA: Absolutely. That's what the leaders do. You can see that we definitely got a little lift from who's out there. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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