NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: HURRICANES v RED WINGS

June 7, 2002

Erik Cole

Sean Hill

Sami Kapanen

ERIK COLE: Well obviously in every series it has been a little bit different and every game it has been different. And with the way the system is, you have to do the best job you can to get a read on how the officials are calling the game. And for the most part, it not so much the officials or anything like that, it is more or less what Detroit has been doing. And they have been skating well and causing some havoc, especially in the offensive zone. So we just need to do a better job of getting in front of guys.

SEAN HILL: I think it is a little bit of both. I think you look at Detroit's powerplay as well, I think they are 1 for 8, last game too. You know, it gets tougher to score in the postseason. And even on the powerplay, it's tough. You are trying to create as many chances as you can, but the penalty killers are doing a good job for Detroit. I think ours have done a good job as well. That's the difference. I think we are 0 or 8 last game and they were 1 for 8. That may be the difference in the game. We are just going to have to find a way to generate more scoring opportunity when we get the advantage.

SAMI KAPANEN: I think we can simplify a lot by taking a lot more shots, especially myself. I find myself passing maybe a little too much. And I can find a way to get the shot and get it through and at least create some rebounds.

SEAN HILL: I think they have been effective. I think one of the -- you know, they are obviously the hardest working line on that team. Every shift out there they play, it's like their last. And you got to hand it to them, they have played well, got timely goals last couple of games. And when a team is getting production from a line like that, it makes it tough, you know. You think Yzerman, Shanahan and Robitaille and Hull and these guys, you know, it ends up being the other line that gets it. When you have depth like that, it is tough to defend against. But it doesn't matter what line it is out there, we have respect for each and every one of the lines because they are very good and very deep. And, you know, they have just been getting some scoring opportunities and making the most of them. And we are going to have to cut them down on them.

SEAN HILL: First of all, I definitely don't think we want to be giving up 7 powerplays a game. That's just too many. But on the other hand, just like Erik said earlier, it's tough to get a read on exactly what the officials are going to call. I went back on some of the tape today and there's calls that you won't expect. But, you know, they are getting some against them as well. So it's -- you have to complain, but it would just be nice to see some more consistency at this time of the year. I have a tough time with calls being made at the times of the first two games that are made unless they are, you know, in scoring areas or something like that. You know, if they are preventing a scoring chance or taking away a scoring chance. But that's the way it goes, what goes around comes around, and hopefully we'll be on the receiving end of a few that go our way. Until then, we are going to have to keep working hard and try and keep it between the lines.

SAMI KAPANEN: I think we need to get back on the quickness. We're a little slower yesterday. And every time our line or our team is skating well, we have been playing a lot better. Especially in that third period; we were sitting back a little too much and gave them a little too much room and time to make the plays. And that's always hard for us to get anything going if you are not skating.

SEAN HILL: I think if you would have said something to us at the beginning of the season, middle of the season, that we would be hosting the Stanley Cup Finals, I probably would have been a little bit surprised by that type of statement. But after the first round, after we beat Jersey and saw the way that the draw kind of came out with other teams winning, other teams losing, you know, that's kind of the point in time where we got together and said, hey, we have a real chance at this and we have a special opportunity here. And, you know, we're fortunate enough to play well and to take advantage of it, and you know, as far as the Finals being here in Raleigh, it is great for the city. It is great for the state. Our fans have rallied around us, and you know our attendance has gotten better and better ever since we got here. We know it is going to continue to rise. This is a big part of it. We're real happy to get back here for Game 3 and 4, because to play in front of our fans, it's something that -- you know, if that doesn't get you up for the game, there's nothing that's going to. We're glad to be back and looking forward to playing in front of them tomorrow night.

ERIK COLE: Yeah. Like Sean said, I wasn't here for the first couple of years in the haul to Greensboro, all that; just had to hear stories from the guys about how tough that was, how, you know, even people in the paper writing that hockey will never catch on here and it's just, you know, not the market for it. But just, you know, the situation that I came into this year with this organization has just been unbelievable, you know, from the opportunity standpoint to the way that the fans have embraced us this year. It has just been unbelievable. And every time we come back home to play a game, I just look forward to it because you know, it is just -- it's such a thrill to go out there in front of our fans because they are just so enthusiastic, just so loud through the entire game. I think it's obviously great for the city. And where there has always -- you know, it's either NC State or UNC or Duke. In this situation, everyone can pull in one direction for us. Has just been great to watch.

ERIK COLE: Yes.

SAMI KAPANEN: I don't think it's going to be a whole lot better. So far they have done a pretty good job here, but it is just getting hotter; that's the way it is. Once you are playing this late in the season, hopefully they can keep it up, and giving us at least something to work on.

ERIK COLE: I think the ice will be better on Monday just because there's a Cobras game tonight and we're at the ESA today and the turf is down and everything, so it could be pretty tough tomorrow. But hopefully it will be in better shape by Monday. The guys have done a good job.

ERIK COLE: I hope so. We are still, you know, doing the same things, and nothing's really changed with our line. We are still, you know, just trying to get pucks deep and control the puck down low, and then obviously get pucks to the net, search for rebounds. And Detroit obviously is a very good defensive team and they don't often get a lot of credit for it just because there's so much offensive firepower. So we're just going to keep going about playing our style and playing the same way we have the first two games, and hopefully the bounces will turn.

SEAN HILL: I think onset of the games are very important for us. You look back at the first two games; we have had good starts and come out of the gate pretty well. Against a team like Detroit, that's very important to set our style of play early and kind of fall into our game. Obviously that's going to be very important again tomorrow night. Coming home, it's going to be a situation where you don't want to try and do too much, just try and keep it simple, get into our game early and get in on the forecheck, and get back to work like we did in the first two games early in those games. It's important, obviously, for a great start. And we have played pretty good team defense, you know, the first two games. That's something we're going to have to have happen every game in this series. If we can play our game and stick to defense first, that's when we are going to be successful.

ERIK COLE: No, not really. Obviously, you expect it to be much more intense and much more physical. And it's been all of that, and it been exciting; just an unbelievable experience for me. Like I said, it's been a great situation for me the entire season. And just as the season has gone on, the coaching staff and my teammates have shown more confidence in me and all that. Just continued to help heading into the Playoffs.

ERIK COLE: I think she has gotten pretty used to it. It has been a long time with this thing. But, yeah, it's long. And my daughter hates it and she's trying to pull it off my face everyday. But it's part of the tradition, and I am glad to be wearing it.

ERIK COLE: I think that at times this year our building has just been unbelievable to the point where I can't even hear what coach is saying behind the bench as to what who is up. You constantly have to turn and ask him just to find out if your shift is next. Or if you are trying to speak with somebody right next to you on the bench, it has been tough. Our fans are just incredibly enthusiastic, and it's such a fun place to play. It is just a great atmosphere.

SEAN HILL: My answer to that question would be just probably simply: 'What?' (LAUGHTER)