NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: DEVILS v AVALANCHE

June 7, 2001

Bob Hartley

COACH BOB HARTLEY: Looking at the performance that we just put up tonight, I think that we have to feel pretty good. Players took charge. It was big game for us tonight. It was do-or-die. Those guys deserve big credit. We played Avalanche hockey, like we didn't get caught up in outnumbered situations. We were very patient and despite the fact that we were facing elimination, I felt that our players showed lots of poise.

COACH BOB HARTLEY: Well, Patrick again, like Patrick is the story of our Playoffs. He is giving us a chance to win every game. He is giving us reasons to believe. Patrick was simply Patrick in the first period. We took charge after and he gave us a couple of big saves second and third and that's the story of the game.

COACH BOB HARTLEY: Patrick has been outstanding since the start of the Playoffs. He has given us consistent performances. The guys are very confident in working in front of Patrick. We know that Patrick is so strong for us, so strong. I think he is a goalie that is very intimidating. He is tough to beat and players that come in front of him, they recognize this. I think that it plays in the other team's head.

COACH BOB HARTLEY: We had to try to spark something and that's my job. When you feel that like you become stale, it's a job of a coach to try to give his team a chance to perform to create a little spark, to create new life. I think whenever you are changing your lines you create new expectations. That's what we tried and give the credit to the players. Those guys like were outstanding. Everyone skated. Everyone was on the puck, our forechecking was great. We generated lots of traffic at the net and that gave us some big goals.

COACH BOB HARTLEY: That's the plan. I don't know how many times I answered that question so far this year. But right after training camp we sat in the dressing room. We set up some short-term goals. We set up some long-term goals and our final long-term goal was the ultimate one. Game 7 we are right there. We are right there, whether it is for Ray; whether it is for the community; whether it is for the owner, like we recognize the situation. We gave ourself a chance tonight to go to that Game 7. Not too many people were giving us a chance to leave New Jersey tonight with a win, but we did it. We are going to carry this game into Game 7. I think that our boys will be very confident.

COACH BOB HARTLEY: Any time that you perform in a Game 7, it is always like one of the best learning experiences that you can get because like that's -- it doesn't get more important than this. That's where you see the real warriors, the guys that perform very well under pressure. They will stand up and I think that our leadership, our experience, the quality of our individuals will certainly help us in Saturday night's game.

COACH BOB HARTLEY: There was no doubt on that goal so like it was no impact on the game. It was kicked in and the video goal judge made the right call, so right there like I think that the right call was made and there is nothing. Usually you are going to get like on a bad call like a change of momentum, but like that was the right call and it was very well done.

COACH BOB HARTLEY: Adam is very underrated when it comes to his offensive skills because he is so valuable in our defensive zone, he is so gritty and tough that people judge him by his work in our zone. You look at him move his puck on our powerplay you look at him support on 5-on-5. I think that tonight's goal is a classic example. Broken play, neutral zone, he brought the puck in and what a great shot like inside post, like Brodeur had no chance on this.