NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: BLUES v AVALANCHE

May 13, 2001

Bob Hartley

COACH HARTLEY: Well, it's a different situation, different year. We just won a Game 7. You know, we lost one two consecutive years before. I was waiting from a question like this from you (laughter). You're always in the pass. You're still looking at Bill Buckner in '96 instead of enjoying Pedro Martinez in 2001 (laughter).

COACH HARTLEY: I told you, I'm in the story, I know my baseball also (smiling).

COACH HARTLEY: Feeling good. We're going to evaluate his situation tomorrow morning. You know, we're going to go from there.

COACH HARTLEY: Not that I know. Like he got his bell rung pretty good. But, hey, body checks are part of playoffs hockey. There were lots of bodies flying in the third period. Yelle caught him pretty good.

COACH HARTLEY: Yeah, it was a very intense game. It was first game of the round, so like I think that it was expected on both sides. Both teams would come out. We would kind of get a feel for each other. Especially when the score went up to 4-1, we knew, you know, like the intensity would pick up, keep your head up.

COACH HARTLEY: You know, we're going to stand up for each other. We're a proud organization. I talked about like our team toughness many times during the year. You know, many times I addressed this issue that, you know, we're a tight group, you know, like we're like a group of athletes that we like have a lot of respect for each other, we're having lots of fun. Certainly in the playoff, more than even during the regular season, you really have to stand up for each other and you have to go as a group. And that's what we did yesterday afternoon.

COACH HARTLEY: I liked the energy that they brought us. Matter of fact, I think, you know, like every player in the lineup played a great game. Like they gave us energy. We played great defensively. I thought that we went to the net very well. Like we, you know, generated like great scoring chances, and basically it came from everyone. So like that's a real good sign.

COACH HARTLEY: It's always a good challenge. You know, like you can look at excuses or you could look at solutions. You know, it's pretty clear in our case that, you know, we were looking for solutions. I think for Game 1, we found them. Like I even think that we can be better. I think that the challenge of this hockey club right now is that we have to find a way to be better. You know, I think it's possible. I think it's very possible.

COACH HARTLEY: It's tough to say. Like, you know, I don't know how they'll react or how they'll adjust. But on our side, I think that we're very satisfied the way we played Game 7. We're very satisfied with yesterday afternoon's result. Plus, you know, like the performance. I think, you know, obviously in the playoff, like the only thing that counts is the result. But you also have to look at the performance. So like, you know, it's going to be interesting to see how the Blues react tomorrow. But, hey, it's going to be another of those games. They're all important games. Like when you're getting to the conference finals, you know, like you need to be ready because like, you know, I think it's going to be a long series, but definitely Game 2 is going to be a very important one.

COACH HARTLEY: I consider myself very fortunate. Looking at Ray Bourque, looking at Rob Blake, Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, all the guys. Like one thing that we pride ourselves as an organization is that we don't have any bad apples. I mean, we have good individuals, we have good character people, we have lots of experience, lots of leadership. I've said this before. You know, I think that I have an easy job. Those guys are fun to work with; they're always ready to, you know, listen. They're always coming in with good suggestions. You know, like looking at this, I think that coaching the NHL, it's totally different than coaching in the minors or coaching in junior where you make all the decisions and you decide everything. I think, you know, like coaching in the NHL, if you don't go in your locker room to get advice or to get feedbacks, you know, I think you're totally off the rope. Especially looking at so many Hall of Famers that we have on this hockey club, you know, those guys play the game and they're the performers. I have full trust in those players.

COACH HARTLEY: I think obviously "win one for Ray" is "one win one for everyone." I'm sure that Ray would share it (laughter). Like I said, we have a tight group, you know, we have fun. This is lots of pressure for many people, but for us it's a fun challenge. Like, you know, for the third year, we're part of the four best teams. You know, we want to keep going. Like we love our jobs, and we love obviously the greatest game on earth. You know, like the St. Louis Blues are a big challenge in front of us.

COACH HARTLEY: I think the first date we did the trade, it looked great for us. We made the trade for a reason, that we believed in Ray. We believed in Foote, and we believed in Rob Blake. We also believe in all our other defensemen. I think that yesterday five on five, we played a great game. We generated, we used every defenseman in the offense. We had great jump. We were reading their defense pretty good. What it's going to be like tomorrow, we don't know. You know, certainly we can build on lots of positive things from Game 1.

COACH HARTLEY: Yes, I went yesterday morning.

COACH HARTLEY: Yeah, like he was awake, like 7:00 in the morning. That's surprising to see Peter awake at 7:00 (smiling). He looked great. He was very lucid. You know, went to talk to him with Trotts and Jack Cloutier for a couple of minutes. We asked him to still be part of us, you know, that our thoughts, you know, from the entire team were with him. He looked great. He was smiling. He was like feeling much better.

COACH HARTLEY: I don't know. I don't have any clue.

COACH HARTLEY: For sure.

COACH HARTLEY: I have no clue. But trust me, Peter is going to be around the team. Peter never turns down a free meal (laughter).

COACH HARTLEY: Spirits were very good. He was very good. Like, you know, he was joking, he was laughing. You know, he was good. Like I was impressed to see how good Peter was.

COACH HARTLEY: Well, that's a good question. One thing is certain. He's at the top of his game. You know, you see those sparks flying in his eyes. He's focused. He's confident. Not only his play is good for what Patrick brings to us, but we also know that he's giving us a chance to win every game. You know, not only that he's performing well for this hockey club, but he's giving like confidence to everyone in the organization. So like that's great. Have a good day, everyone.