NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PENGUINS v DEVILS

May 20, 2001

Jaromir Jagr

Mario Lemieux

MARIO LEMIEUX: It's tough to say. Obviously, they dominated last two games, and just didn't give us any good opportunities, so, you know, obviously they are a great team, and won the Cup last year, and they are just really deep. They have got four good lines and just really, really tough to play against. There's just no room out there. But, you know, you've still got to keep working, and our focus should be the next game, and try to win the next game and then get back in the series.

JAROMIR JAGR: Of course, speaking for myself, I didn't score a goal yet this series, and I know it's -- if I score a goal, it's going to be a better chance for the team to win. That's my goal for the next game, and I still think, you know, we change something -- I don't know yet, I don't know what yet. But obviously, if we going to play the same way we play the last two games, we don't have much chance. But if we change something, I think we can do something.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Obviously, you change the way you play. And I'm sure the coaching staff is going to come up with something new for us to try the next game and follow the game plan. So, I think the main thing is to be -- to be prepared as a team, and to follow the game plan, and if it's a good one, then maybe you have a chance to win.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Well, I think against Washington, it was more of a -- you know, really patient, waiting in the neutral zone. It was strictly defense and then taking advantage of our opportunities.

MARIO LEMIEUX: No, I think it is the opposite against that team. The more chances you take, the more they are going to have odd-man rushes, because their D (defense) just jumps into play all the time. So, I think it's the opposite.

MARIO LEMIEUX: It's working for them.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah, it is their game. They are playing very well. They wait for their chances, and as soon as they get the puck, then they turn it over, and they have got four guys on the rush. Every time they get the puck, they have got some good skaters back there that are joining the play, and, you know, it's tough to defend against.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Really the way they play, there's not that many opportunities, because they back off so much into their zone, and having their two forwards, you know, in front of them all the time, it's tough to get to them.

MARIO LEMIEUX: No. I mean, if you look at their team, they are really solid, all the way around. That's what we said from the start. They don't have a weakness on their team. You know, from the first player to the 20th player, it's just a great hockey club.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah, we've tried a lot of different things against the trap, but it seems that everything we do, we fall back into the trap, so it's --

MARIO LEMIEUX: I don't know, you tell me. I'll try it. (Smiles).

JAROMIR JAGR: Well, I saw them when they play in Czechoslovakia, and I can't-- actually I play with Elias some days in Czech. They were very talented players back then, and, you know, they have got the sense for the game and they are quick. Plus, they play together for a long time and they know about each other.

JAROMIR JAGR: Well, it looks like he's getting better and better every game, every season.

JAROMIR JAGR: It was very frustrating for me. We were down 2-1, and we knew it's probably the most important game for the season, and they shut us down like that, beat us 5-0. Could be a lot worse, if Johan didn't stop almost everything. They didn't give us any chance. I've never been that embarrassed in hockey life like that.

JAROMIR JAGR: It's understandable, yeah. You know, if we're going to play the same way, we're going to lose the series, there's no question about it. You know, whatever we do, it's not working, whatever they do, it's working against us. That's why they score eight goals last two games and we score none. But like I said before, I still believe that we can do it. You know, if we find a way to somehow locate some chances and play good defense, shut-out their number one line, because they score almost every goal.

JAROMIR JAGR: Well, you always remember last two games or last game. That's why I was so frustrated after last night's game. But against Washington, you know, I remember Game 4, we lost 8-0 at home, and I remember Mario stand up in the dressing room and we change -- even it was my first year, second year, Mario stand up and said, "You know, this way we played, it doesn't work. Let's play a different game." You know, play one-four, play good defense. We won in Washington 5-2, we won at home and we went to Washington and we won Game 7. It was pretty similar, because we lost Game 8-1 or 8-0. That's what I remember.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah, I think, you know, you've got to try to do something different, obviously, and something that teams have never tried before, and hopefully we can come up with something before Tuesday and try it and see if it works.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah, to play well, you know, in the playoff, you have to have a good defense. If you don't have a good defense, you are not going to last too long. But you're right. During the regular season, obviously, we were a team over the years that has been entertaining for the fans. We've had some great talents here, great offensive talents, and we like to entertain our fans.

MARIO LEMIEUX: It's not that hard. If you give yourself enough time to do it, you know, we should be able to do it.

MARIO LEMIEUX: No, I mean --

MARIO LEMIEUX: I think it was more than ten days. The main thing, really is to understand what system you want to play and, you know, as professionals, it doesn't take that long to adjust to it.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Things happen in life, and obviously, we are all trying. We want to win here, and that's always been our goal here, to win the Stanley Cup. So, it's not like we are not trying, but, you know, they are just a great team. If you look at the games, you know, there's no opportunities. All the opportunities come from the outside. That's always tough to score a goal from -- goals from the side boards. But, you know, you've just got to keep trying, keep trying different things until it's over. But it is frustrating, you know, when you are used to scoring goals and helping your team win, it is frustrating when you are not doing it, because you want to win so badly.

JAROMIR JAGR: I don't think so. But it's only my opinion. If I would be a coach, I would try to do same thing they did to us, you know, pick a line, like Holik's line and try to play against them. You know, when the Arnott line plays with the other offensive line, it looks like their defense, entering the rush. I think Rafalski is a big key for that line. He's skating and even it's three-on-three, always make a four-on-three. I think he is a key there.