NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PENGUINS v DEVILS

May 21, 2001

Mario Lemieux

MARIO LEMIEUX: You saw the lines today.

MARIO LEMIEUX: That's what it looks like.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah, I think when a team is struggling, you just try to mix it up a little bit, and that's what we are trying to do, create some different line combinations and see if it works.

MARIO LEMIEUX: We're not even going to talk about how we are going to play. We are going to go out tomorrow and play hard and try to win a big game. We're not going to talk about the name plan.

MARIO LEMIEUX: No, they are a good club. Obviously they have got 20 good players on the ice, and there's no weaknesses on that team. And they have got a great system. That's what makes their team so much better than the other teams, is they play together and they know exactly what they are doing on the ice. It makes it tough to go against a team like that. They have got great goals.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah, if you look at the last two games, they had many two-on-ones, three-on-twos, and odd-man breaks, so we've got to limit those.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah, right now, I think a week off would be nice, regroup. We don't have a week off; we have a couple days off. Go back at it tomorrow and just play hard. We believe that we can win and see what happens tomorrow night.

MARIO LEMIEUX: You just get -- have some dedication -- dedicated to your teammates, to the organization, have some pride. Just go in there believing that you can win, and if you believe you can win, then you're going to have a good effort and maybe come out on top.

MARIO LEMIEUX: No, we can go in there and win. We've done it in the past with some tough situations, and that's because we believe that we can go on the road and win a big hockey game and come back in our building. So, we believe we can go in there and beat these guys.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Well, right now, they are at the top of their games, obviously, the way they are playing. Every time there's a turnover, they have four guys involved in a play at all times, and that makes it tough to play against, and they are just playing as well as they ever have played.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah, it's happened before. We are not the only team with who has done it in the past. And they did it last year, the Flyers. So all that matters, to win one game and once you win that game, it's 3-2 and you win the next game and then it's Game 7 and anything can happen. But, you know, you've still got to believe that we can go in there and have a big effort and win a game in there. Every time you're down and you're facing elimination, you know, it's something that guys have to stick together and regroup and believe in each other and if we do that, we've got a better chance to win.

MARIO LEMIEUX: Yeah, I think teams get a little nervous. That's tough, especially they don't want to come back here in Pittsburgh and have to play a Game 6. They want to get some rest, I'm sure, and that's all they are talking about, I'm sure, is finish us off and get a few days before the Finals. As I say, you never know. If we win the next game, then come back in here and anything can happen.