NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: DEVILS v SENATORS

May 11, 2003

Jacques Martin

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: Well, I think I am sure there's an awareness. I think -- but it's something that you have to develop and it's probably different ways it happens. I think with several of our players, you know, some difficult times in the past, you know, I think helps you learn about that as well as maturity in general. I think probably confidence as well from the standpoint that you get to a point where you expect more of yourself or you expect more of your team and I think that helps you to become stronger in difficult times.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: Yeah, I think that speed and quickness is really important in today's game. I think that the additions that we made with John making those trades near the trading deadline really gave me a lot more flexibility as far as some line combinations. For a great part of the season, Van Allen played with Schaefer and has, really kind of gave them some good speed and then I guess when we acquired Smolinski I kind of moved Smolinski in that spot, pushed Van Allen down and with Neil, then it took away from our speed and it was more like a real fourth line, I guess and that's how we started the Playoff. Then I think that probably through with the Flyers I thought that they had good speed and I just thought that we needed kind of a boost or tried something different. I like it now because I think we have more speed and also we have more people that can score and when you look at last night's game, basically, we had some scoring from three different lines. So I think that helps.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: No, that -- I mean, that's beyond my control. I don't look at that. I think that what is important as a coach you have to really just stay focused and work with the personnel that you have. I have always had great respect and great confidence with our organization from the standpoint that you know, the people that we have brought in and people that we sign -- and I think to me that's a healthy process. You need to have some new blood every year and I think in our case a lot of times the new blood has either been new kids, you know, young players that have played in our farm team or some of our draft picks, but I think it's also been people that we have signed from other organizations maybe who weren't in the National Hockey League; maybe were playing in the minors and needed an opportunity and we were able to give them that opportunity. So I think that, I mean, the ownership, it's not within my control. I respect what they do. It is more of a direct relation with the general manager, but I like the philosophy, I like the approach this organization has always taken as far as making people accountable and trying to be better and that's the key.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: Well, I don't know if it was less physical than anticipated. I think you have different components. You are comparing with the Flyers, for instance, I think like probably the Devils may not be given enough credit. I think they have got good speed now. They are a team with a lot of speed, more than what they have had in the past, I think. I think that's -- I thought there was quite a few hits and some good physical play.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: Well, trying to think back like to the first game I thought in Long Island, I thought we had good control. We had several good opportunities really and probably our depth. I think our depth, and our ability to have different people score goals and the confidence level against the Flyers, I think was a good overtime. I thought that we got stronger as the game went on and the execution, to me, like that goal was a great execution. And last night again it was on a quick counter, a real good job by Schaefer posting up, and getting a good pass to Van Allen driving in the middle and then a real nice play - Van Allen with Havlat, a give and go and Brodeur had really no chance, really was the forward coming back. Van Allen beat his forward back in our zone; Tverdovsky stayed up and challenged Schaefer which was the right play and Van Allen beat his forward. It was basically a 2-on-1 on Steven. It was just a great execution.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: Yeah, you should never say it's going to be an easy game because I think they are a very good hockey club. When you look at the chances in the first, they were pretty well -- we had maybe a few more, but it was pretty well played. The second period was really a fragmented period from the standpoint that we had -- I thought we had an excellent start. We had two chances 4-on-4, two great chances and then we had two more chances on the rush, so we had the first four chances in the second period -- really I thought was really where the momentum, where the tide changed, was when we got the powerplay. We gave them two short-handed chances; then we came back with one on our powerplay, Alfredsson all alone; Brodeur made the big save and kept the score -- I think -- he kept them in the game. He didn't allow us to get that third goal. If we probably got that third one, probably changes the hockey game. That's why he's an excellent goaltender. Then we had some breakdowns and they capitalized with two quick goals and they are that kind of team. But I was really pleased the way that we recomposed ourselves, and I thought came back out in the third period and kind of took control of the game. I thought that we used our speed and we had some great chances. Alfredsson had a great chance, Havlat was all alone, Bonk, so I think it showed some good composure and overtime was a beautiful play.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: Well, I think when you look at our regular season, we belong here. Like I don't think you talk to our players -- I mean, you know, I think we're an excellent hockey team. It doesn't mean that you have to prove it every night you go out. But I don't think that we should be in shock because we are in the Conference Finals. Like I think it's been a process from year to year that you build your confidence. You build your hockey team. I think you have got the two best teams in the conference. Whether you score, you know, I am not sure what your question is whether we score first or not. I mean, I don't think it affects our team. I think we know that it's nice to play with a lead and I think during the regular season I think we showed that we were a very good team playing with the lead a lot of times and then the last series against the Flyers was, you know, it seemed like we had problems getting that first goal, but we showed that we can come back. So I think maybe the lesson is that you got to play 60 minutes and you got to be patient and keep -- you know that Jersey is going to keep the same work and style so you have got to stick with it.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: Well, I think a lot of times it's playing within your strength. I think when we do play within our strength I think we're a team that can create some offense, could create some attack. It's something that you work all year to try to build and you develop a style, you develop a strategy and you try to play within those dimensions.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: Well, it's always hanging over your team until you succeed. I probably -- if you ask me I thought we were over it last year, you know. Last year the first eight games of the Playoff, I don't recall our team playing any better hockey since I had been here. I thought we were just, you know, outstanding. We played the five games against the Flyers, it was a physical battle and we answered the bell and you look at all the dimension, the goaltending was outstanding, the specialty teams, and we really competed hard. I think people forget last year. I think we were maybe 14th in the NHL during regular season, so I thought that we really made a step forward. I thought a lot of our players that maybe in the past started to -- they started to understand what Playoff hockey was about and how to compete and even like the first three games against Toronto I thought we were really good. Then we lost it and it was unfortunate, but you learn from it. I think it's something that you keep building and I think it is something that John brought to this organization when he joined us. I think his experience from his days in Edmonton I think brought -- helped our attitude and helped our confidence for sure.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: No, I don't think so because I thought contrary to maybe what a lot of people think, I think Cechmanek is a pretty good goaltender, if you look at his save percentage during the year and how they played and I think Flyers were the second best team behind Jersey as far as goals against, so, no, I think -- we recognize Martin is a good goaltender, in Brodeur, you have got to keep your game planning, you got to try to get that next one but a lot of times in Playoff hockey a lot of times goals aren't the prettiest goals. Last night the overtime goal was a real piece of heart, but a lot of times it's more like the one we scored against Philly where it's a shot from a bad angle that goes in. I think a lot of times it's key things getting pucks at the net, traffic, rebounds.

COACH JACQUES MARTIN: Yeah, sometimes.