NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: HURRICANES v RED WINGS

June 11, 2002

Paul Maurice

COACH MAURICE: Very difficult timing on entry last night, more than any other game. And when you are not getting triple of that neutral zone, as you said with speed, it is very difficult to establish. That was one of the real problems, it stood out offensively. Our challenge for that game was to find a better way to get it through the neutral zone. Just had a very difficult time doing it. It was actually something that we addressed going into the game. So it was probably -- the frustrating part of it is, we still did things that slowed us down. I know I kick this around all the time, it is so critical for our team to get better movement through the neutral zone and keep working on different ways to move the puck. We have had some success early on changing things the way we did and making adjustments, and we'll have to go back again and change it.

COACH MAURICE: From a technical point of view, the emotional side there is, but it goes to that quickness again, when you have no other concerns, everything is very clear-cut now at this point. You have got to win, and I think you become -- you are quicker. That's so important in our game. Leadership, again, I think, is a critical factor here, the locker room has the right kind of people that I think respond to that situation, that -- you can just tell by when you look at your team, when you talk to them in the morning or the day after where their eyes are more -- for the most part, if they are staring at the floor, you are in trouble, and if they are intense and focused, you have got a chance. That's the way this room has always been.

COACH MAURICE: I think it's being processed as we speak. I am not exactly sure where it's at. That's really all I know. (Inaudible) at this time of year, there is no time for anything to be put ahead of the team (inaudible) regardless of the revenge that you may like to seek on -- you have to take those because if you put yourself ahead of the team and take a bad penalty, it may cost you the game and the season.

COACH MAURICE: They have been on the road for many years now, so you understand that your team (inaudible) reacts to all things, body language, what you say, you come back in. And we have got two days to prepare. You tell them exactly how you are going to prepare them over the next two days, and give them something that they can sink their teeth into for that game. We don't do a lot of drastic changing in terms of emotion that's we present our team with because I think they are built-in now. The game is going to bring that out in the hockey club, but the guys who lead the team, the coach, and veteran players have to show that fight in them that they are going to keep doing their jobs; coaches are no different.

COACH MAURICE: There was probably more time spent in the hot tub this morning than would be in November, but it was good. It was really good. I have always had a tremendous amount of faith in these guys and in that locker room, so maybe I see what I want to see, but they -- it is a good room. We are down 3-1 but we're in as good a shape as we can be down 3 -1.

COACH MAURICE: That's it. That's the end of it. They didn't see it or they obviously would have called it. There was no conspiracy out there not to call the penalty. They just didn't see it. Had they seen it, there wouldn't have been much option, obviously.

COACH MAURICE: You are not going to get an explanation for everything that happens on the ice otherwise you will be there for eight hours.