NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: RED WINGS v FLYERS

May 31, 1997

Larry Murphy

Steve Yzerman

Q. Steve, you spent a lot of time in your zone in the third period, was that by design?

STEVE YZERMAN: No, definitely not. They changed their game plan a little bit was throwing it in from the red line, coming in with a lot of speed. Particularly, Lindros' line were able to help us in our zone a little more than we cared to and I thought a couple of times we iced the puck unnecessarily and forced the faceoffs in our own zone. So, it is definitely not by design.

STEVE YZERMAN: Well, on their -- no, I didn't shoot it in. I was just kind of waiting. I could have knocked the pucks into the corner. I didn't. I thought I had time and waited for Niklas Lidstrom feed the puck to move away from his feet. I wanted to make sure I got it out of the zone. I thought it was LeClair - but I guess it was Brind'Amour - reached in. It was a left shot - whoever it was - reached in just slid under Vernon's leg. On the fourth goal, I think Niklas poke-checked somebody in the neutral zone. I was able to pick it up and just step over the blue line and use a defenseman as a screen and they shot it over.

STEVE YZERMAN: Well, maybe so. I think there were similarities in this game as there was in the game two years ago in that the visiting team won. I know the Flyers can play stronger than they did tonight. I think the first game at home, you come out fired up. And, there is always, you know, an adrenaline rush at the beginning of the game and there is always a little bit of a let down after that. You ease into the series. Maybe it is easier playing on the road to start a series off, assuming that you win and play well. But, there were similarities in this game as there were in the first game in the series two years ago.

STEVE YZERMAN: Okay, I suppose. I mean, I am not overly excited with it. We got a win. It is a good start to the series. But, it is just getting underway. And, winning the first game isn't necessarily an indication of the way the series is going to go. Obviously we are pleased with getting a win and it is a decent start. But, we are just getting started, so, I guess I am not -- when we played the game, whether you win or lose, you forget about it and you prepare for the next one.

STEVE YZERMAN: Well, I think our play has definitely gotten strong as the Playoffs have gotten on. With each round, we have seemed to have been playing better. Guys are getting into it more. And, the whole team seems to be really playing well. Again, each round is different, different opponent and things can happen from game to game but we are pleased with the start. One thing our team has done pretty well throughout the Playoffs, not get too far ahead; not get too excited when things go well. And, again when we have lost games, we haven't seemed to, you know, we have done a good job. I guess just getting ready for the next game to come up and forget what happened, good or bad, in the previous game.

STEVE YZERMAN: Well, I don't know if there is as big a disparity in size and speed between the two teams as people want to make out. Obviously they got some giants on their team. We don't necessarily have players that are going to match up with them pound for pound or inch for inch. But, again, I think they are a pretty quick team as well with some very fluid skaters. So, I don't think there is as big a disparity between the two teams in both categories.

LARRY MURPHY: It was basically, the puck came behind the net and I just shot it around. Our forward was going out to the point and what happened is they got a big jam up. I was just following the play out and it popped loose and I saw Sergei, I clipped (ph) it up to him. I had enough momentum that I was able to step around a couple of their guys and it turned into a two-on-one. And, of course, Sergei had made the right play, obviously, hanging on to it. It is just one of those things. It just happened to pop out at the right place, came off the boards, hit somebody and it was laying right there for me.

LARRY MURPHY: I don't think things went as -- obviously, we scored some big goals. But, in terms of the play, I don't think it was a case of us going out there and playing the style of game or play the game that we were hoping to play. It was -- just got really scrambly for us. We prevailed with some big time goals. But, they had a little more time off than we did. That might have affected them a bit. Obviously, in the third period, they got -- they got things rolling and were really putting extreme pressure on us and lucky Stevey got that fourth goal. I think that kind of saved us. So, we looking forward to the next game. I think we got - we will need to play better to win, obviously. And, I think that is going to be our theme for the next couple of days is we have won a game, but we haven't played well enough to -- at the level to win the series.