NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: MAPLE LEAFS v HURRICANES

May 20, 2002

Gary Roberts

GARY ROBERTS: I think we can do better in a lot of areas. They came at us hard. We knew they were going to have a better game than the first game. Yesterday was really Game 7 for those guys. They come here, down 2-0, it would have been a tough hole to dig out of. I think they played a real strong game. We played good at points in the game, but definitely we need to get more at their goalie and we need to lessen the opportunities we are giving them by turning the puck over.

GARY ROBERTS: It was nice to see Alyn score. We were not getting much out of him and he scored a big goal to put us in position to go to overtime. Usually when you score that late in the game, it takes the wind out of their sails. I thought we were good early in overtime, had some opportunities, but then they score on kind of a slap shot from the point which was deflected. We did a good job trying to block it. But it's one of those things where I don't think we can say we deserve the win; I think they outplayed us, probably outchanced us, and we need to be a lot better to beat this hockey club.

GARY ROBERTS: Well, our goaltender must be doing something right. 17 shots to 3 in the second period isn't good enough and we know that. We have to be better. We can't allow that many shots on net in a period. We have to take note of what they are doing well. They are getting the puck in deep. They did a good job last night forechecking us. We've got to be better at our forecheck, we're not getting much out of our forecheck, and that's why we need to get on top of the defensemen to make them turn the puck over.

GARY ROBERTS: Well, when you take the puck to the net, I think that's how you get your scoring opportunities. Maybe it's not the initial opportunity taking it there, but if you get guys converging on the net, usually you get your second and third opportunities by taking it. So for us we need to make sure we are getting the pucks to the net, make sure we creating more trouble for their goalie.

GARY ROBERTS: No, I thought we had a real good practice, actually. Guys were working hard. We had some good flow. We were at the practice rink where it was real cold. I thought we had a real good practice that day. So, I don't think that was the case at all, at least we didn't feel that way on the ice.

GARY ROBERTS: I don't think we wanted that to happen. It was tough when the guys came back because they are guys who usually play a lot. Pat was trying to find a way to get everybody into the hockey game; and sometimes when you try to get everybody in the hockey game, you get nobody in the hockey game. It's a tough situation where you've got to find a way to get everybody into the game and hopefully we get at least two or three lines that are really going hard and that can win the hockey game for us.

GARY ROBERTS: Well, those guys that have been out for a while, they are key members of our team and they are going to come back and be successful and help us down the stretch. You're not going to come back from an injury and light it up the first night. So we understand that. I think they are going to get better as we move along.

GARY ROBERTS: No, I don't think at this point it does. They are a pretty veteran club over there with guys who may be from this area, but it's the Eastern Conference finals and most guys put all those distractions aside and prepare themselves for play.

GARY ROBERTS: Well, Mats just needs some opportunities and some ice time and you know he can play. He's been our star player all season and you can be sure he's going to contribute down the stretch. Same with Darcy, he got some time off and didn't skate for probably a week. So once they get some ice time and get their legs back under them, they are going to be just fine.

GARY ROBERTS: Well, we should be well conditioned at this point, anyways. We want to win the series, and whatever it takes, obviously we'll do that, whether it's six or seven games at this point; we've already played 16 for us. We're getting some healthy bodies back, so hopefully we'll get some fresh legs back in the lineup.