NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PENGUINS v DEVILS

May 19, 2001

Larry Robinson

COACH ROBINSON: I think so. I think, unless you get a full performance out of everybody, you are not going to be able to compete against a team like that. They come out in the first period, they come at us in waves. Marty made the stops when he had to. I think the big thing was we were able to kill off those early penalties and then get a goal ourselves, and that kind of gave us a little extra lift. And the rest of the way we played and moved the puck pretty well.

COACH ROBINSON: It's everybody else saying Marty hasn't been playing very well. We know how he plays. He's steady game in and game out. He makes the big saves at the right time and to me, that's the most important thing. You know, it's not what you stop; it's what you let in, and he always makes the big stop at the right time and he's always there for us.

COACH ROBINSON: No. I think that is his big strength that -- you know, he's got a good mind and he stays concentrated on what is at hand.

COACH ROBINSON: Well, they are all playing more committed now. I think that's the biggest thing. I think that when the playoffs first started, they were not all working together. They were not all committed to the team game. And you can't -- you can't play unless you are totally committed to where we're going and what we're doing, and all it take s is one person not doing his job. It's not just on the Arnott line; it's on every line.

COACH ROBINSON: No. Because this could be over right now. Yeah, I mean, I never -- I never like to look back on poor performances and say that they are learning experiences. I think we have enough guys that have been around that we shouldn't need learning experiences like that. I mean, you're just -- you keep playing with fire; sooner or later, you are going to get burnt. So I think it is more important to be consistent at what you do, and be consistent throughout, and then you don't have the lulls in your game and you don't have the up-and-downs.

COACH ROBINSON: This is what I -- this is what I see the way that we have to play in order to be successful.

COACH ROBINSON: Well, I think it's a testament to our scouting staff, a great scouting staff to big up guys like Brian and John Madden. So I think that is where it first starts. And then Brian has played extremely well. He's a gifted skater, moves the puck well, sees the ice well. I think he gets into trouble when he tries to do too much, but for the most part, he is a big part of our offense. He's also a big part of our defense.

COACH ROBINSON: Well, I don't know, if you look at him on the ice, you might think he's small, but in street clothes, he's a pretty solid guy. Like Kasparaitis, everybody looks at Kasparaitis, they think he is a small guy, but he's very solid. You don't play against the size of the guys that are in the League right now and not have a lot of strength. Everybody feels that you have -- that you have to be 6'4" and 230 pounds. These guys are strong, but they are hockey strong.