NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: DEVILS v AVALANCHE

June 2, 2001

Patrik Elias

Scott Gomez

Scott Stevens

Petr Sykora

SCOTT GOMEZ: No, I think I just kind of hung out in front and you know, saw the play and Patrick just missed it and Patty was right there, and I don't even know if I yelled his name. He just through it in front and knowing my luck right now -- the shot didn't hit the post and it went in. It was a big goal.

SCOTT GOMEZ: It is really important. We had to step up. Guys you know-- you can come up with so many excuses, you have got to step it up and Patty, Sykey, they played tremendously after Arnie went down. Bobby, I thought did a great job. Almo he was skating, he was creating, you know, I happen to score, so-- (laughs).

SCOTT GOMEZ: Hey, that comes with the job. We have -- you guys are always tough, but at the same time you know, we just kept going with it. Alex had a lot of chances. Still we are not satisfied. That's only one game now, we have got to go back to Denver and play just as hard. Almo hit the post, he had a couple of more chances, just a matter of time for him and hopefully we will keep it going.

SCOTT GOMEZ: Not really. I mean, if anything, I have always just been the type of player that just you know when you are playing good, you know when your creating stuff. It wasn't like, "oh, I just scored. All right finally get you guys off my back," but you know, it was more "yeah," I felt good tonight. I contributed and that's all you can ask for. The last couple of days it has been tough. I have been feeling like a piece of -- is this on cable or no -- (laughter) I think we all know. Hey, it happens. I mean, but it was tough looking myself in the mirror and saying, hey, you are not giving it you are all. I think it was just a matter of time and got a little lucky, I guess.

SCOTT GOMEZ: Definitely. When I got that penalty I was thinking, oh, man, here we go. Yeah, I mean, Daneyko, Bieser got me, they just kept saying, "hey, you got to just stand in front, just create. The only way you are going to beat this guy if someone gets in front of him or makes a mistake here or there." I just maybe was a little more focused going to the net and, hey, good things happen when you go to the net.

SCOTT GOMEZ: No, I mean, Arnie's a big boy and next thing you know I look over he is -- you know something is wrong with Jason to go down. We never really knew what happened. I think -- I don't even know still what happen. I know he got hit in the head but I don't know how and hopefully he will be all right. We are definitely going to need him.

SCOTT GOMEZ: Yeah, it is great for I think it is great for hockey. Some people thought I mean this is what you want. This is what you ask for. The two best teams were probably going to go down to the wire. It's great. It is fun to be a part of and hopefully we win.

SCOTT STEVENS: Well, it is just, you know, we thought we were playing pretty well. The score didn't indicate that and we just wanted to keep persevering, stay positive after the second and we had a great second but we were still down. But we knew if we came out hard and play like we did in the second into the third and we'd get our chance. It all worked out. We were rewarded from our hard work.

SCOTT STEVENS: I think we worked hard the whole game. It was a good team effort and that's what is going to take to win this series a good team effort. We had everyone working hard tonight, playing hard and getting the puck deep and we spend a lot of time in their zone and finally it paid off. Scott got the goal there and got it tied up and went on from there to win the game.

SCOTT STEVENS: No, there's no time for that. We felt we were playing too well and we deserve to win the game. So we put our heads together, went out, had a good third, that's the bottom line. You can't feel sorry for yourself. Nothing has been easy for us in Playoffs. Sometimes you have got to win the hard way and if that's what it takes, that's what it takes.

PETR SYKORA: I think first of all, I think we played very well as a group and last goal was just because (inaudible) all lines are playing well. I felt that we really wanted it tonight. Last goal (inaudible) I was the guy who scored the goal tonight, but you know, I think it really came down to who really want the game more and I thought that we did tonight.

PETR SYKORA: Well, he is a big part of our line and we were talking about let's keep it simple, we are going to get our chances and it's tough when you are losing because he is going to get those big hits for you. It was kind of tougher out there, but I thought that Patty played very well tonight, he was really going to the net. He was playing for every single chance we got. Sometimes when you playing like that you get your goals. And he did. It is tough to losing, but I thought that the guys step up to his role very well.

PATRIK ELIAS: I just saw when they were throwing the puck out of the zone it just got hit in the head and I thought he got it straight in his face and just hit it side of his head. He was really shaken up but he is okay hopefully. How I felt at that moment it was no difference than I felt last year when Petr went down. We knew we had to step it up, both of us, and you know, we played with Sergei Nemchinov some games too, so it wasn't that big of adjustment for us, but we rose to the occasion and played really good.

PETR SYKORA: Well, first of all, I don't like to talk about it, but you know, it is very tough to be out there, you have to make sure you have got your head up and I guess I learned my lesson last year, but it is a tough game. You really want to get that goal for your team and whatever it takes you try to get your scoring chance. I think you have to take your chances to create offense and they were trying to score a goal, but last year, you know, what can I say. I didn't feel that great, but best feeling I have of and the guys after winning the Cup they brought the Cup to the hospital but like I said I don't really want to talk about it. It is not easy to go out there and that's it.