NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: DEVILS v AVALANCHE

June 9, 2001

Alex Tanguay

ALEX TANGUAY: I think we will to have guys like Ray Bourque and Rob Blake who never won it and there are some other guys that I am probably forgetting. We had a chance to learn from those guys. Ray gave us the best advice, don't wait we have it you have a chance to do it right now. We were facing a great opponent, they challenged to us the maximum. We are glad we came out on top.

ALEX TANGUAY: No better feeling than this. As a kid you always dream of being the one scoring the goals in the times, but this is unreal. I think from that, this team has been focused and we played as a team. That's why we came out on top.

ALEX TANGUAY: This is unreal. I am a very pleased kid. I am very fortunate to have this opportunity. I stayed with Patrick last year growing up a Nordiques fan. I really didn't like him, but I got to learn from the best. I think he has proven it out there that he is one of the better players in the game. You can't ask to learn from anybody better. Joe Sakic, Ray Bourque, Foote, Blake, I could name everybody on the team. Everybody is going to be you know, remembering this for the rest of their lives.

ALEX TANGUAY: I was living with him all of last year and starting this year a little bit for, maybe 15, 20 days. You can't learn from a better guy than him. He and his family have been tremendous to me. I have been very please blessed to have been around those people. I love their kids and I have learned from the best. He is in my mind he is the best goalie of all-time. I think he has proven it once again.

ALEX TANGUAY: I think winning it for Ray was a big deal for us because we truly believed he deserved it. He is a true Hall-of-Famer. One of the best defenseman of all time. We worked hard as a team to be able to accomplish this for ourselves and for Ray. I think seeing Ray being the first one, Joe handed hip the Cup I think it put everybody a tear to your eyes. I think everybody in the hockey world too. It doesn't get any better than that, seeing Ray Bourque carrying the Cup here in Denver, there's no better feeling. It is well deserved.

ALEX TANGUAY: Well, I think this has been a great organization for the players, and the coaches will get the credit for this, but this is the whole organization, starting from the owner to the president, GM, everybody, I think the scouting has been a big part of it. They have done a great job. Guys like Chris Drury Milan Hejduk, Skoula, we can name them all. This is what it is all about. This is what you play for. We felt that if we played good we were going to give ourselves a chance to win. From Day-1 we wanted to have home ice advantage. We were fortunate enough to have it. This Game 7 here in Denver, we are glad to give the first championship won here by a local team. And in the region.

ALEX TANGUAY: I lived with him in his basement. I guess there's a friend of Patrick right there. He could tell you. I was staying there, I was staying there last year in the basement. I was having all the meals with them, and Michel is a great cook, I can't ask for anything better.

ALEX TANGUAY: Small town it is about 2000 people. I am sure they are celebrating right now and they are enjoying the championship and I can't wait to have it with my family and my friends, we are going to have a big bash. I am sure this is going to be fun. This is what you play for and I enjoy it this summer, and hopefully do a better job next year.

ALEX TANGUAY: Heavy, that thing is. It is unbelievable. When everybody is talking about it and you don't really realize it. I never believed in seeing the Cup before I won it. Never seen it. I never touched it before tonight. This is really heavy and this is unbelievable.

ALEX TANGUAY: Well, I think the older guys get to pick the date they want it first, but any date I can get it -- I don't know I was planning on having it with my friends, playing golf in the morning with the Cup and whoever gets the best score gets to parade the Cup around town a little bit. Hopefully it will be me parade parading it once again.