NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: CAPITALS v RED WINGS

June 8, 1998

Esa Tikkanen

ESA TIKKANEN: Still it is a different game. This is Final and this is best two teams in the League.

ESA TIKKANEN: Well, it is, but still I have been -- this is my 6th Stanley Cup Final. I never lost a Final yet, but, you know, I try to bring it up in the dressing room and the guys understand that we have not been -- we have one more step in the closure, so if we can win this series we can be the heroes.

ESA TIKKANEN: Yeah, our record right now is seven or 8-1 in the road. I think we play more relaxed on the road than home. So I think it has got to help for our series and hopefully we can still here one or two, so we are looking forward to it.

ESA TIKKANEN: I think it is mostly we have to be relaxed. If you lose the one game, it is not the end. This is best of 7 series right now and you know it is 0-0 right now. We just go to Game 1 and play like we play in the games before. It is not different games at any level. It is same type of game right now what we have been playing. It is not we have to worry about anything happening in Game 1. We have to play smart hockey because they have great forwards. (inaudible).

ESA TIKKANEN: Every time when you winning Stanley Cup it means a lot for me; that is why I have been playing hockey. When you grow up back in Finland you are watching TV and you are in there (inaudible) it is -- the Stanley Cup means more than anything.

ESA TIKKANEN: I think managers have picked me up. But it is really -- like you guys know, I was in Edmonton Stanley Cup Final in 85; first game we lost to Philly. Philadelphia asked me if I am ready to play in the Stanley Cup Finals so gave me a chance then after that I played with with Wayne and Larry next four years same line, win the Cup with Wayne and Larry in 1988 when Gretzky was traded. Everybody talked to how Edmonton Oilers been done and that is it they have never going to win the Stanley Cup because they traded Wayne Gretzky away, but we bounced back in 1990 with the Stanley Cup without Wayne and then they trade me to New York and we won the Cup in -- New York Rangers. So, it has been last couple of years been jumping in the team by team, but right now I am confident with the Washington and I am looking forward to playing in the Finals.

ESA TIKKANEN: Yeah, it was lots of people, I just want to prove that I can still play. It is now Ron Wilson give me a chance and I try to do the best I can and only way I can prove is win the Stanley Cup.