NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: DEVILS v SENATORS

May 10, 2003

Patrick Lalime

Shaun Van Allen

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: It was an unbelievable feeling. It's been a long time in the making and it was a big goal, but my linemates deserve a lot of credit. First Peter Schaefer, a lot of patience at the blue line to make that little chip to me and then Marty Havlat for making a sweet pass. I just had to redirect it in.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: Actually my footsteps are just down the hall. I just followed up.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: Marty is an unbelievable player and unbelievable skater. Not only that, when he gets the puck he's shaking and baking and he's going in a couple of different directions. It is tough for any defensemen especially when he's coming down with speed. He's going to be a big key to this series, if we can get him the puck outside of the speed he's going to give their "D" some trouble.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: I am not too sure but I hope it continues that way.

PATRICK LALIME: I think the coach came in and he just told us that we got to be better. I think to capitalize on mistakes we made, if we played our game and use the forechecking like we did; create a lot of chances. I think this is what we did in the third; we had some good chances and we finished it up in overtime.

PATRICK LALIME: Forechecking we had some good chances, I think in the third, Marty made some big saves in the beginning. I think we had a little bit of momentum there going into overtime.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: I am still tingling right now. It's an unbelievable feeling. As a kid growing up playing in the streets in Saskatchewan, you always dream of scoring the overtime winner. This is one of the best feelings I have had ever had in my life. Growing up living near Trottier, grow up 30 miles away, one of my best friends is his uncle, we always followed the Islanders. There's a good following. You just hope for the chance; that you get one.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: I think so. I think that's one of the reasons we were so successful during the year, it's tough to stop -- a lot of times have one good line that scores, a lot of nights we had four lines and if one line wasn't going, the other line would chip in. It's really tough to focus on one line on our team because we have got game breakers on just about every line.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: Well, I deserve a lot of credit to the wingers. When you get a chance to play with a guy like Martin Havlat to me he's a world-class player, if you get the puck to him good things are happening. You just go to the openings and he's going to get you the puck and if not, you take up space and hopefully give space to him.

PATRICK LALIME: Well, I think it's most of the team game, I am in there I got to do my job, and he's doing the same thing at the other end. I am focusing on whatever happened; doesn't matter to me if you give up two goals if he gets ten shots, I have just got to focus on whenever the players come to me. That's the way it is.