NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: CAPITALS v RED WINGS

June 10, 1998

Steve Yzerman

STEVE YZERMAN: Don't want to make a big deal about anything. Both teams are just playing.

STEVE YZERMAN: Not really much dialogue. Just playing. Everybody is looking to get an edge. Part of playing a series against another team. You expect the referees to call penalties when there is a penalty infraction, not necessarily to stand and watch and wait for you to react. So, you know, again just concentrate on playing. You can't concentrate or worry about everything else. You just play.

STEVE YZERMAN: When we are up 2-nothing, I'd really like to see us continue to generate a lot of scoring chances. A small lead isn't necessarily safe all the time. Got to continue to play; particularly against a team that moves the puck really well, handles the puck well, controls it well and has guys like Bondra, Zednik and Juneau, guys that can score goals. They are going to generate chances so you to have continue to create opportunities. I guess for Game 2 we would like to -- if we were fortunate to get a lead it is like, keep bearing down and stay aggressive.

STEVE YZERMAN: It is not like we are saying, okay, we have got a lead; let us sit back and protect it. It is -- you have got to continue to be aggressive. The opposition is going to get scoring chances. We are playing against a good team in the Finals. They are going to generate chances on their own and you can't try and stop every -- prevent shots on goal or prevent chances, so, you have to continue to really be aggressive on both ends of the rink. You can't be content with a small lead at all.

STEVE YZERMAN: Oh, yeah, it is a close hockey game. We recognize they are a very good team before coming in and we weren't surprised that it was a difficult game. Game 2, they would be thrilled to go home -- every team is -- you come in on the road, if you get a split, you are happy. So they played well in Game 1 and we look for them to come back stronger in the second game. Both teams look to elevate their play and as the series goes on, you have to play stronger, so we expect them to come out better at the start of the game and in turn we have to respond and play better ourselves.