NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: CAPITALS v RED WINGS

June 15, 1998

Chris Osgood

CHRIS OSGOOD: Yeah, obviously. But I will -- I don't take -- I don't take away anything from what happened last year. I enjoyed everything about last year and the experience of winning. That's what it's all about. But this year obviously to play more it means more when you're contributing that much more. When you're doing it, it's that much more gratifying. I'm not saying that to take away from last year because it meant a lot to win last year as well. But it would even mean more this year.

CHRIS OSGOOD: I really wasn't mad last year. Maybe at the start I was because I wasn't playing. But after I accepted what happened -- I mean, the past is the past, really. I played quite a bill, I knew I would be here for a long time. It was just a little phrase, really, a bunch of years that I have played, that was -- that was one thing. I didn't enjoy not playing, but I accepted it and had a great time winning the Cup last year. But like I said, it would be a little more gratifying last year.

CHRIS OSGOOD: Yeah, it's been -- I mean, yesterday, I think it was good just to get away from everything and relax. But today I think you start anticipating the game tomorrow and what can happen and you get real excited. I mine, it's -- in one way it was good to get a break, we've been playing so hard, and, in another way, you just want to jump back out there. I don't think it really matters. We're just anticipating the game today and getting excited about tomorrow.

CHRIS OSGOOD: No.

CHRIS OSGOOD: A little break, play tomorrow when we're all rested and ready to go.

CHRIS OSGOOD: I don't have any problems with those questions because I played previously in the playoffs and went to the conference Finals. People don't just remember what happened last and I expected that. I had no problem with that during the regular season. I knew come the playoffs I had to prove I could play. I mean, I think I've done that and we're not done yet but I've taken a lot of big steps to get to this point and it's gratifying. But people ask me that question and to be honest, I haven't had any problem with -- because I've pretty much accomplished everything I had to in the regular season than I had to do in the regular playoffs. I have mean, that's sports and that's being a professional athlete, you have to tenuously try and prove yourself. I mean, I thrived off that more than anything.