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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: FLAMES v LIGHTNING

May 28, 2004

John Tortorella

CALGARY, ALBERTA: Practice Day

Q. There were a number of changes your team made last night. One of the biggest differences I noticed was that you really got the cycle going down low and you made their defense work. How important was that to your hockey team?
COACH TORTORELLA: That's a big part of our club. I don't think -- I don't think we had a lot of changes. I thought we executed in the way we play. I think that was the most important thing. We found a way to win a hockey game. But as far as getting the pucks below the hash marks and working down low, both teams are trying to do that, and I think both teams are very good at that. So that's certainly -- we spent a little bit more time there than we did in Game 1.
Q. Brad Richards, six game-winning goals out of his nine. How much of that has he been upping his game or finding a better level at good times rather than it just being, well, the third goal happened to be a game-winner? How much credit does he get for that?
COACH TORTORELLA: Again, I don't get too involved in game-winning goals and how many he has during the series. He has been a very consistent player right on through, the first three rounds and coming into the Finals here. How it all falls, to be honest with you, I don't pay too much attention to. It's just that we know Richie has -- he's one of our better players. He has been our top two lines and we need him to produce consistently and I think that's a reason why we have the opportunity to be playing these games now at this time of year because he's done that. And for us to continue, to continue to play a few more games here, he needs to continue.
Q. Game 2 last night, the intensity certainly picked up from your end. Would you say now that this Stanley Cup Final has a personality? What showed last night on the ice you are going to expect here on out?
COACH TORTORELLA: I thought both teams competed really hard last night. I thought parts of the game, both teams did show their personality as far as puck pursuit and the way both teams play; have played to get here. I think we joined in a little bit. I don't think we did it the first game. And I think we joined in a little bit last night. So it continues. Now we prepare for Game 3.
Q. It seemed in Game 2 that your top two lines spent a lot of time on the Iginla line. How much of that was by design, power by power?
COACH TORTORELLA: Not by design. We like playing our top players a lot. We don't get too involved in the matchups. Our situation is just what it is in situations. If there's faceoffs in the offensive zone, we'll use him there. We don't get too involved in the thinking against playing him against the top line. We just try get him as much ice time as we can and allow him to play.
Q. Have you noticed any difference between the way you guys play at home and the way you play during the road during the post-season?
COACH TORTORELLA: No. I think as -- we always say that word "simple" when you go on the road. I am glad we're on the road. We have been at home for a bit. I think it's good to get away now from some of the distractions outside of it for our players. We get to hang out a little bit as a team tonight. I don't believe there's going to be too much ticket stuff, this, that and the other thing with families and all that. I think when you get on the road, some of those distractions going away allows you to concentrate on what we're really doing here. That's try to win hockey games. So how the game changes? We're not changing our style, but I think there's -- it allows the players just to have a little bit more time to concentrate on what they are supposed to be doing.
Q. Talking about the crowd on the opposing team when you're on the road, how do you like that? In Montreal it was really loud, loud too in Philly and your team played pretty well versus --
COACH TORTORELLA: I think the athletes at this level and at this time of year understand it better and you need to try to use it to your advantage. They are performers, whether it be their building or the opposing team's building, they are performers. They want to play in front of people, no matter what the people are doing. It allows for a great atmosphere to play in. So I don't think it affects either team that much. I think both teams try to use it to their advantage and to be playing in full buildings and with the enthusiasm going on in the cities, it's great for the organizations. It's great for the game and it's great for the series.
Q. You said after Game 1 you found out or you knew how good this Calgary team was. You had to play with desperation. Nolan Pratt said before the game they were just serious; they knew what they had to do. Do you have to say anything to your guys at all now for the rest of these games? Do they just know?
COACH TORTORELLA: Well, I think they understand the desperation, or again that word "desperation. " There's so many different words you can use, the intensity level they have to play at. As you go through the series, we -- again, it's not so much about the other team. It is about your team and that was the biggest pitfall we ran into in Game 1. We didn't play our game, and I give credit to Calgary and sometimes not allow us to -- but I think a lot of it was our focus as far as what we're -- what our identity is. So we're always going to touch upon what our identity is as we go in preparation for each game. But as you go through a series and you get into the games in the middle of it, maybe towards the end, you have to respect the athletes. I think they understand what is at stake here.
Q. Aside from the obvious benefit, is it important for guys like Lecavalier, St. Louis and Richards to get on the score sheet early in a series, to see pucks going for themselves, because that's so much of what they do for your team?
COACH TORTORELLA: Offensive people want to score goals. They like scoring goals. I think as an athlete, you need to feel good about yourself and offensive people feel good about themselves when they score goals, no matter how many times a coach is saying, "you are playing well away from the puck and doing all the little things." Offensive people like scoring goals. Again, this whole -- all the series and everything we talk about as a group here, it's all a mindset. I think if you get the athletes in the proper mindset for offensive people, that's the mindset they need to be in. So along with doing the other things.
Q. The Flames have a reputation for at the end of a game, if they are out of the run to go get very physical maybe start fighting. Some evidence of that last night. Did that give you any concern?
COACH TORTORELLA: No. I thought it's part of the game. That's part of playoff hockey. I don't think there's -- we have no concern about that. That's a non-issue.

End of FastScripts...

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