	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: FLAMES v SHARKS

May 15, 2004

Ron Wilson

CALGARY, ALBERTA: Practice Day

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Ron Wilson.
Q. Your thoughts on Patrick Marleau being named to Canada's World Cup hockey team.
RON WILSON: I think it's well-deserved. He's had a breakthrough season for them. On most nights he's our best player, and I think it's well-deserved. I think it's going to be a great experience for him.
I mean, he's going to make Canada a better team, but they're going to make him a better player. From my point of view, I think that's great.
Q. Were you around when he got the news this morning?
RON WILSON: No. I was watching in my hotel room. You know, I kind of was hoping, but then when I saw some of the people that were getting named, I was a little worried - not the direction that their team was going like with Draper and Maltby and Steve Yzerman, I could see what they were thinking, but I was really pleased when Patty made the cut.
Q. Looking ahead to the game tomorrow, just what do you need to do to come away with a second straight win?
RON WILSON: We're going to have to have the same kind of game plan we had the other night, expect them to play even harder, and we're going to have to match their intensity.
Obviously, also we have to replicate what made us successful the other night.
Q. Any lineup changes, Coach?
RON WILSON: Thinking of starting this kid Darren Pang in goal. But we don't have Plexiglas to cover the net behind him (laughter).
No, there will be game-time decisions if we make any player decisions.
Q. Which was the better team for your game, Game 1 or Game 3, or would you say they're equal?
RON WILSON: I would say Game 1 from an aesthetic point of view. But from an efficiency point of view, obviously Game 3 because we won. Like Darryl said, at this point in the season it's only about wins and losses.
But I still would love to see another game like Game 1. I thought that was great for all the fans and hockey in general to have a game like that, a track meet. That was fun hockey.
Q. What about the bit at the end? Is that out of everybody's system or will there be carry-over?
RON WILSON: No, there's never carry-over with that kind of stuff. Especially with a two-day break in between games.
Q. One of your young defensemen didn't get picked for the World Cup. How do you feel?
RON WILSON: I'm disappointed. I'll let all the Canadians debate all the guys who didn't get named. It's a great team. Remember, you're building a team. It's not an All-Star tournament. The All-Star Game is in February. The World Cup is about building a team and having the right people in place.
You're looking for some offensive defensemen, defensive defensemen, a checking line which Canada put together, guides who can kill penalties, guys who are really good on the power play, and guys who will be able to accept whatever role they're given. You know, that's what a team is.
I think they put together a pretty good team.
Q. When is the American team coming out?
RON WILSON: I'm not really sure, to be honest. I'm focused right on this, believe it or not.
Q. The schedule has it so that you have about 33 hours with two games, plane trips. How is that going to impact the team?
RON WILSON: Well, we've actually done quite well in back-to-back situations this year. I think we have one of the best records in the second game of back-to-back. I just hope that we win the first one so the second one isn't so pressure-packed in that sense. You're going to be pressure-packed anyway.
But it will be difficult for both teams. But actually since the two teams are the youngest ones left, it shouldn't really cause the quality of play to drop too much at this time of year. We've had some days in between. Most of the guys are fairly well-rested. We had rest before the series. So it's only like Games 4 and 5. That doesn't seem to be too big a deal.
Going back-to-back like that, then one more day, travel, you got play, another day, you play, Game 6 and 7, if we can get that far, from our point of view, there's going to be a lot of weary guys on the ice.
Q. Possibility of going back with Ekman tomorrow?
RON WILSON: Yeah, I think we'll try to get Ek back in got him out. He's been struggling. He's a very important part of our team all year. Sometimes it's best to sit back and watch and relax a little bit. If you can get in the press box or higher up, the game looks a lot easier, trust me.
Q. Sending Dimitrakos the same kind of message?
RON WILSON: That's a possibility. I'll make that decision tomorrow. We have to figure out what we're going to do on our power-play. Niko has been a point man on our important play. I've got some tough decisions to make, I guess.

End of FastScripts...

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297