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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: FLYERS v LIGHTNINGMay 8, 2004Dave AndreychukBrad RichardsTAMPA, FLORIDA: Game One Q. Can you just talk about the importance of getting goals from the third and fourth lines? DAVE ANDREYCHUK: Well, I think obviously we need a strong balance on our team. I believe that, you know, it's those third and fourth line guys that are going to keep plugging away and get some goals for us. Our top two lines have carried us most of the playoffs, so we are going to need everybody in that room. Tonight was one of those games. Q. You guys have been winning, but were you feeling any of that pressure to contribute offensively? DAVE ANDREYCHUK: Myself personally? Well, when you're winning, you're not feeling too much pressure, I guess. But obviously, I still have to contribute on the power play. That has to get better if we're going to win the series. For me, I have to try to get chances. First and foremost, I have to try to keep the puck in our own end, but other than that, it is nice to contribute offensively. Q. The play that happened on the goal, it looked like you knocked it down or didn't touch it? DAVE ANDREYCHUK: Hit the referee. I believe so. Q. You were reaching for it? DAVE ANDREYCHUK: I lost one of my 29 faceoffs that I lost and we got a lucky bounce and it hits the referee. I get position on a guy and just try to get the puck in there. It's one of those lucky breaks. Q. Can you talk about the composure that this team was able to withstand first period and a half, looked like Philadelphia was dominating, you guys kept your heads and then finally took over? DAVE ANDREYCHUK: Well, that's a good team over there. They are going to have some surges. They have some quality guys, quality veteran guys that are going to keep plugging away. We are going to be prepared for that. We've talked about it before in a room that we are not going to be dominated in games. They are going to come at us and we are just going to try to stay relaxed and try to keep the puck on the outside. But they really come at us. That was a team that obviously, we're going to have to play a lot better to beat them in the series because they played pretty well tonight. Q. How tough has it been for you to adjust to a checking role primarily? DAVE ANDREYCHUK: I have to do what I have to do to help this team win. It's kind of a new challenge. Obviously, for me, I've been putting it in most of the year, but it is a new challenge, and like I said, we need depth in all four of our lines, and tonight helped. Q. You talk about depth in all four lines, but can you talk about the play the fourth line made there and how much that means to a keep trying to win a Cup? BRAD RICHARDS: Well, it's obviously a big goal again tonight. We had a big one to start the playoffs with Andre's goal. We don't expect them to go out and do that every night. But it's a big lift for the bench and our team to see the guys score a goal and how they did it. It was a good play and that's what they have to do to be successful. Q. Did you guys have a hard time getting your skating legs today after the long layoff? BRAD RICHARDS: I think overall, if you ask a lot of guys, I don't think they felt as good as they thought they might. But, at the same time, as the game went on, I think our game kind of calmed down and we played a little bit tighter. In the third period, our legs were under us and we really didn't give them that much with the lead. And that obviously can get a lot better after the playoff, but it wasn't as bad as some people thought. Q. When you see a guy like Dave adjust his game, become a checker, he's always been a goal-scorer, do you start looking in the mirror yourself? BRAD RICHARDS: Yeah, that's a prime example of why he's been chosen to captain and why he's played so long; 22 years, to try to be an offensive guy, year-in, year-out, it's going to be tough. He had to change and play different styles of game, and that's why he's here today. Let's not forget, he still scores 20 goals. It's a prime example and it's a great example for a lot of players here.
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