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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: FLYERS v LIGHTNINGMay 9, 2004Fredrik ModinCory StillmanTAMPA, FLORIDA: Practice Day Q. Fred, did you think the layoff affected you more or less than you thought it would have? FREDRIK MODIN: You know what, I don't think we really expected to it to affect us that much. Maybe just a little rust that we felt after the first period. You know, it's always nice with a couple extra days to recharge your batteries and get guys healthy and stuff like that. It didn't hurt us as much. Q. Can you talk about Khabibulin's play? Last year we were all raving about Giguere and it doesn't seem he's getting quite the acclaim Giguere did? FREDRIK MODIN: Khabibulin has been great for us, from the first series against the Islanders, all the way through. I think he really has come up with some huge plays that kept us in the game and he gave us a chance to win every night. He's been making those key saves at key times for us. Q. Eight wins in a row, possibly going to nine, is this a case where momentum and confidence build with every win? CORY STILLMAN: I think it does. We're playing better and we're playing as a team, and I think the main thing is to keep momentum. Obviously, there's going to be shifts in the game. We're looking to continue to win, especially at home. Q. Would you explain to us out-of-town media about lightning bolt, not stepping on it, where did that come from? FREDRIK MODIN: It's just something that it's our logo. You know, we don't want people to walk all over our logo. It's just something that when they put that on the carpet, that's something we came up with. Q. In Game 1 against the Islanders, the Islanders pretty much outplayed you guys and you still got a victory. Any similarities between the feeling after Game 1 of that series and Game 1 of this series? CORY STILLMAN: Well, we know we have to be a lot better, that's for sure. We came out a little rusty, say, the first ten minutes. They were all over us, and having made some saves, that kept us in the game. We paid the price against the Islanders in Game 2, losing at home, and we can't afford to have that. You have to win, you have to play every game, but before looking forward, we know they are good on home ice and it's a big game to go up with a 2-0 lead. Q. The first period, did the playoff affect you maybe more than you thought it would have? CORY STILLMAN: I don't think it did, no. I think at times, there's a difference between practice speed and game speed. You look back, we had eight days off and I think the Flyers ended up having four, so both teams got to rest players and rest injuries. It was a matter of getting back to the game, and especially the style we want to play, a speed game and trying to create turnovers. Q. As far as the layoff goes, is it -- I know you talked about rust physically, but is it mentally, too, all of a sudden realizing that the first time in eight days, you're on the ice and at a very high level and a very important situation? FREDRIK MODIN: As Cory said, the physical part of it isn't a big deal because we are practicing hard on those days we have off. It's just a matter of getting your mind into it again and getting into game shape, which is reading and reacting on a little bit higher level than what you probably did in practice. Q. How important has Khabibulin been, coming off of fabulous wins and all of a sudden he's had some time off, has he picked up right where he left off, with one goal last night? Is he just in his own zone? CORY STILLMAN: As long as we can continue to do that -- he's played extremely well in every series. I think that's what we need as a team, for him to make the big save at the right time. For him having eight days off and coming back, he probably saw more shots during the practice time and got ready and became sharper, on his ankles. I think Jeff Reese worked a lot with him in that time. He came out with a lot of confidence. He had seen a lot of pucks in practice and knew he was ready to make the first save. Q. Do you guys not talk to him during the game or do you leave him in his own frame of mind? CORY STILLMAN: Goalies are always different. No, he's one that he goes about his business, he makes the saves, moves the puck. We can hear him communicate on the ice. You can hear him on the bench screaming on what he wants. The more we play and the longer we can go, I think the better he gets.
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