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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: OILERS v HURRICANES


June 5, 2006


Ty Conklin

Chris Pronger

Jason Smith


RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: Game One

Q. Things happen quickly, it's easy to dissect it afterwards, with the crowd noise, I suppose it was avoidable but still it's tough?
JASON SMITH: I think we'll be ready to bounce back for the next one. It's something we've done well all year. We'll be ready the next game.
Q. When you look back at this, it's hard to believe in some ways you lost it, it seemed like you were so in control.
JASON SMITH: Yeah, we did a lot of good things in the game. We had some breakdowns and maybe had some errors and gave them some energy and life and obviously they capitalized on their opportunities.
They have a lot of offensively gifted players and we need to do better defensively in the next game.
Q. Everything that went on, penalty shots, they come back, you come back, you lose your goalie.
CHRIS PRONGER: Yeah, it's a tough loss but at the same time it's one game. We certainly cannot dwell on it too much. We did a lot of great things out there. Got off to a great start and really played well after a long layoff. We got into a situation where, you know, you're coming into the third period with a 3-1 lead, we've got to close that out and finish them off and not give them some opportunities. We started trying to trade chances with them and they are not a team you want to do that with.
Q. How concerned is the status of Dwayne right now?
CHRIS PRONGER: Well, it's a tough loss. I've been through it before, with the infamous Nick Kypreos on Grant Fuhr, but we have two guys that we've got a lot of confidence in. You know, they have not played that much the last two or three months, but at the same time, they have seen them in practice, they have been working hard trying to stay sharp and they will do a good job.
Q. Your penalty shot looked like it was going to be the game-winner.
CHRIS PRONGER: Yeah, I don't think we wanted to get too far ahead of ourselves. Just had a couple of things I wanted to do and kind of opened up, fortunate enough to go in.
Q. Did you do anything different --
CHRIS PRONGER: Absolutely, we want to win the game, but, you know, I think towards the ends, we don't want to trade chances with that team. We want to stay more sound defensively and make sure that we're not going back and forth, and as I said, trade chances with them. They have a lot of power up front and certainly they are going to capitalize with the guys they have.
Q. Is it tough to let a lead like that go away and bounce back from that?
CHRIS PRONGER: You know what, we lose the lead and we battle back, tie it up 4-4, shows a lot of heart on our part. We certainly knew they were not going to quit coming to the third period. Just a matter of us staying focused and not, you know, I don't think anybody thought anybody was going to sweep the series and certainly we didn't think that little of them. They have got a lot of talent and skill over on that side and we've got a lot of guys in the locker room that respect that. We have to show a little bit more in not wanting to trade chances.
Q. Winning on a goal like that?
CHRIS PRONGER: What are you going to do? Just a bad exchange and kind of got tied up amongst one another and he was able to get loose and get to the net.
Q. You guys had them bottled up there --
CHRIS PRONGER: Absolutely.
Q. Just coming in so quickly, after a long layoff, can you get ready that quickly under those circumstances, is it difficult?
TY CONKLIN: Well, that's the first time I've come in with five minutes left in a Stanley Cup Final. It's going to be a learning process obviously.
Q. (Inaudible).
TY CONKLIN: I think once you get in there, you get a couple bounces, make a couple saves, that gets your confidence going.
Q. (Inaudible).
TY CONKLIN: I don't know if it is helpless. You still have control out there, so I wouldn't say helpless.
Q. Are you prepared to be the starting goalie in the Stanley Cup final?
TY CONKLIN: Well, I think Jussi and I both tried to prepare ourselves for that. You know, this isn't a situation we wanted obviously but it's an opportunity for one of us, for both of us.
Q. Is it a question of communication with Jason Smith?
TY CONKLIN: I think I just held on to the puck too long. I didn't make the play quickly. That was a mistake that, you know -- it's not a mistake that I think I would normally make.
Q. Normally meaning if you were playing a lot more and you've been out of action for so long you mean?
TY CONKLIN: Yeah, maybe a bit. I'm sure that had something to do with it. Regardless of your inactivity, you still have to make the right plays.
Q. Do you feel confident if you get the call?
TY CONKLIN: Yeah, I do feel that I can help the team.
Q. How do you do that?
TY CONKLIN: Just stay prepared and, you know, work hard.
It's been a while, but, you know, this isn't the first time this has happened before.

End of FastScripts...

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