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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: SENATORS v SABRES

May 11, 2007

Bryan Murray

BUFFALO, NEW YORK: Practice Day

Q. We asked this question twice before. I wanted to ask in relation to the Sabres, I mean they've shown they're a very dangerous opponent, you can't let up.
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: In the playoffs it's difficult to let up against any team and definitely this team. With the offensive people they have and the speed they have, if you don't play a decent game, then you're in jeopardy every shift.
We know that. We've had our meeting, we've talked about what we have to do to change and get better tomorrow, and we'll try to focus on that.
So, we're all aware of the stats. We read them every day and it's pointed out to us every day that history really matters to you, and we will try real hard to be better tomorrow.

Q. Coach, you got some pretty good offense from your point men at five-on-five. You were able to generate some things and get some things towards the net. Were you surprised you were able to get so much through because your defensemen were able to generate a little bit?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I believe in the last game against the Rangers, their forwards blocked 13 of 19 shots, and we were very conscious of that, trying just to make sure if nothing else, got the puck past the top guy. It didn't happen all the time, we got a couple of hits there. But for the most part, they had their head up and were taking a look and trying to get pucks in the area of the net, at any rate. But we know that's something we're going to have to be conscious of all the time because they do a good job up top.

Q. About your penalty kill, what has changed almost since Pittsburgh really?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Well, I thought for the most part this year, I kid all the time about the time he spends in meetings and everything; we've got good people that are willing to work hard and block shots and play their position well, and we've been, I think, fairly consistent in the people we allow to kill penalties, and I think it's just working together and paying attention.
Again, they spend a lot of time breaking down power plays of the other team and their tendencies and to this point in time we've done a good job, yeah.

Q. Are they supposed to be more aggressive?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: There are times when you can be aggressive. It's all about reading and understanding, and that's what working together does. I think when you see the situation where you can jump and be aggressive, you do that. If you can't, because of good skill and the other part or a great pass, then you have to lay off and hope that the goaltenders or the defenders can get a stick in the way and not allow a goal.

Q. The Sabres were pretty sloppy with the puck. How much of that was what you were doing?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I hope a lot. I don't think teams have a habit, this team in particular doesn't have a habit, the Sabres, have a habit of doing careless things to the puck. I think the Fisher goal was pressure up at the top. The kid got criticized a little bit. There was good pressure. He fumbled the puck for a second, and we know Fisher's quickness and speed, and he just broke free on it. But I would think that if they do a good forechecking job, we have a difficult time getting the puck going, and in reverse, we're able to get pressure like on the winning goal, Schubert got a great hit and the puck was thrown in reverse pattern. We had the board covered. It worked out for us in that time.
I think it's what we talk about all the time, and I know Lindy talks about all the time. Play your game, play your position, and you hope to turn the puck over.

Q. Was there a time during the season that you thought that Emery would be your guy?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: Well, after we lost a lot of games at the start of the year - Ray came in, he was hurt, and when we were struggling, I'm not sure exactly when, but there was probably in November at some point that he got in the net and he won a couple games for us or we won some games. And the coach have a habit, if the guy helps you win, you try to stick with him. From that point on Ray just got more confident and better in his play and basically took the job.

Q. Coach, the common steam of thought from Pittsburgh and Buffalo is they haven't put their best game forward. Is that more - the Senators not allowing them to put their best game forward?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I'm not sure of that. We've heard it. That's fine. I hope we're part of it. I hope we're part of it. I don't know whether they are or not. They'll have to determine that in the game tomorrow night and going forward whether they can do different things or not, and we, in turn, know that, at least I thought in the early part of the game last night, we weren't very sharp. We looked - looked like we had been off for a week.
We turned the puck over, having some soft plays leaving the zone. I thought we got a little better net third period. I think they'll be better, too. Both teams will get better. I like that situation.

Q. I was going to ask you that when you said last night you didn't like the first two periods, what are some of the things that you didn't like?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I thought the turnover - we really had some problems early in the game because of their forecheck. We turned the puck over. We got the puck up near the blue line half a dozen times. I looked at the statistics. I think we had eight giveaways. I counted that many in our own end in the early part of the game.
So getting the puck out past the D. They're aggressive in that area. We got to do a better job job. I thought as the game went on, we got better. Turnover at the offensive blue lines, there's four, five times I can think of they had four men back and one guy going and try to make a play and couldn't. There's little areas like that. Just puck management.
I heard Lindy's comment it's puck management to win in this league, and that's what we've got to improve on as well.

Q. Bryan, coming back to Emery, what can you say about the guy? It looked likes he's an original. Would you describe him, and what can you say about the goalie?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: I would say Ray Emery is a terrific athlete. His athletic strength and ability, there wouldn't be many goaltenders or players in the league that are on a higher level than him as far as just being a strong, physical person. I think his game from last year to this year, he's learned the technique considerably better in that he let's the puck come to him more often now. I think last year he tried to be aggressive at establishing the pucks. He absorbs the puck a lot better than he did did last year.
I think mentally he's a strong individual. I think he likes pressure. He thrives on pressure, and that's a unique person that can do that. He's better when I go after him or the goaltending coach goes after him or the fans go after them. He's a better - I think he's a better player.

Q. You go a lot after him?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: When goaltenders get hit by the puck a lot, I never bother. Early on, early on I wasn't happy about a number of things, and part of it was his play and his attention to detail, but he's become the real, real strength of our team.

Q. How annoying is it being reminded of Game 2, this franchise? Is it just silly?
COACH BRYAN MURRAY: No. I've learned so much about history since I'm come to Ottawa. It incredible about Game 2. I understand and it is attention to detail. There is no question that the Pittsburgh game, when we lost the second game of that series, we outplayed them, outshot them, and were careless for a little period of time, and we lost the damn game.
So we know if we focus and prepare properly, it gives us a lot better chance, and that's all we're continually reminding the players about.

End of FastScripts

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