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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: DUCKS v RED WINGSMay 18, 2007Mike BabcockNicklas LidstromHenrik ZetterbergDETROIT, MICHIGAN: Practice Day Q. Do you take the same satisfaction out of it in the manner that you did to go and get the split and come back here and be the best 2 out of 3? COACH MIKE BABCOCK: Obviously we expected it to be a tough series and it's turned out to be like the one last night. I thought last night's game was kind of like Game 1, just in reverse. I thought Game 1 they probably left the rink and they should have won. And we won last. Shot ourselves in the foot. Got an opportunity to be rested, get back to it. Q. No one is down. You guys got there and you split and you've got your home ice advantage. COACH MIKE BABCOCK: It's not about being down; it's playing as hard as you can. We've been real good. We think we're getting better. Last night was a game that was there for us. We didn't get it done, so now we get another opportunity. Q. What's impressed you? What's stood out in your team? You've gotten better, you've said? COACH MIKE BABCOCK: Resiliency. A lot of questions - a lot of times people say, You're going to be physically run out. That just doesn't happen. Kopecky came in, helped us out. A real good player, real good. Everybody is finding a way to contribute. Q. Tomorrow, home ice. It's going to be real exciting for you guys to get back at home Game 5? COACH MIKE BABCOCK: Absolutely. Great to be home. Just seeing your family at home is a fantastic thing. Getting energized. Great to come home to such great weather, and we look forward to it. But we also look forward to a day of rest and getting prepared and getting out. Q. Mike, are you surprised by the fact there was already 23 goals scored, two excellent - the best goaltenders on the ice? COACH MIKE BABCOCK: I thought we scored pretty easy two games ago, and I thought the puck went in the net (inaudible) happens sometimes. But both these guys are good goaltenders. I wouldn't worry about them. Q. Is it a question of fighting the defense? COACH MIKE BABCOCK: I don't know about that. I think we didn't give up very many opportunities. Last night we gave up five, so it just goes to show you it doesn't always go your way. A matter of keeping playing hard. Q. Something different out of Bertuzzi the last four games or is he just finding the comfort zone? COACH MIKE BABCOCK: It's like anything. He's had opportunities. Played better. I know last night I thought Cleary was excellent on their line and I thought they found a way to generate offense. Q. What do you expect to see from Pronger, his return? Concerned at all with the fact he's coming back, probably going to be kind of a marked man with the fans at the (inaudible)? COACH MIKE BABCOCK: We're playing the Ducks. We're not playing Pronger or nothing. Let's play. See you guys. Q. Henrik, talk a little bit now you have Game 5 ahead. Getting that split was really important for you guys. HENRIK ZETTERBERG: Yeah, we knew going down there - at least we won one game. We did that and I think overall we played three good games. And looking forward to going back for home ice. Q. The way you played in Anaheim, I'm sure you held your own and that's great? HENRIK ZETTERBERG: Yeah, we played our game and, you know, I think at first - too many penalties, but other than that I think we played overall pretty good games. Q. Do you take the same satisfaction about getting the split when it comes the manner you did. Does it make any difference when that one win comes? You know what I'm saying? HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I think we were being a little -- overall it was good to win one game. But it's good to be back (indiscernible) the second one. Q. Your spirits are still pretty high. You go to Anaheim, you get a split, you come home now and you have home ice advantage. Best 2 out of 3. HENRIK ZETTERBERG: Exactly. Three games here and two at home. So would rather play at home than away. Q. What's impressed you about you guys? Mike said you continue to improve. Do you see improvement game by game? HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I think that definitely the team is - has really showed - all the guys here really have put in a good effort, really produced for us. Q. He mentioned this whole Pronger return not going to be a distraction for what you guys gotta get accomplished? HENRIK ZETTERBERG: I don't think that we think so much about it. He was away one game and they won that game. So I don't know if that -- saw he was away, I don't think that was such a big difference. The guys just play good for them, and he's going to be back tomorrow. But they won when he was with them too. Q. Because you're so deep into the playoffs, are you not affected by the game-by-game up and downs as much as in the playoffs? HENRIK ZETTERBERG: You know, it's games, seven games in the series, and we know that. And it's most important to win at home. Especially when we got home advantage, and we've still got that. So I think so far we're happy the way we've played, but we still think we can play a little better. Q. Do you play like the game on Sunday is Game 7? HENRIK ZETTERBERG: No. Q. (Question about being 2-2 and now best of 3?) HENRIK ZETTERBERG: We have to go back anyway. Q. You don't want to go down on the brink of elimination? HENRIK ZETTERBERG: Every game in playoffs are really important. And Sunday's Game 5. We played good Game 5 this year and we're confident we'll do another good game on Sunday. And we get extra day here, practice tomorrow, and ready to go Sunday. Q. What do you do when you go home now, so I can use an example of how the players unwind when they get back from a trip? HENRIK ZETTERBERG: You don't do that much. You go home, see your family and just relax. Q. You don't go bowling or something? HENRIK ZETTERBERG: No, I'm going to stay home. Stay at home today and just have a nice home-cooked meal and relax. Q. (Question about 2 out of 3?) NIKLAS LIDSTROM: We played four games (indiscernible). Now we have to regroup, get a couple days in, next game. We're looking forward to it. Q. Have you seen this change through the playoffs? NIKLAS LIDSTROM: I think we've turned into a better playoff, playing better (indiscernible) in the regular season. Turned around and played. Q. You go back, the team was traveling and no practicing, tomorrow, like, there's a day off. I know you're used to flying but -- NIKLAS LIDSTROM: I think it helps having a couple days in between seven games. Both teams - it takes a lot out of you traveling, but that's the way the schedule and we're happy to get a day between games. Q. What does that mean? I know you're happy, but does that make a big difference this time of year to have those days off? I assume it does? NIKLAS LIDSTROM: Yes, it helps you a little bit, both mentally and physically, too. Just to get an extra day's rest in there, get ready for the next game. It's going to be an afternoon game. You have to be ready for that. Q. Very rarely does the series go as planned, but coming into the series we all knew this going to be a long series, knock-down, drag-out, close games. Can you speak to how evenly you guys are matched and how tight this series is? NIKLAS LIDSTROM: Except for Game 3 all the other games have been close. It's an emotional roller coaster you feel good about yourself when you win. You lose a game, gotta be ready for the next one again. That's what we faced throughout the playoffs. This series hasn't been any different. Q. I assume your spirits are still high. Despite the loss in Game 4, you guys gotta believe you go to Anaheim get your split, you come home, home ice advantage? NIKLAS LIDSTROM: We played real well in Game 3. Capitalized on our chances too. Going into Game 5 at home, it's something we have to continue to do. We're taking more shots and getting more rebounds off their goal. That's how we scored some of the goals in both games out there. Something we have to continue to do. Q. You're familiar with each other. How does the intensity change when you get to Game 5, 6 and 7? NIKLAS LIDSTROM: I think the intensity has picked up the deeper you get into a playoff series. You know the players. They know us as well. Q. Do you kick yourself at all about the fact that you might not have taken advantage of the game with Chris out? NIKLAS LIDSTROM: Maybe a little bit. But like I said, you have to take the ups and down as well. When you are losing you have to regroup and get ready for the next one, get ready for the next win. That's part of the game. Q. Sorry if you asked this. But what do you see from Pronger, he's probably going to be a marked man. People will boo the heck out of him. I know you have to make sure that's not a distraction to you guys? NIKLAS LIDSTROM: I don't think we're going to look at him any differently or play any differently against him. We know he's one of their top players. He's logged a lot of minutes for them. But we have to play like we have been, finish our checks on him. Try and tire him out. That's just the way we have to focus. End of FastScripts |
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