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AMP ENERGY NHL WINTER CLASSICJanuary 1, 2008Michel TherrienORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK Q. What did you talk about between second and third periods to get the game going? MICHEL THERRIEN: Almost repeating myself from the beginning of the game; this is a unique experience that we're facing, and we can't feel sorry about ourselves, if we don't come up with a good third period to give us a chance to win. I thought we played really solid in the third. Both teams played really solid. The good thing, when you're looking down the ice, both teams at least were able to pick up a point. Each team deserved it, it could have gone both ways. We ended up scoring the extra goal in the shootout but it was a fun game to be part of it, there's no doubt. Q. 70,000 people, all the hype and attention and national television, you have a young team, was that ever a concern -- MICHEL THERRIEN: You know what, they respond really well. They respond well, and it was a tough game to play, there's no doubt, and probably the toughest game conditions-wise; the snow, the rain a little bit at some point, the wind. I thought the NHL did a great job with the ice, even there was times it was pretty tough but they took care of it right away. Conditions was demanding for the players. We tried to stay focus -- forgot the focus obviously in the second period. I think after we got that lead in the first period, guys was maybe a bit too much excited in the dressing room and it showed on the ice. But this is a young team and they learn a lot, and playing those type of games, you learn a lot from playing those type of games, there's no doubt. Q. Can you talk about what Ty Conklin has done for you and what are you feeding him and are you going to try to bottle it? MICHEL THERRIEN: He's playing very well and we've had success. We were pretty discourage when we lost Fleury, our No. 1 guy, and especially his last four or five games he was playing pretty solid after a tough start and we all know if you don't have goaltenders and the goaltender doesn't play well, it's tough to win in this league. Certainly he's playing at a level that gives us a chance to win, and he makes some key saves at the right time during the game. He made some key saves in overtime where we have to kill the penalty, so he's a big part of it. Q. You talked about focus; how hard was it to keep the players focused throughout the game with all of the prolonged stoppages? MICHEL THERRIEN: We have to remind them a lot. Like before the game, we need to address with lot of meetings and a lot of video just to make sure the focus is there, because it was an easy situation to get away from that focus and with good reasons. But all game long, the coaching staff and assistant coaches would try to remind the players, first of all, to keep it really simple. We didn't want to do high-risk play, and you never know about the conditions on the ice and with the snow sometimes, and we ended up scoring a goal because we were pressing the puck really well and we got the opening goal on the first shift. But we wanted to keep it really simple, and I think both teams tried to keep it really simple. Q. A lot was made of the winds and snow; was it a significant factor or no? MICHEL THERRIEN: It could have been a little bit of a factor. But, it was to both teams. You know, it was not for like one team got a disadvantage. At the ten minute-mark in the third period, and then we had an overtime, and so I think if you look at it, it was fair for both teams. End of FastScripts |
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