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AMP ENERGY NHL WINTER CLASSIC

January 1, 2008

Sidney Crosby

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK

Q. What do you think?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, it's a great feeling and always a great experience all in all. You know, we've got some pretty decent weather. It wasn't too cold. I thought they did a pretty good job of trying to maintain the ice. And obviously when you win, it's a lot nicer.

Q. A lot different than normal?
SIDNEY CROSBY: It's much harder, more spontaneous and with the snow build-up probably wasn't as easy to carry the puck and that's part of playing outside. I think all of the guys feel the same. It's a pretty unbelievable experience and we all feel pretty lucky.

Q. For a showcase game, international audience, could it have been scripted better? You've got the snow, the shootout and the NHL's young star scored the decisive goal.
SIDNEY CROSBY: It's nice, not only for me, our team, but everything worked out and, like you said, the weather was nice and the ice didn't really present a huge problem. It was well maintained as the game went on and I think you're right, I think it went pretty well.

Q. Obviously, though, this game was bigger than just -- even though it's a regular-season game, to have that type of game, to come down to that and for you to produce, certainly must be good for the NHL in a larger perspective?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I hope so. I hope that's the case. As players you go out there and play and hope that people enjoy it. In an atmosphere like this, I think anyone, even just the average fan watching has to be interested in something like that.
I think the game did a job of bringing that attention.

Q. (No microphone)?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, that's big and a lot of times your goalie has to be your biggest penalty killer and get the stops that he did and to get the puck the way he did, that's underrated, he's done an amazing job since he's come in there and we certainly feel confident with him back there.

Q. On the shootout were you concerned about making so many moves with the snow and ice and everything?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, the first goal tried to drive it in there hard, wide. You know, when you're playing outside, obviously there's a little bit more snow so you can't stick handle as much so I try to bring it to the net and when Ty had the puck, it jumped loose and jumped right there for the shootout, from the red line to about the slot, there's a lot of snow, probably more than after that, cleared around the slot area and towards the goalie before that, it was built up a lot.
My worry was just getting the puck to that area and once I got there, I just wanted to react.

Q. In the third period, it looked like you got pulled down as you were breaking into the goal. Could you describe what you felt happened? There was no call on the play but looked like there could have been more.
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, just tried to push the puck by the D and chase it down. There's not much chance really to stick handle late in the game like that when the snow is coming down. You know, the D kind of pinched me off a bit. You know, that's the way it goes sometimes. You try to find those openings and they close it off and it happens. It's part of the game.

Q. You had expectations coming into this and now that it's done, did it live up to everything and did you have as much fun as you thought or hoped you would?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, it's fun, but I think the warm-up when you come on the ice and the pregame ceremony, the initial feel out there is probably something you remember the most.
Once you're in the game, we're all competitive. We all want to win this. So you get back to thinking of the things that you have to do and you probably don't take things in as much because you're trying to win the game. Definitely at the start, it was a great sight coming out there and seeing what we saw. But once you're out there, you're focusing on playing and winning.

Q. Did you have it in your mind that you were going to try something special in this game and is that why we saw the pass with the puck there or what was going through your mind trying that?
SIDNEY CROSBY: No, just in a way it's sometimes easier to play the puck up there than having to drag it through a lot of snow. So you know, if you can do it, then why not. So it wasn't something I thought about. I just reacted and the puck was bouncing everywhere. I figured it might be a good way to advance the puck a bit and try to chase it down.

Q. Was there any talk in the locker room between the second and third period, you struggled in the second and came out stronger in the third; what did you guys talk about?
SIDNEY CROSBY: We needed to be a lot better, make a lot smarter plays. We were outside and we started to play like it a little bit. We were kind of watching a little bit and were not playing our positions. I guess it's a little bit expected with the way things were.
But you know, we can't get caught doing that, especially against a good team like this. So we had to get back to doing the little things right, and that created some opportunities for us in the third.

Q. You said "souvenier beaucoup"; is it a big memory for you?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I think that we all watched the Edmonton-Montréal game, and I think a lot of guys wished they were a part of it and we were lucky enough to have that opportunity. We'll see, maybe we'll have other chances to do this. Maybe not, maybe there will be other teams.
You know, for me growing up, I played a lot outside and a the lot of their guys did, too and when you see 70,000 people jammed into a stadium to watch hockey it's a good sign. The atmosphere and environment, I don't think you can beat that. I think it's something to look back and say we had a lot of great memories being a part of it.

End of FastScripts

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