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NHL ALL-STAR WEEKEND

January 27, 2008

IIya Kovalchuk

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Ilya.

Q. How much fun was it having a guy like Eric Staal feeding you the puck?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: He's a great player, no question about it. It's one of those games when you don't care who you play with. You know, they're all good, they're all the best. So he is one of those guys who I really enjoy to play with.

Q. On the play in the tying goal, was it hard to resist the temptation to shoot before you passed it to Staal?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: No, I think everybody in the building think I'm going to shoot it, hey. So yeah, it was pretty nice play. I think fans love those kind of stuff. So it's all about them.

Q. How badly did you want that goal in the second period?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: Especially against Nabby. He's Russian, but he is good. He's really good for a small guy. And it's tough to beat those kind of guys that play in All-Star Games, and I am going to work on my shot in practice (smiling).

Q. How fitting was it for Savard to get the game winner?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: I break my stick and I go on the bench. I want to get another one, but Ovechkin jump, change me. So I'm like, okay, I need to change then. And he used to play here, it's All-Star Game, and I think he really deserves to be in those kind of games. He's a great player, great play maker and he can score, too.

Q. How big was it for you and Marian to come out here in front of the home fans and put on a real good show for the home folks?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: It's unbelievable. You know. First of all we don't need to fly anywhere. And tonight after the game we can go in the restaurant and have a good dinner. So it's not just the playing. It's always exciting. It's unbelievable, especially yesterday during the red carpet. I didn't expect that many people there, and especially the kids, you know. They were pumped. They were smiling, and it's all about them.

Q. It seemed like you were putting a show on out there. Did you feel like you really want to embrace that showmanship this weekend?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: What, sorry. My phone rang.

Q. Who is it?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: It's my sister. It's first time she's in Philips Arena, so maybe she is lost. Sorry, one second.

Q. Did you just embrace them? You were putting on a show out there, seemed like you were having a great time. Was it a lot of fun being able to do that in this setting?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: Yeah, it's always great especially in front of your home fans. Those guys were unbelievable. Great individuals, everybody. Not even one were with the kind of face like, you know, if you don't want to play or anything, he can get a couple days off or stuff like that. They're all smiling, and it looks like we all got a great time.

Q. Could you talk about each of those two chances in the second period there, the breakaway and then the one in the slot?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: Yeah, Nabokov, he makes some great saves. You know, he is a great goalie. I want to score bad, but our team wins, it's good. When the crowd start cheering the "East, East," we starting, we were down 1 goal at that time, and we got two goals. It's a nice game. Everybody excited.

Q. You got to play a little bit with the Russian 5 with you and --
ILYA KOVALCHUK: No, come on, don't talk about that. Two shifts were minus two. It's unbelievable.

Q. But was it fun at least to get out on the ice, putting the results aside, at least fun to skate with those four guys?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: Oh, yeah. It's unbelievable. I don't think maybe you're never going to get that kind of opportunity again. We just want to say thanks to the coach, and they were all understand. And it was fun.
We need a come more pucks on the ice when we're going to be there, all five. But it was fun.

Q. First, had you ever done that before where you lie flat on your back trying to think what just happened? And also could you sense how much the crowd was into it? How much they wanted you to score?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: It's a great feeling when they announce your name and everybody's standing and cheering for you. I've never been in a situation like that. And now I understand how those fans want to win for the Thrashers first of all. Because a lot of those guys are going to be on Wednesday night. When we play at home. So they really deserve to win those kind of games. From last year when we went to the playoffs, you know, they really support us, so thank for them.

Q. How about lying flat on your back on the ice?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: Oh, yeah. It was actually not last one, I didn't do anything. I threw my stick, I gave it to the fan. But I don't think he was excited. But I just, you know, I don't know, emotions. Again, after Nabby though, he makes an unbelievable save.

Q. Talk about the check on Jovanovski?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: Actually, he tried to kill me. He stopped and everybody circled. Nobody stopped and then all of a sudden he stops. Yeah, there's usually one or two body checks during the All-Star. So we got one. I was involved. It's not very good.

Q. Nabby said the glove save was a lucky save, he just stuck his glove up there. I don't know if that makes you feel any better or not.
ILYA KOVALCHUK: They're all saying it's lucky, but you need to be good to be lucky, so. Sometimes you score with everybody, and you're lucky, but you need to be in that kind of position right time and right place to make those kind of saves.

Q. Can you let us in on what you said to him when you went to him after that save?
ILYA KOVALCHUK: Great save. Just, you know, I think Staal got the MVP, he's playing really well. But Nabby was one of those guys who can get the MVP tonight, too. He's played an unbelievable 20-minute shutout. And he's played 51 or 52 games already during the season, so he's a great, great goaltender.

End of FastScripts

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