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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: PENGUINS v RED WINGS

May 30, 2009

Dan Bylsma

DETROIT, MICHIGAN: Game One

Pittsburgh Â– 1
Detroit - 3

Q. Can you talk about your decision to use the timeout when you did? And how now this new icing rule when you can't change the line forces you to use it where you don't want to?
COACH BYLSMA: A situation where, you know, we were out for a long shift. We had not only our forwards but our "D" especially. We're tired in that situation. You know, at times you need that timeout to give your guys an extra breath. You know, 20 seconds, 30 seconds to regather themselves and get ready. And they he get fresh guys on the ice as well. So you have to deal with that situation.
It was a timeout where I felt we needed to take, and we'd do it again.

Q. You talk about the goals that went off Fleury? Could he have done anything to change the result of either one?
COACH BYLSMA: I wasn't a very good goalie, so. You know, it's just the situation in this building where you know that pucks are coming off the backboards quickly. We're aware of it. We practiced it and they got some fortunate breaks off it tonight.
You know, that's something they were better at than we were. It's something that if the shooting lanes are blocked, you should be putting the puck there because you know it's going to come right back out. They capitalized on that tonight. It was good plays by them.

Q. You guys actually played a very good road game in here. You out shot the wings which almost never happens in this building. Do you feel that maybe one got away, one that you played well enough to win that you didn't?
COACH BYLSMA: Well, I think, you know, we got stronger or did a better job as the game went on. I thought our second period was better than the first. I thought we did some good things in the third as well. But you're playing a very good team, and you're playing a team that can capitalize, and that's what they did tonight. They played from ahead for a lot of the night. And that's a tough team to come back on.
We did a lot of good things, but when you look at the game we think there are areas we need to do better. And we need to do better if we're going to continue to have successor have success in this series.
You know, the focus of this is a race to four. They've got one on us. We have to keep trying to dictate, play our game, and get them to make their "D", force their "D" to play at a pace where they have to go back and deal with our speed and skill. And we did that for periods of the game, but we can do a better job of that. And that's the goal. They got one, and we've got to come back tomorrow.

Q. Do you sense any disgorgement then coming back and having to play tomorrow night, having had the chances that you did, and not being able to come away with the win?
COACH BYLSMA: There are emotions that go through your mind. You had them in the stands and we had them on the bench, they had them on the ice. Did we have a chance, a couple of chances in the second to get the lead? He we certainly did. But they got the advantage early. They got the lead in the second, and they got the big goal in the third to keep us at bay.
We can do a better job. We did some good things. I think there are some areas that we can keep at. But that's the challenges. And getting back at it tomorrow is a good thing for us.

Q. They were dominant in the face-off circle. Is there much you can do in the middle of a game when it's that lopsided and they're winning so many draws?
COACH BYLSMA: Well, you know, we've done our homework on these guys. We know they're good there. I know it's an area of focus. They're a puck possession team as are we. And starting with the puck is better than not.
One of the things we've talked about is our wingers being aware and ready to jump in and help out. The centerman doesn't often win a clean back, a lot of those are puck battles off the draw. Being aware, being ready and winning those battles are the responsibility of the wingers and the "D" when it's in the defensive zone. So that's an area we can do a better job of. You know, we'll look at it, and try to get better in that regard.

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