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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: PENGUINS v RED WINGS

June 3, 2009

Mike Babcock

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA: Practice Day

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach.

Q. Pavel looked pretty good today. Is he pretty close or what do you think?
COACH BABCOCK: I don't know. What we'll do is we'll go for the optional skate in the morning and see how he responded today and see how he felt.
I haven't talked to him since he got off, and I haven't talked to Pete. He was still out there well after I got off, so we'll see how he is.

Q. Maybe we'll deal in the ifs. If he is available, how much of a difference does he make just in that they have Malkin and Crosby on different lines and he obviously gives you another pretty good shut down guy?
COACH BABCOCK: Well, he's -- I don't know if he's a shut down guy, I just think he's a pretty good player, right. He's a Hart Trophy candidate. He's one of the best players in the world. Obviously, we'd like to have him. But it's one of those injuries. You have some situations at Playoff time, and we have to find a way to overcome, we've done a good job.

Q. This might sound stupid, but do you feel you need him more now because you've lost a game in this series?
COACH BABCOCK: Well, no, I thought we needed him the day we lost him against Chicago. And I think we've needed him every game since. But I think just what I said earlier, guys have stepped up, done a real good job and given us an opportunity. Just like last night, they gave us a good opportunity, and we weren't able to finish.

Q. Status of Kris Draper? And the other day you said he was pretty healthy and could probably play. How difficult is it to tell a guy like that if he's ready to play, truly, that he's not going to be in your game lineup when he's such a veteran in that room and been around here even longer than yourself?
COACH BABCOCK: I think what made it easier is that he knows we won. He knows, when it's not broke, don't fix it. So even when he came to talk to me and let me know he's ready, he did a real good job. Might as well put as much heat on the coach as you can. I don't blame them. That's how you should do it. But he's real professional and understands, too. And it gives us an opportunity to change now.

Q. You've been in a lot of big-time series over the years. Can you address the level of competition and how hard the teams are going at each other? And do you think both are demanding in getting the best from each other through three games?
COACH BABCOCK: Well, I think it's been real good. And what I mean by that is most of the games could have went either way. And whether you get breaks or not, sometimes it goes that way. Samuelsson walked in home free when the game was tied 2-running off the post. The other night in Detroit, both Guerin and Crosby hit posts. So that's how close it's been. And yet I think that's what makes it exciting.
I see star players all the time, and the people that aren't involved. I think a lot of people on the outside think you just win the Cup. Doesn't quite work like that. It's hard to win. And that's what makes it so great though, there's a battle, a will, and determination that goes on for a couple of months. If you want it bad enough and you're blessed with enough skill, you have a chance to actually win it. Both these teams have done a real good job to get themselves in a situation where they have an opportunity.

Q. After a loss in these Playoffs, you guys have played some pretty good hockey. How have you done that? What happens after you lose a game?
COACH BABCOCK: Well, you know, I don't know the answer to that. I think what we try to do is just like anything that's a great reminder how hard it is and how determined you have to be. And the other thing that's a lot of fun in the Playoffs, it's a roller coaster ride. You feel great one day, and the next day you don't feel that good. And it's all based on winning and losing.
You know, the big thing for us is no different than Game 3 was. It was a huge game. Game 4 now becomes a huge game. It's the game we're playing.
It's a big test for our team. We have to respond, we understand that.
When we look at the game here today, our first scoring -- we got a face-off play and Leino got a chance, but our first chance in the game came 12:39 left on the clock in the first. So that's basically, you've gone 7 minutes without generating offense. And then we had a good second period and then again in the third period, and I could be wrong on that by a minute or something. But I think it was 12 minutes again.
So we played a real good 30 minutes in between, but we didn't start like we'd like to, and we didn't finish like we'd like to.

Q. With the skill and talent you have, the goaltender you have, you still must be disappointed with your penalty killing percentage. Can you just talk about that a little bit?
COACH BABCOCK: Well, it's not even the percentage, it's when you give them up. You know, that's huge. Last night we needed a kill. Without any question, it was a 2-2 game. We needed the kill. I went through it today without emotion. The first power-play goal they got, I didn't like the way the goal went in. But I hated the play, went half wall across and you can't give that up.
The second power-play goal they did a good job. They were on top of us for a minute and, however long, 40 seconds. But we had three opportunities in that time that we should have had the puck down the ice. We should have won the battle and got it down the ice.
So our penalty kill hasn't been great all year long. We've had moments where it's been real good, but it hasn't been great. So the bottom line is we need it to be great. It was great against Anaheim in Game 7 when we needed it. It was real good against Chicago when we needed it. Last night we needed it, and it let us down.

Q. Referencing this gentleman's question about the journey of it all. How much does it help you to have eight or nine different coaches in that room who have been around for ten years? Coaches -- players who act as coaches who have been around for that long to assist you and to let the other guys know where maybe you don't have to say anything?
COACH BABCOCK: Well, I think when you've been through it before, you understand a lot of things that are going on, and I think they can look after stuff for you, which is real important.
But don't ever kid yourself. No matter who you are, lots of times on a team they're dying for leadership, and you have to provide it, so that's what you try to do.

Q. Just to clarify, is Draper in or out, or are you not saying?
COACH BABCOCK: I can tell you if you want. He's in. I don't know who is out.

Q. What difference have you seen in the game of Evgeni Malkin between last year to this year?
COACH BABCOCK: Well, I just think he's a more experienced guy who has been through it once before and is more comfortable. You know, he's been real dangerous for them on the power play. I think he's got five points if I'm not mistaken. He's got 3 of his 5 on the power play. So he's got an even strength goal, an even strength assist.
You know, I think he's a big guy that can hang on the puck. He comes from the neutral zone with some speed. Because of his reach and his size he can be hard to handle on the cycle. But I don't think anybody's really surprised. He's one of the best players in the world.
You know, they're good down the middle as everybody knows. And I think the kid's playing well.

Q. Ozzie looked like he was having fun out there today. Did you get the sense that he's put last night behind him, and what did you think of his performance?
COACH BABCOCK: Last night?

Q. Yeah?
COACH BABCOCK: Sure it's behind him. He is having fun. He's played real well, and he should be enjoying himself. And I think that's another thing that we talk a lot about is enjoying the process. Enjoy the crowd on the road. Enjoy what you're doing. It's hard to get here. Enjoy it. You're supposed to be having a great time. So for a veteran guy like that who has been through it before understands that he's got to be ready to go tomorrow, that's what he's trying to do.
As far as Ozzie goes, I think he's been excellent. All Playoff long. Every once in a while as a goalie, you give up a goal you'd like to get back. But I didn't think we generated enough for him after the first period -- well, after the second period. So that's how I look at that.

Q. Holmstrom and Rafalski didn't skate today. Are they available tomorrow or injured?
COACH BABCOCK: They're available for tomorrow. We gave Homer the day off. He wanted practice to be a little quicker today. He told me he was going to take the day --. No, everybody it's optional this time of the year, basically. If you need to go, go. We decided to skate today. I talked to Nick and Z and a few guys last night. They wanted to go today and get a flush, and that's what they did.

Q. Can you comment on Brad Stuart and his value to the team?
COACH BABCOCK: I think he's been excellent like Orpik for them is. He's a physical guy that plays the game hard. He's way better at Playoff time than he is in the regular season. That's no knock on him. He just ramps it up. The other thing is he plays big, big minutes. Because he's a big body he doesn't have the same wear and tear on him. He can make a first pass. He shoots the puck well.
In our team he's slotted right. What I mean by that is we don't have to get him to be a power play guy or necessarily a real puck mover, so he's slotted right and he's more effective in that spot.

Q. Zetterberg was up over 24 minutes last night. Is that ideal for him or is it a little much? What is your thought?
COACH BABCOCK: I would have liked him not to be at that. I thought he was real good situation going into the third period. But we were also down there at the end, and we have a day off. So anything for me with him is 22, 23 doesn't -- I don't want him to be 24. I think he was 24:11 though, wasn't he? Okay. Who has the time sheet? I don't know if the extra 20 seconds killed him. 24:19. After the game he asked Pete, how many minutes did I play? And Pete told him. And he said, gee it didn't feel like that tonight.
The other thing we've got to take into account is sometimes at home your guys are right on top of those key guys because you've been on them over the years to make sure they're not wrong. And sometimes on the road you're not. When you're getting people and on off the ice like we were last night, I didn't think we overplayed him.

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