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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: PENGUINS v RED WINGSJune 3, 2009Pavel DatsyukChris OsgoodPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA: Practice Day THE MODERATOR: Questions for Pavel or Chris. Q. Do you think you'll be healthy enough to play Game 4? PAVEL DATSYUK: Yeah, I'm healthy now. But we'll make tomorrow a game decision. A game decision. That's it. Q. What do you remember when you blocked that shot, you know? As an athlete, you go through a lot of different injuries. Just how painful it was then, and at any point did you think that maybe you wouldn't even have a chance to be a game-time decision, that you might not be able to play at all? PAVEL DATSYUK: What I remember, just I blocked shot, this is all, but I'm so happy I did my job, I blocked. And after I don't want to take off my skates. You know, I finished game or not. Now every day it feels better and better, and I hope it's gonna help me. Q. How difficult has it been for you to sit and watch rather than be playing? PAVEL DATSYUK: Oh, I tell you, just this is not fun to watch. It's I take in lots of beer. But it's better than you play in the game and you be there with the teammates on the ice. Try to help. Q. Same dynamics from a year ago. You win two, they win one. How does this series feel different to you if it feels different at all at this stage heading into Game 4? CHRIS OSGOOD: That's a good question. Because the first three games this year, if you compare them to last year, are pretty close to almost exactly the same. I think it was 2-2 in the third last year in Game 3, and they scored a goal with 8 to 10 minutes left. I think it was Adam, scored off the back of my leg to put them up 3-2, so to me yesterday was 3-2 as well. So they've kind of been carbon copies. But the games have been played a lot different where I thought, you know, the games have been played at a higher competition level and a lot closer than they have before. Obviously, because they've gained experience and added some key elements to their team. I thought every game has been really well played by both teams, and I think that's indicative of how tight the scores have been, and how close the games have been. But it is ironic that all three games have kind of gone exactly the same as they did last year up to this point. Q. Out on the ice today you looked like you were having some fun and smiling and joking around a little bit. Do you feel as good as you felt since you got injured? PAVEL DATSYUK: Yeah, I feel like again 18 years young. But I have lots of fun, exciting wearing the skates. Like almost ten days, two weeks, you're excited, especially you're looking forward to play in a Final, Stanley Cup Final. And I feel more comfortable. Q. Is there a chance that we could see you on the wing instead of at center with the injury? PAVEL DATSYUK: I think at any center, defenseman, I want to play so bad. I don't want to watch this game again. Q. First of all, the opportunity of getting Pavel back. What a difference that would make despite the fact you guys have played fairly well to this point without him. And as the last line of defense you might have the best perspective on your penalty kill. What are you seeing out there from your situation when you're a man down? CHRIS OSGOOD: Well, I think for us we've got to take Gonchar away a little bit more. He's kind of their main pivot point. I think we're giving him too much time up top. When he gets it, he's able to drag it. I compare him to Nick, kind of. When you give him time to drag it, he's great at picking corners and putting the puck where he wants, but also great at dishing it off to the side. The third goal last night, I recall perfect. I know Gonchar loves to go there. I was kind of waiting and waiting for it, and I couldn't wait any longer because he had pulled it so far forward. The minute I looked over he shot it and made a nice play. But for us, I think -- I don't think we're killing penalties bad. We were snake bit a little bit early. It's just a matter of we've got to make sure we get pucks out when we get the opportunity to. And that seems to be what's really biting us lately. Q. You maybe coming back? CHRIS OSGOOD: Well, it would be great. If you look at the certain other players, certainly Hank has been playing. And when Hank plays his 23, 24 minutes, it's hard. He's all over the ice, throwing hits, chasing Crosby around. To get Pav back is going to be key just to play big minutes against their top players. And he adds offense to us. He holds the puck great, but also defensively in our own zone, him and Hank can play off each other great and give us that one-two punch that we need. To me we've played long enough without them. We've played five games in eight days without Pav, and to me, that's long enough. We've made it this far, but we don't want to take anymore chances. Q. How would you rate your performance last night? Any of those goals you'd like to have back? CHRIS OSGOOD: It was good. I mean, the first one I didn't see it. The second one I didn't see, but that was my own fault. I looked the wrong way around Kronwall. I should have been looking the other way. And I was about a second behind it. So in this league if you're a second behind a shot, it's too late. But I pretty much screened myself on that because I looked the wrong direction when I should have looked short side I looked far side instead. After I think Kronner initially blocked it. So that one I should have been looking to my short side instead of my long side. And the other one was just a good goal. They've got a good team. They made a nice play. That's an NHL goal. Would have loved to have had it. But first two games that would have ended up hitting me or hitting the post. That one ended up not doing that. Status quo. I feel really good and real confident. They've got a good team. We're happy to be up 2-1, but we know we'll have to continue to play well to beat them. Q. If you do play tomorrow, how many minutes do you think you'll be able to go considering your conditioning is not 100%? PAVEL DATSYUK: The game is 60 minutes, I hope I play 60 minutes. But we make a decision tomorrow morning. There's no how much I play, but I try to work with what I have this time. Q. Could you talk about your relationship with Ty Conklin, and how you guys are able to help each other out? CHRIS OSGOOD: Oh, it's good. We struggled the first half of the season. He picked me up awesome. He was the guy that carried us for a while. Carried me. If he wouldn't have been playing well, it would have been worse than it really was. So for me he's been great. We complement each other really well. In the Playoffs he's a positive guy. He's always behind me, giving me tips. Hitting me on the pads when I need a little motivation or pick me up. He's a good goalie. He's one of those guys that's underrated. He played great during the regular season, and helped me out a ton. He's been there for me this entire Playoffs as well. Q. How much does Kirk help you just by opening his mouth? CHRIS OSGOOD: Maltby? Q. Yeah. CHRIS OSGOOD: He talks nonstop. Why? Because he takes some of the heat off me for doing all the interviews all the time? Is that what it is? Q. No, on the ice. In getting under the players' skin. And can you repeat something he says to a player on the ice? CHRIS OSGOOD: I was actually mad at him. He's usually the third linesman out there. And he wasn't yelling hard enough at the too many men on the ice penalty last night. He usually has those or makes the call before it even happens. Malts doesn't get under the skin. He's always been like that. He's an agitator. He's been like that his whole career. When I'm not playing I specifically watch him because I think it's hilarious listening to him on the bench. He refs, coaches and plays all at once. So it's kind of amusing to watch him. End of FastScripts |
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