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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: PENGUINS v RED WINGS

June 4, 2009

Nicklas Lidstrom

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA: Game Four

Pittsburgh Â– 4
Detroit - 2

Q. It seems we talked about this on Game 3, Tuesday night. Special teams were the difference, and theirs were a whole lot better tonight?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Yeah, I thought they played real well, special teams. We didn't execute the way we have to, especially on the power play. We had some letdowns in that second period where they capitalized on the chances. When you give them odd-man rushes, they're going to get some goals out of it.

Q. It's very uncharacteristic of this team to kind of lose its composure and give up three goals in a single period. Why so many defensive breakdowns?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: It's tough to pinpoint. Tension at the wrong time, stepping up at the wrong time. And they're coming. They're trying to score goals. So we just had some bad timing on some of those goals.

Q. Didn't you guys expect that tonight that they were going to come at you with their best game and play like a desperate hockey team?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Yeah, I thought we did play well in the second half of the first period, and same thing in the second period before they scored those shorthanded goals. But you can't have letdowns against a good team like that, because they're going to eventually capitalize on their chances.

Q. Did you feel like you kind of let Ozzie hang out to dry on a couple of those?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: We did. On a couple of those, the three-on-twos or two-on-ones. They're good players. They're going to capitalize on their chances. And we gave them too many of those chances that they scored on.

Q. Your thoughts on having to watch them play in a game like this?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Well, it's hard. Especially when you're playing well for the first half of the game, and you have a couple of mistakes, couple breakdowns and they score right away on them. So we didn't keep our composure there in the second period.

Q. What did you do to correct the giveaway problem?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Yeah, we have to continue to try to get the puck in deep. We're trying to make that extra pass or pass it sideways in the neutral zone where they're back-checking real hard. So we're passing right back into their corners?

Q. You've given them a whole lost life going back to Detroit. You still have the home ice advantage. But you've probably given them more life than you want. What do you have to do to take that back in your favor?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Well, we split the series. They won the two games here in Pittsburgh, we won at home. So we have to get back to the puck. Cut the puck in deep, and cut down on the turnovers in the neutral zone.

Q. Talk about Pavel?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: We're hoping to have him back in the next game. We didn't know if he was going to show up tonight for the game. It was questionable. But if he comes back for the next one, he just adds that extra dimension to our team. He works really hard defensively. He's just tough to play against.

Q. Four games in six days. Are your legs feeling a little bit tired at this point?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: I think they're a little tired in the second game, in the back-to-back games over the weekend. But, no, I felt fine. You're gambling a little bit, trying to take some chances. But otherwise I thought the team had the jump.

Q. Talk about the second. You guys gave up another goal on the power play, their power play, and also on the PK. Talk about what you guys need to do different, going into Game 5?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: We talked about our penalty kill. Trying to be a little more aggressive, and trying to be in the shooting lane. Tonight they didn't score on the first one. They came off the end boards and bounced right back in front.
But you have to collapse with the four players when the puck's going in deep. Same thing when you're on the power play. You know, you can't have them score a goal the way they did tonight. So we have to keep the shifts shorter, and just try to be a little more fresh out there. But you can't give them the goals shorthanded like that.

Q. You're in a five-on-three draw, did you feel like that was maybe a missed opportunity where you could maybe put them away?
NICKLAS LIDSTROM: No, it was only two seconds. And you're aware of Malkin stepping out of the box behind us. So you knew if you lose the face-off, they can rim it, and he's going to breakaway. So there's not a whole lot you can do on two seconds being shorthanded for the power play there.

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