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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: PENGUINS v RED WINGS

June 5, 2009

Sidney Crosby

DETROIT, MICHIGAN: Practice Day

Q. How do you feel?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Pretty good. The typical bumps and bruises of the playoffs, but nothing major. And I think, yeah, most of the guys will tell you they feel really fresh for this point of the year. So that's a good sign.

Q. Any sense that you're wearing them down a little bit?
SIDNEY CROSBY: We're trying. The more pressure we can put. I think both teams really tried to do that consistently throughout games, so, that's what makes it so intense and such a battle. But I think we're trying to do that.

Q. Nick said last night that Zetterberg himself might be getting tired. Did you sense that as the series goes along?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I didn't really notice. I probably didn't play against him as much as I have in the past few games. But I didn't know if that was because of the way we were matching up or what they were doing.
But I didn't really notice. But we had some shifts. We were able to hang them down there, so that's what we wanted to do.

Q. Did you notice they were hanging their heads on the bench after the tying goal last night?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I'm sure nobody likes to get scored or short-sided. But I think for us that was a big one. You know, we probably lost momentum with those penalties. To be able to bounce back and get a big one there, that was huge.

Q. Are you finding yourself kind of fighting off thoughts of thinking how close you are to the goal? I'm sure it's always focus on the next game, but you are at this point closer.
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, we know what we have to do. We have to go in there and play a solid game, and we want to come back here, obviously, up. But we came back here and did what we want to do. We wanted to make sure we got our two back at home. Like I said, it doesn't get any easier. We have to go in there and get one.
So I think we're happy we were able to, you know, hold home ice here and do a good job. But at the same time, we've got to go in there, too.

Q. That 6-minute span last night, did that 6-minute span last night in the second period, is that as good as you've ever seen your team play, just given the circumstances and what was on the line?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I mean, sometimes you play like that, and the puck doesn't go in. But we executed well. You know, we've talked about it time and time again.
But in the Playoffs, this is what it comes down to. We've got two good teams that are going to get their chances, and it comes down to executing again. We did a great job of taking advantage of the chances we got, and that's what you do.
We definitely turned it up a bit there. And home ice helps. We got a lot of energy from the crowd, and we also kept our foot on the gas there and kept going?

Q. Can you talk about the difference between Malkin last year and this year? Do you see much of a difference?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Oh, yeah. I mean, I think he's a lot more comfortable. He looks pretty energized out there, he's all over the puck. He's physical. I mean it's something you have to get used to as a player. Pick your spots a little bit and things like that. So I think he's got that confidence. He's fine out there on the ice.

Q. Sidney, you're four goals away from a record playoff goal of five. Is that something you could conceivably do in a couple of games? Is that something you think about at all?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Not a whole lot. I'm just thinking about burying my chances. If it puts me in that position, that's great. That means I'm contributing. But I don't give a whole lot of thought to it.
I just want to make sure I take advantage of chances when I get them. And that's always a challenge especially against this team. So I want to make sure I'm doing that. If it works out, great.

Q. What about when you and Geno score together, which happened last night. And I think it was the fourth time this postseason that had happened. Do you think that puts something extra on the other team to know that you guys are both on together?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, that's what we want to do. You see Staal's score shorthanded, but it really comes down to momentum and things like that. You want to build shift after shift. And if we're able to put a team back on their heels and Geno's line goes out there, that's the same thing. To answer with Staal's, that's tough to play against. Certainly, if we're able to do that and contribute, hopefully that gives other teams something to think about.

Q. Did it feel pretty good for your goal, Sid?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I was excited, but he was a little more excited than me. Didn't see it coming. But I'm happy to score, so whatever happens, happens.

Q. Is that the hardest hit you've taken in the series?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I wouldn't say that, no. I wouldn't go that far.

Q. Do you guys feel a swing to the series? You were hearing the Penguins aren't getting the breaks. Now the momentum seems to have shifted the other way.
SIDNEY CROSBY: Probably not a whole lot. For us, we're so focused on playing the right way and doing the right things. I think we take a lot of pride in that. We don't let our focus switch too much. That's probably the biggest challenge of the playoffs mentally is dealing with that.
So we've been in this situation before, and we know that this gets more difficult as the series wears on. Like I said earlier, we've done a good job here at home, but we've got to move on here and know that we're going to be tough going into Detroit.

Q. Everybody's talking about how there are no holes on the Red Wings. But have you figured out there are a few holes on that team?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I don't think we've changed our mindset from the first series of the playoffs and playing, to be honest. We really believe in the way we play. That's trying to get as many shots as possible, driving the net. These are all elements that all good teams have, and they have it, too.
So it comes down again to executing and who is consistent, and who makes the least amount of mistakes. But we believe in what we're doing out there and trying to put pressure on our teams.

Q. Sid, 2-0 can be so intimidating, especially in the Finals and coming back from it. The fact that you were able to pull it off against Washington, did that make it more manageable knowing that you did it two rounds ago, and it can be done against a very good team?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, we know that the experiences there haven't gone through it. And we knew the preparation and mentality it took. But, yeah, having it fresh in our minds is certainly going to help us. Going in there we knew it was going to be difficult. But we've been in these tough situations before, and found a way to get a good result, so, there's a confidence builder.

Q. Is getting a goal for you essentially the same for Jordan last night?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, we were getting chances, he was getting chances. It was nice we were getting a couple of big ones there. Definitely shorthanded that changed the momentum of the game.

Q. Can you talk about how important in the NHL not only having the rematch, but it's gone at least six again, and it's been an exciting series, and all the stars are producing the way you expect?
SIDNEY CROSBY: For sure, for fans it's exciting. And with the element of the rematch and things like that from last year, you know, hockey fans love watching this time of year. And with the way the series is going, being so tight, I'm sure it's exciting to watch.

Q. Also important to the league as well since the post lockout?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, I think it's important. But I think as a whole it's pretty healthy. Like I said, to get these two teams facing each other again is definitely good.

End of FastScripts

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