|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: PENGUINS v RED WINGSJune 9, 2009Darren HelmNicklas LidstromPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA: Game Six Pittsburgh – 2 Q. It seemed like they were aggressive tonight? DARREN HELM: Yeah, they came out with a lot bigger push in the first, and they sustained that for the first two periods. We really didn't have much till the third period. But, you know, they played well, and we've got to play better. Q. Why do you think you guys didn't get the kind of start you wanted? Why couldn't get a little more aggressive on them the first two periods? DARREN HELM: I think it's tough playing in their zone. That's where they pretty much were the first two periods. So we've got to do a better job getting pucks down low early on, especially a team like this. With the speed and energy they have. Q. Looked like they were setting the tone more physically, anybody that got the puck ask tried to get deep in their end they put a body on. Did you sense they were out muscling you on that fashion? DARREN HELM: Well, they always seemed to last the first three games in here, they played really -- first two games they played in here, they played physical. And they played physical all series. And they needed to set the tone with the energy going for them. But we can't let that bother us. We've got to do the same thing when we go back. Q. This team has always handled adversity well. Where's the sense of where the guys minds are now as you go home for Game 7. You've got to like your chances on home ice? DARREN HELM: Yeah, we're going home. Last game. You win, you win the Stanley Cup. So we're feeling pretty good, but we know it's not easy. You know, they won a big game against Washington in their rink, so we know they can win a Game 7 on the road. But we know we've done the same thing. So both teams will be ready, and we've got to be prepared and ready. Q. What was the difference tonight in your mind? DARREN HELM: He came up with the saves when they needed it. There was a lot of pressure in the first and the second, and in the third as well, and he made some really big saves that definitely helped him out. But I think everybody on their team played really well tonight. It was just the whole team was ready to go. Q. What if anything was said in here in the second period. You looked different in the third. Was that something that happened in here? DARREN HELM: We knew we hadn't played well at all in the first two. And we knew we had a lot of energy left, and that if we had a good push we were going to have a chance. You know, they got a big goal, and we kept it going, and had chances to tie it up, but things didn't really work out that way. Q. Can you talk about the Draper goal? DARREN HELM: It was big. Obviously, that got us one goal closer. He's been playing well since he's been back, and we need that. Q. It must be a little frustrating you come in and you want to shut down Malkin and Crosby, and you guys for the, most part did that. DARREN HELM: I think it's frustrating to lose any game, especially when you have a chance like this. You know, obviously we've done a lot of secondary scoring to win games, and that's what they did tonight. And you know these guys compete and battle hard every night. You know, it was big goals from those guys. Q. In a way, is this the way it should be for these two teams coming down to one decisive game? DARREN HELM: I hope not. But that's the way it worked out today. You know, going back home I think we're feeling pretty comfortable. We've won at home quite a bit. You know, they've won some big games on the road, too, when they needed. So it's going to be a big game. We have these couple days to get ready. Q. You've been a physical player through the series. Tonight were they a little more physical? Maybe set the tone a bit? DARREN HELM: I've said it a few times, I think they've been pretty physical throughout the series, especially at home they've been throwing bodies in checks, and when you're doing that, teams get on their heels. But we can't really worry about that. We've got to do the same thing they did to us when we go back. Q. You're headed home and it's been a homer series, so does that have you confident for Game 7 at least? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Yeah, we're confident going back to our home building and playing in front of our own fans, so it will be a fun game going back for Game 7. Q. There seems to be carryover from game to game, arena to arena. Can you talk about coming into this building after dominating that Game 5? They really matched their intensity, I thought. NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Yeah, and we had our chances. We had our chances to get a couple of goals. Had some chances on the power play in the game, but we couldn't capitalize on our chances, so we've got to go back to Game 7. Q. You guys played the whole season to get home ice. Talk about going home to play for the Cup on your home ice? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Yeah, that's one of the reasons why you want to finish high in your own Conference to get that home ice advantage. Now we have it in Game 7. Q. Were you interfered on that goal? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: On the second goal? Q. Yeah. NICKLAS LIDSTROM: You know, I don't think so. I don't think it went off Helm's stick or what happened. But we got a goal on it late in that third period. Q. Did they play more physical? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: No, we expected them to play the way they did. No that we responded well as a team. We had our chances, but we couldn't capitalize on our chances to get that second goal. Q. First of all, they outhit you and outshot you in the first two periods. What was that like? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: We knew they were going to come out hard. We played well in our own zone and had some chances that that we capitalized on. But we had some chances as well that we couldn't score on to get that second goal. Q. Was it tough to know that you had two back-to-back power play opportunities and couldn't capitalize on that in the third period? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Yeah, it's a little bit disappointing not getting a goal on the two power plays we had late in the game. You know, that's the way you want your power play to work to get that second goal. Q. This game could have been out of hand, but Chris Osgood kept you right in it? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: He played well throughout the whole game. We need Ozzie to play the way he did. We know he's going to respond the same in Game 7. Q. Considering how this series has gone, the home ice has proven to be the factor. You get a couple of days to rest and go into Game 7. You enjoy playing in Game 7s? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: It will be fun. We're looking forward to. It's something we fought for all year to get that home ice advantage. You want to have that at the end of the season, and now we have that advantage. Q. Talk about the Tyler Kennedy goal? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: I'm not sure. The puck was bouncing around. They chipped it behind the net, I don't know when he wrapped it around it went off hole (Indiscernible). Q. Talk about getting the first goal against the Penguins? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: Yeah, we made some mistakes. For that goal, we were stepping forward instead of backing off and giving them the two-on-one. So you don't want to give them chances like that, because they're going to capitalize on it. Q. How much will the Joe crowd energize you guys? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: That's something we've fought for all year, the home ice advantage. Now you want to take advantage of it. They've been behind us, so that's something we expect in Game 7, too. Q. Why do you think it's been such a home ice series? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: It's tough to call. I think the crowd has really helped the home teams to play real well. In fact, tonight we had some chances to get that second goal, but we couldn't capitalize on the chances. Q. Is this one where you tip your hat to them, because I thought they played a hell of a game tonight especially in their own end? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: They did. They played a real strong game defensively. I thought they were a desperate team, and I thought it showed. They played really well without the puck tonight. Q. Is momentum a factor in a game like this? NICKLAS LIDSTROM: You get it and you lose it during the games, too. I thought we gained some coming off a couple power plays in the first period. They had some chances that they looked to defend them. And we had some chances, too, to gain some momentum and we couldn't really grab ahold of it. I think it goes back and forth in a game like this. End of FastScripts |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|