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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: BLACKHAWKS v SHARKSMay 23, 2010Patrick SharpCHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Game Four SCHUYLER BAEHMAN: Questions for Patrick. Q. Patrick, can you pinpoint the exact moment when Dustin Byfuglien became the best power forward in the NHL? PATRICK SHARP: No (laughter). I think it started in the Vancouver series. All those fans were getting on his case. He wasn't popular in that building. Seems like he likes the spotlight. He likes being the hero. He steps up in big-time. He told me before the third period he was going to be the guy to go get it. True to his word, he got it. Q. You knew San Jose wouldn't give up. I know you respect that team. 2-0, you guys weren't playing well or just stayed patient and get your breaks? PATRICK SHARP: Yeah, more the latter, I think. We got a lot of respect for what those guys can do over there. 4-0 doesn't tell the whole story, that's for sure. Every game was a battle. Every game was right down to the end. When they scored the second one there, that was a tough break. Duncan took one in the face. I think he lost six or seven teeth. We already lost another forward. Things weren't looking good. We needed a spark, get the crowd into it. They were unbelievable out there. The energy was awesome. It seems like when Seabrook buried the first one, the crowd was kind of great and we fed off the energy. Q. Kane talked about this being the best team he's been a part of, camaraderie. PATRICK SHARP: I'd have to agree with him. Feels likes we've been together a long time. A handful of guys that have been here since the dark days. A group of kids that drafted together, played in Norfolk and Rockford together. It's fun to be a part of this team on and off the ice. Guys get along so well. I think that really carries over into our play. Feels like a celebration right now. Everyone is pretty excited, but at the same time we're focused on the next series already. We know we got some more work to do. Q. You played with an element of desperation you don't see out of a team up 3-0. Why was it important to see this closing it out today? PATRICK SHARP: You look around the league, you see teams battling back in every series. Like I said earlier, that series was a lot closer than the 4-0 score at the end. We don't want to give them any life, go back to their building and play a Game 5. We're approaching each game as a must win. We're playing better and better as the series goes on. I'd like to think we have more in the tank and get better for the next round. Q. When you see a guy like Duncan come back after losing seven teeth, does that give you more determination? PATRICK SHARP: Yeah, I told him it's kind of a blessing in disguise because now he's going to get some nice fake teeth. He's going to have a great smile in a couple weeks (laughter). That's playoff hockey all over it. A guy takes one in the face, picking out his teeth in the locker room, comes back. He assisted on the Bolland goal there, created the whole goal there by taking a big hit. He's walking around, skating around the ice, talking to us before the power play, mumbling what we were supposed to do. I don't think anybody understood what he was talking about. But he's one of our leaders. He's wearing the letter. He's had a great season up to this point. He's only getting better. Q. Coach Quenneville's demeanor throughout the last three series, can you count on the leadership from the coach's side. PATRICK SHARP: Yeah, I think he's done a heck of a job since he came to Chicago, kind of took over the team last year midway through the season. Didn't get to training camp. Didn't get to start out with us. Seems like -- we talk about a lot of leadership in the dressing room, what the players can bring, but he's our leader. He's confident behind the bench. He's a smart hockey guy. He knows how to figure out matchups and instill confidence in his players. He's done a great job with our team. Hopefully we can win one more series for him. SCHUYLER BAEHMAN: Thank you very much, Patrick. PATRICK SHARP: Thank you. End of FastScripts |
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