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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CANADIENS v FLYERS

May 22, 2010

Peter Laviolette

MONTREAL, QUEBEC: Game Four

Q. That second period, you played, was that the best period you've played in the Playoffs so far?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: We were pretty tight defensively. We didn't allow a lot of opportunities. The neutral zone was really tight, which eliminates rush opportunities. You know, we had some chances ourselves to score, so it was a good period.

Q. The two stats that really jumped out at me were the 27 blocked shots. You really limited the stuff between the dots, and also 68% of the face-off drills, probably your best game of the Series.
COACH LAVIOLETTE: That seems to be, you know, that seems to be the key when it comes to Playoff hockey games, blocking shots, face-offs, hits. I know there is a determining factor on the scoreboard.
But it's the little things that you do defensively that wins hockey games, and those are some of them. Getting possession of the puck on a face-off, blocking every shot that you can, so guys did a good job.

Q. You talked, the team and you talked a lot about channeling your frustrations, at least the team did after what happened on Thursday. What does it say about how you guys performed and really taking them out of the game through two periods and really delivering on what you guys vowed on yesterday?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: You know, every game is different. I thought the guys played a good hockey game tonight.
You know, I said it the other night, I'll say it tonight as well, it's just one hockey game. It was a good game, and we need to stay focused and keep our eye dead ahead.

Q. You've been in this position before where you were one game away from going to a Stanley Cup Final. Is that any different? That dynamic different than closing out the first round or the second round?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: I guess it is because you're closer to where you need to get to. In the first round there are a lot of teams that are thinking that, and now there's not so many.
It's really important. One thing we wanted to do tonight was make sure we just won one hockey game. That was really important. Not to look too far -- too far down, looking out there at the Finals and who you might be playing. Just one game in Montreal, tough building, and making sure we played our best and did our best.

Q. The two long passes by your "D" men today, Timonen and Pronger led to those two breakaway goals. Is that something you guys were looking at on video that those lanes were open and those passes could be had?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: No. Well, sometimes when you're pressing, other things open up a little bit. Their game has moved to a press. They're really trying to get up on us, and we've got guys back there like the two players that you just mentioned that are able to see the ice pretty well and deliver passes.

Q. You challenged your team after what happened in Game 3, and they all said it needed to be a wake?up call and they learned their lesson. How proud are you of your players to come out today, especially in that second period, even in the first period, and respond to the challenge and save and take care of it?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: For quite some time now this team has always answered a challenge, and they've always answered a bell. But, again, before we leave this rink we need to dismiss it, get rid of it, and start focusing and getting ready because there's just too much at stake.

Q. How much did the return of Carter and Laperriere help the team with their presence? And was it tough to bench Danny Carcillo?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: There's no question that having Jeff Carter, he was our leading scorer. He's a 30 to 40?goal scorer now and maybe more in the future. Ian Laperriere is as valuable going the other way as Jeff is going towards their net. To get players like that back into your lineup certainly is a boost, not just emotionally, but also from a standpoint of on-ice play.
As far as Danny Carcillo goes, it's the toughest thing I've had to do this year.

Q. There's a rumor going around that --
COACH LAVIOLETTE: Rumors?

Q. Sand in the tunnel way?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: You just making this up, or are you just throwing a dart here?

Q. No, was there sand in the tunnel way? You guys were having to have skate issues there?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: We had skate issues tonight, that's for sure. You know, we lost Richards three times, Kimmo two times, and I don't know.

Q. Is there a beach nearby?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: Not that I'm aware of. I'm unfamiliar with the rumors, but we certainly had some skate issues.

Q. Last game Montreal generated a lot of their offense by making your "D" kind of turn and go back and chase the puck and generating turnovers off of that. Tonight there wasn't as much of that. Was that something that you guys did, or was it more them just not getting to that point again?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: I can't speak for them and what they're doing. I can tell you that we didn't play a very good game last game, and it was a kick in the teeth. Our guys responded with a better effort tonight. We were on our toes, ready to play hockey. That makes a big difference. I said a couple days ago the biggest adjustment we needed to make was attitude.

Q. You said that scratching Carcillo was the toughest thing you had to do, but can you explain why?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: Danny's a valuable part of the team, and I love Danny Carcillo and the way he plays the game. If two people are going into your lineup, then two people have to come out of your lineup, and it's just those are tough decisions. You've got people who have sacrificed to bring you this far. He'll play more games for us, but tonight I had to make a decision, and those are the tough ones because he's a good kid. He's a valuable part of the process that got us here, and there's just not enough numbers to go around.

Q. Can you talk about the performance of Pronger tonight, and in particular the defensive effort overall?
COACH LAVIOLETTE: Defensively it was tight. As a group, we were very good. Time and space on the puck was good, and we were on our toes skating, able to make plays, and it was a big difference in defense tonight. As far as Pronger goes, there probably weren't enough minutes for him tonight, and he probably wanted to play the whole game. Thanks.

End of FastScripts

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