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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CANADIENS v FLYERS

May 19, 2010

Jacques Martin

MONTREAL, QUEBEC: Practice Day

Q. Sergei Kostitsyn in the lineup last night had to raise some eyebrows in the hockey world, considering he was so much in the dog house. What's the talk in the locker room regarding that? Do you think that had an impact on your club last night?
COACH MARTIN: I think like any player, it has an impact. But I think I said when you're in the Playoffs you're going to need a lot of people, and Sergei's part of our team. Sometimes, as a coach, you put people in the lineup; you take other people out and you hope that you have the right response.
When you're at this point in the Playoffs, where there's only four teams remaining, we've played 16 games. We've used a lot of people, and we need everybody.

Q. The special teams seemed to be a bit of an Achilles heel. You're 0 for 8 on the power play, and a lot of power-play goals in the last two games. What do you do to -- I mean, you had to figure it out against Pittsburgh in Game 1 where you allowed four power-play goals, and you came out in Game 2 and it was fine then. So what do you do to regroup?
COACH MARTIN: Well, I think we'll dissect both special teams. On our power play, first of all, I'd like to say we had several good scoring chances. Especially, I think, it was the second power play where we tested their goalie. Penalty killing, we need to make some adjustments.
But sometimes it's attention to details. And we'll bring the corrections, and I'm confident that we'll be better in Game 3. And I think playing at home, playing in front of our fans, I think that's a big plus as well.

Q. Just a follow-up on Mr. Leighton. Following the (inaudible) minutes of not getting a goal, is it more just getting traffic in front?
COACH MARTIN: I think that's part of it, for sure. You need to have some traffic in front of him. But at the same time we need to do a better job in the offensive zone, and that's an area that we have spent quite a bit of time this morning discussing and reviewing game tapes. I'm sure that we'll have more opportunities tomorrow night.

Q. A follow-up on that question and the inability to score a goal so far. What gives you confidence from what you saw yesterday to give you confidence that you guys can solve this guy?
COACH MARTIN: Well, I think that we've overcome adversity in the past, several times this year. You know, we had to do it against the Capitals, against the Penguins. I think tomorrow night we can't just focus on the goal, I think we have to focus on the process. I am confident that we'll have better results.

Q. You've taken advantage of two teams so far who couldn't or wouldn't change their attack. How do you feel you need to change your tact tomorrow, and, if so, how to avoid the same kind of fate?
COACH MARTIN: I think that's a good point. I think we have to bring some adjustments to our game, and that's why we had over a 45-minute meeting today. After Game 1, we brought some adjustments, and I think they were really positive in Game 2. Now we need to bring other adjustments to part of our game to help us solve the problem.

Q. Could you share those adjustments with us?
COACH MARTIN: Well, I think that I will keep that to our team. That's part of the strategy of a team.

Q. Is it more disappointing to have that happen? I mean, some would understand to have a rookie make a mistake like that once, let alone twice in the series. But to have one of the leaders, the one guy in your room who has won two Stanley Cups, does it kind of send the wrong message to the rest of the team when he's the one making these undisciplined plays?
COACH MARTIN: I think that as a player you have to recognize what you need to change. And I think you've got to show by your actions, and I think that's the key sometimes. You're overzealous and those situations are caused by your overzealousness of certain plays.
But I think as a veteran player, he knows those are situations that he has to correct.

Q. When things weren't going well in the first round against Washington, you said it came down to the leadership group in the room. How much is it on them right now?
COACH MARTIN: Well, I think that they have a part to play. You know, I think that they will come through. I think that they have a certain role to play in a situation like this as much as every player in the dressing room has a role to play. And I think we understand the dilemma, and I think we're confident that we'll overcome it as I said before.
We've played the last three games on the road. We've earned the right to be here. We know it's not going to be easy. We know it's a difficult task, but I have great confidence in the character and the determination of our players.
A lot of people in here after Game 4 against Washington weren't too optimistic. This group proved on. I think this is another time where we're challenged, and that's when you see the best of people.

Q. I was wondering, in the meeting this morning, I know you probably spent a lot of time talking about last night and the hockey aspects of it. Was there any time spent on morale?
COACH MARTIN: Yeah, I think that's part of the strategy, that's part of coaching. Xs and Os are one part, mindset is another big part.
We had a lengthy meeting, but I believe it was a productive meeting, and it's a meeting where this time of year you don't have the luxury sometimes of spending time on the ice. You need to make adjustments off the ice to keep fresh.
As I said, I think last night I like the direction that we're going. After the first game I felt that we made progress in certain aspects of our game. We definitely had much better work ethic, much better intensity, much more time spent in their zone. Sure we still need to make some adjustments to get some production, but I'm confident it's going to come.

End of FastScripts

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