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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: BRUINS v CANUCKS

June 12, 2011

Claude Julien

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Practice Day

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach Julien, please.

Q. Twice you guys were on the road in a Game 6 with a chance to eliminate the opponent and did not do it. What do you remember about our own team's resolve to try to get that done and how difficult it was against a team facing elimination from that side of the coin?
COACH JULIEN: Well, we knew we had to come up with our best game at that time and certainly we tried to do that. Again, it took a Game 7 for us to obviously take care of business. But we're on the other side of the coin right now.
I don't look at it that way more than I look at our resolve during the season and different times when we have had to come up large, whether it's Game 7 in the playoffs or whether sometime during the season when we needed certain wins.
Our guys have always responded well and I have a lot of confidence in our team. The reason we're here is because those guys have delivered and I don't expect that to change.

Q. Claude, lose the first two against the Canadiens here and then you've won 9 of 10 in this building since then. For a long time in your tenure it's been hard for this team to be consistent at home. Is there a different confidence level now or something different about your approach to home games?
COACH JULIEN: You're pointing that at me? Since my tenure we haven't done well or you just making a point?

Q. I'm just talking about consistency here and there.
COACH JULIEN: Just trying to loosen you up there a little bit(laughter). I remember the year that we did finish first in our conference, we had a good home record. But other than that, we've had some tough grinds in here.
This year, I remember right near the end of the year, we were pleased with our road record, but we talked about establishing ourselves as a better home team. That was in the last month and a half or so. We started doing that the regular home season and we've carried that into the playoffs. So if there is a time to be good at home, it's certainly tomorrow, and we intend to keep that streak going.

Q. Coach, we saw a lot of battles in the corners and in front of the net at practice. Was that because you didn't see enough of it in Game 5?
COACH JULIEN: I think it's part of the game that we have to play well. We need to get to the front of the net and win battles, and it's part of our game and part of their game, as well.
If you're going to score goals, you have to win those battles and you have to put the pucks in the net and be there. I would say it was more maintenance. When you want to improve in certain areas, you bring that up to your practice. So it was meant for that reason.

Q. Claude, Game 5 you used Gregory Campbell as that obstacle in front of the net. Why was he the guy for the job and did you get from him what you hoped to?
COACH JULIEN: We didn't get from him what we hoped to because we never got the set that we wanted. And Greggy is one of those guys that is willing to stand right in front of the net. He's one of those guys who is very good at tipping the puck, and that's one of the reasons we put him there.
If you look back at Michael Ryder's power play goal here, it was because of Gregory Campbell that he scored. Luongo never saw it. He did such a great job. Our intention was to put him in that position last game, but, you know, when you don't get your set and the puck keeps going down the other end, you don't see the usefulness of his role.
So at one point we moved guys around hoping that somebody else could be the guy that could carry the puck in and have different looks. When one thing doesn't work, you go to the next. It's as simple as that.

Q. At this time of year, how imperative is it that your best guys, your best players all season, remain your best players now? As a coach, what do you say to a guy who just isn't gettin' it done this time of the year? Do you address the team around him or have a private meeting with a player at this time of year?
COACH JULIEN: Well, I don't know where your question is directed, towards who, but I'm just going to tell you that right now, teams that are having some success and teams like ours have had secondary contribution. We talked about, you know, Kelly beginning of the playoffs was a big boost for us, Ryder has scored some big goals, you saw Paille score some big goals for us.
So you gotta to understand in the playoffs the guys are being checked closely, the key guys, it's not always obvious. So you need secondary scoring and every team needs that.
We feel we've gotten that from our players and that's what you do. You just hope that your key guys keep workin' through it and find a way to get it done. Simple as that.

Q. Coach, you've had a lot of success during the playoffs when you've been in a normal routine. Do you plan on continuing that routine tomorrow with a morning skate and how important has that been for you guys?
COACH JULIEN: I guess sometimes a normal routine is one thing, but I don't think you have to rely solely on that. I think the thing you have to rely on tomorrow is the guys coming in ready to play, whether they skate or don't skate, whether it's optional. It really doesn't matter at this point.
Even the superstitious stuff, some guys have it more than others. I don't believe if somebody is in the building or is not in the building or whether you take a certain route to get to the rink is going to decide the outcome of the game.
I think we have to focus on the reality of the thing, and that's us coming in and playing a strong game.

Q. Claude, last change at home, it seems like an obvious advantage, but when you can put a group out and know that if it works your way, the other team might be trying to get people off and things. Can you speak about how much more smooth it can make things for a team to have that last change?
COACH JULIEN: It does, I think it's smoother when you have the last change. There is less changing on the fly and you get the better match-ups and that's for sure.
I don't think, except for a couple of certain match-ups that both teams are trying to stay away from or get, I think we've been more or less content with what they want against us and what we want against them, except obviously the back end is something that's been a bit of a challenge for both teams to try and get away from or get as a match-up.
But other than that, it hasn't been that big of an issue but nonetheless to start with the match-up you want is always better than having to change on the fly and that's the advantage we have at home.

Q. In Game 4 here your reconfigured first line had a really good game. Game 5 in Vancouver not as good. Is there a reason behind that? When Rich is on that line, what did you want to see from him for that line to be successful?
COACH JULIEN: I think Rich has got good speed. The forecheck is going to be important for that line. When they turn pucks over they get opportunities. He's a skilled player, as you saw the other night, when Krejci sent him on the break-away, he was able to score the goal. He's got good qualities.
When you're missing a quality player like Nathan Horton, you've got to find somebody else that can step in there. He's one of those guys and you've seen me use others as well. We seem to wonder about the top players of both teams, but as I mentioned earlier, depth is what is important at this stage right now.
It's normal that when you're in a Stanley Cup finals, the top players are going to be checked extremely close and they have to work hard to get away from that and get success. You saw our line here in Game 4 have success.
So it's a matter of workin' through it again and our other guys coming up big on those occasions and the Ryders, Pailles, Kellys have done that in the past.

Q. In the past, Coach, you've talked about staying loose in pressure-packed situations. Can't imagine a situation with more pressure than tomorrow night. With that in mind, how do you stay loose or deal with the pressure?
COACH JULIEN: I don't know if you've been in the dressing room today, but I don't think there is anybody in that dressing room panicking. We're focused. We understand the situation. When you've been through it quite a few times. You certainly know how to deal with it a lot better and we've certainly been through it enough.

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