NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: DEVILS v SENATORS

May 11, 2003

Daniel Alfredsson

Shaun Van Allen

Patrick Lalime

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: No, I think it's going to take a lot a few more times up here, a lot more to get used to it.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I don't know if you can say it's from the lessons in the past. I think obviously you learn from different experiences you go through, especially what happens during a game momentum can change pretty quickly and I think it's the way you handle those situations. Us being up 2-nothing and giving them two goals in the last ten minutes of the second; not panicking. Previous years maybe you would get a lot more nervous in between periods. We were calm and we knew we had to get better in the third and we did. I think that's when experience helps.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: Because you know the game is 60 minutes and you are not going to play perfect every shift. We made some mistakes in the second. They are a real good team that can capitalize when you do. I think we realized we had to pick it up and I thought we did.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I think it's really important in a long Playoff stretch because you are going to have players that are not at their best every night and there's always one line stepping up or two lines. If you can see that one or two lines are going real good defensively the other two lines can make sure, okay, they are going, we got to make sure we play good defensively. Tighten up and let them carry the play. But I think we push each other as well. Everybody wants to be that line every night and I think that's good.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: I think it is unfair to put all the offensively capabilities on one line and that's just too much pressure. Hockey is a team game and you need four lines to score and I think -- well, for the most part at least three -- and I think in our team, different lines seem to step up. It's been like that all year and it's continued in the Playoffs. I think that's why we have been so successful.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: Well, I think because of the start that happened we got two fairly quick goals. They got a chance and then when they scored two back we got to get back on the offense again. I think that's what you saw: Good flow to the game and there was not a lot of penalties; a lot of flow, everybody was going; all four lines. You didn't have to kill a lot of penalties or go on a lot of powerplays, so it was probably a great game to watch.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: I think the other thing is too the speed of the guys we got on our team, it may start out as a two-on-two but you get those guys going and they can turn it into a two-on-one in a hurry and it puts a lot of pressure on their defense knowing that they have to get their feet going. You look at our right side, you got Alfie and Hossa and Martin Havlat, three of the probably better right-wingers in the League and it puts a lot of pressure on their defense.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: I realize I am not getting any younger and I probably don't got too many years left, so I am enjoying this run immensely. It is a great feeling. We have got an unbelievable bunch of guys in the room. You just can't wait to come to the rink and spend time with them. It is a great chemistry and I think it leads to team success.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: Luck has a lot to do with it and skill obviously. We have got a lot of good one-on-one players that can make that special play and for you to win a game. You need some good bounces and a good goalie helps too.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: I think we are patient. We don't change our game. Like Daniel said, we have got some game breakers and we look at it. We don't really need too many chances to score with the skill that we have.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: I think everybody is a little bit tired. Obviously it's been a hard fought game, haven't played in four nights, but you are confident and you know we got to make sure that we believe that we can do this. I think you got to believe. That it's not going to work every time, but you go out there. You are confident that you can win this game in overtime and it's great that we did.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: I think it's the same for both teams. If you are not playing at your best you got two good teams here, one and two in the conference, that both teams will take advantage of it. You saw in the first period that we had a little more jump and we capitalized on their chances and the same for them. You got good players. You give them chances, a lot of times they are going to find a way to score.

PATRICK LALIME: I would say as a team I think we had a lot of fun last year, you know, first series since I was there that we won and I mean, this year has been a lot of fun as well, going through New York and Philly so far and you just -- I think we are playing with confidence and that's probably a difference from the past few years. We believe we can do it and we're just having fun out there.

PATRICK LALIME: I would say I just take it one game at a time. I am not looking back or looking forward. I think the next game is the biggest game. You just want to win every night and give the team a chance to win.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: You know it's just against a team, it's going to be hard to score goals. He's a really good goalie but we know we can score on him. He's going to make some great saves every night probably and you just got to make sure that you don't start throwing pucks at him, getting people in front of him, be there for rebounds. He definitely gave their team a chance to come back in the game and win the game. I thought we needed an unbelievable play to win it and that's a good character coming back after they tied up.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: No, I don't think we went into a shell. I think it was a -- six minutes in the second period there where we weren't pressuring the puck as much. Earlier in the second we created some great chances and we wanted that third goal. But you know, they are a really good team. They are going to create chances with creativity as well.

DANIEL ALFREDSSON: That would be great if we could keep all the players. But as of now it's not even entering our minds. We are on this run now, we are focussing on winning the Stanley Cup and that's what our focus is, whatever is going to happen in the summer with the ownership whatever, we're going to deal with that and talk about that after the season.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: With a goalie of his caliber he's won a few Stanley Cups and got an Gold Medal. If he sees the puck he's going to stop it. He's no different than any other goalie, if he has to fight to see the puck it makes it a lot harder on him and that way, if it hits something we have got better chance for rebounds I think. So I think the key a lot of times is getting traffic in front of him.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: No, I don't think so. They got 6 solid defensemen. I don't think to them it probably matters who they played with. Maybe they have better reads with another guy. But Stevens still got a piece of that first pass and you know, it was just a great play by Marty to handle it and make a nice pass just back to me. So to answer your question, I don't think -- you got All-Stars over there, you got Conn Smythe winners, I don't think it's going to affect them.

SHAUN VAN ALLEN: Well, he's great because not only is he fast and quick, but he will bring two or three guys to him and all you have to basically do is give him the puck and try and get open and you know, all the credit that I got for scoring the goal, I think he deserves more: To have the patience and then the talent to make the sweet pass like that, anyone in that dressing room would have scored that goal. I was just lucky enough to be in that spot.