NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: STARS v DEVILS

June 4, 2000

Jason Arnott

Martin Brodeur

JASON ARNOTT: Yeah, I think so. It is the most exciting hockey to play, that is for sure. I think everybody dreams about being here, especially that plays for me, yeah, I think it is probably the best I have ever played.

JASON ARNOTT: I think when we first got put together we were all excited about it. I knew that these two guys were two guys that I really wanted to play with.

JASON ARNOTT: Just their talent there; attitude towards the game, they are willing to go out and perform every night and want to win. The way they conducted themselves, they are two great guys, and they have a lot of fun together and I wanted to be a part of that. When we first got put together it took a little bit, not as long as we all thought, and it just clicked right off the bat and we have had fun ever since.

JASON ARNOTT: Well, at that time, yeah, it was time for a move for myself. I think for both situations and when I got to New Jersey they taught me a lot right when I got here Jacques, Lou and Coach taught me a lot about the game especially about the defensive end of the game. In Edmonton it was a little bit more wide-open hockey and not too much defense. When I got here it changed me as a player and as a person and just the learning experience from not only right through the training staff, down through the players, I had a chance to live with Scotty for a couple of months and just watching him and being around him taught me a whole lot too.

JASON ARNOTT: I don't think my two line mates are tired of the spotlight. (laughs) No, I mean, this is a chance for us to go out and help the team win. It is a team-oriented sport. If they are going to put the role on us, we will have to be the line to go out and help contribute to win; then that is what we want, that is the added pressure that we put on ourselves, but I think we just try and go out and do the best we can. If the spotlight is there, great, but I think we got to consider that we got to take the good with the bad and right now it is going good and hopefully it continues.

JASON ARNOTT: I don't think there is one moment. I think it is just through the course of the couple of years that I have been here. Right when I first got here it was a change because I have never been traded before and coming to a new team I only knew a couple of guys. For them to open up and accept me as one of them right away was a real eye-opener for myself. Especially through the frustrating time I was going through, not being able to score and doing things that I never did before, it was a tough time and for them to bring me out of, it was a real eye-opener for me. So I think through the course of the two years that I have been here I have learned something probably every day and I am still learning and still growing and still having a lot of fun.

JASON ARNOTT: They haven't taught me any Czech yet, that is for sure. (laughs). They are two young guys that I don't think get a whole lot of credit for what they do on the ice. They play like they are 200 pounds, 220-pound guys out there. They are not afraid to go in the corners with anyone. I think European players have -- they have -- they have been given a certain style of play and these two guys are definitely not like that. They play the typical Canadian style which everybody is known for. I think they have taught me a lot about the offense, the way they create and see the ice is amazing and find the open man and their speed, and it is nice to know that you are playing with two guys that care about the game as much as you do and want to win as much as you do about the game.

JASON ARNOTT: Well, I always knew Scott was one of the most physical guys in the NHL and probably the best open-ice hitter. Just by being around him, hanging out with him, hanging out with the guys, I think going out and winning on a regular basis was a lot of fun and I think bringing the physical part of the game to see him at his age go out and do it day in and day out what he does, really opened up my eyes and made me think that I am a young guy, I can do this every night, and just watched him perform and I have learned a lot from him.

JASON ARNOTT: Well, I think everybody hates playing against him. He comes to compete everyday. I have never seen a guy come to the rink and get prepared and get mad at the team and get and be nice to the team and the way he competes on the ice, I have never seen any player do before. And a lot of guys may not like him the way he plays, but you got to love him when he is on your team because he comes and gives you that extra additive that maybe you didn't have or that extra edge and he gets under peoples' skin and he is out there and he works every shift. It is hard to play against him, there is no question. I have done that for years, but it is great playing with him.

JASON ARNOTT: I don't know what they are going to do. I think right now -- I think our line just has to keep going the way we are and focus in on what we are going to do and if -- whoever they put against us, we just have to go out and beat whoever we are against.

MARTIN BRODEUR: Right from the get-go when we start these Playoffs that is how we came about having success was just looking one game and not really looking at the big picture. I think you get overwhelmed sometimes mostly in the position that we are in right now only two wins to go, I think it is really something that we just want to play well and win that next one. I think if we don't do that, we are not going to be successful. We really don't look at the big picture. It gets harder and harder the closer you get but that is how we have come about having success and we are going to still do it.

MARTIN BRODEUR: He has been playing well. Been playing hard. I think everybody expects big things from him in the Playoffs just because of his track record and all, but definitely he has been a big key to our success; maybe not the way that -- defensively, but he is the one that doesn't make too many mistakes out there and he plays really hard and his leadership is a big factor in the dressing room and onto the ice. But we are really happy to have him on our side in this part of the season and I am sure when it's going to be time when we are going to be needing he could be the one that is going to make the difference.

MARTIN BRODEUR: Well, I mean, every rink, it should be the same size, I mean, I think it will come to that when the new buildings will be built. I think right now it is kind of hard to do it, but I don't think yesterday was a big factor. Could have been ten feet higher and I think I still would have missed it. (laughs).

MARTIN BRODEUR: I react to whatever they give me. I think they know that they just -- they make it a point not to give it to me easily. I mean, they always rim it around the glass or really hard and I can't get it. That is fine, this is a part of season that everybody has got to sacrifice themselves and really do well and if I need to play the puck I will go out and play it. But definitely I think a lot more of playing in my net right now, just because the ice and the glass is so bad that I don't want to get out and maybe trip or the ice is so bad -- few times last night I couldn't get -- tried to get out, I couldn't get to the puck because I missed the first two, three steps because of the ice.

MARTIN BRODEUR: Well, I mean, this is one thing great about the Stanley Cup. I think you are able to -- when you win it you are able to share it with the people that you love or the causes that you really care about. Back in 1995 I was fortunate enough to bring it to a cancer for kids hospital, but these kids, it means so much to them and it is so little for us as hockey players to really bring a smile to their face and it was a lot of experience with not mostly them, because they are not going to react a lot in front of you, but they will really talk to their parents. And their parents just because the situation they are in, they really appreciate these things and get a lot of feedback from it. I am sure a lot of hockey players around this League, when they do have it and they do things like that, feel really rewarded by these things.

MARTIN BRODEUR: Last series against Colorado I think it was Game 4, he really did a number on the Avalanche. So it is coming up. He is a guy that I thought he played a solid game last night. He had a lot of speed and we had to really be careful of him. A good player. It is hard to keep him out of it for a long period of time and for us, we are going to need to really have an eye on him because he is a talented guy. You can't give him much because he will take it.

MARTIN BRODEUR: Well, I mean, yes and no. I think in 1995 was a little different. I think everything was brand new to us and we went out and we didn't feel too much of the adversity and we were not a team that is going to go out and be able to score four, five goals a game. We were concentrating on not getting scored on and really play well defensively. This time around I think we have a little more power offensively. We could hurt teams at times a lot more with our skill that we have up front, but definitely, you know, in the Playoffs, you always have the save to make to make the difference. That is what I am here for.

MARTIN BRODEUR: No, not really. I think we are in a great situation right now to really advance in this series and really put some doubt in their heads. But we are 60 minutes away from that. It is probably going to be the hardest 60 minutes in the Playoffs so far. These guys have a lot of experience with the way they have been bouncing back after a loss throughout the Playoffs. It is going to be a great challenge for us to really play a solid game and be successful tomorrow night.