NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: HURRICANES v RED WINGS

June 7, 2002

Bates Battaglia

Jeff O'Neill

JEFF O'NEILL: Well, I think obviously Detroit is the strongest team we have face so far. They have got a lot of firepower up front and arguably the best goaltender in the world. Those things put together, it makes for a challenge. And they are a great hockey team.

BATES BATTAGLIA: That's the theme of the Playoffs. Every series has gotten tougher, and this team is a pretty solid team.

JEFF O'NEILL: I think that as a player you just got to recognize the first ten minutes what is being called and play accordingly. I think you got to play tough and play clean, but you can't afford penalties after the whistle because they are just not tolerating it. For it to happen again in this series against our team will be completely unacceptable, I think. If you haven't learned by now that they are basically calling every infraction out there, interference, little slashes, all you have to do is embellish it a little bit; it's going to be called. So, you know, just can't do it. Especially against a powerplay like that, I think that, you know, you put that team on the powerplay more than five or six times, it's not so good.

BATES BATTAGLIA: He pretty much said it all. The same thing. Like he said, especially the first ten minutes, you have got realize what they are going to be calling. It's something I don't think we really read too well last night.

JEFF O'NEILL: I think they have some talented penalty killers, and they do a good job. On the other hand, we have some talented people we can put in the powerplay. We have to do a better job of not even battling it or intensity, we have just got to make better smart decisions. Sometimes we hold on to the puck when we should be shooting it and vice versa, so it's not just about battling intensity. I think that's for our team, it's there for the most part. And I think better decision-making, all around, has to be made.

BATES BATTAGLIA: It's something you just got work through. I mean, he's getting all those shifts and we kind of hang out there in the PK, but we have just got to keep our legs going and do what we can to stay in it. Other than that, I mean, you just -- all you can do is work through it.

JEFF O'NEILL: I don't know. I have kind of old-school type of views on that. I think the guys should settle the game. I mean calling a marginal slashing penalty in the neutral zone, you can just see the guy's head go back and embellish the call. I mean, I could remember when I was a child where it had to be almost an ambulance-type situation for there to be a penalty called. And, you know, it's surprising the penalties that are being called right now. Like I said, you have got to recognize that and accept that's what is being done out there. Basically, abide by the rules.

BATES BATTAGLIA: Well, I mean, we're pretty happy with the way that, you know, we have come out playing our systems and that. I think that's something that we have come into this series knowing we needed to do is play our way. And for the most part, I think that we have been able to do that. I think that, you know, Detroit is playing well and that we if we stick to our game plan I think we will be all right.

JEFF O'NEILL: Yeah, they are a great line. They have got all the elements. They are big and strong, and they can all skate very well. And they seem to be all on the same page with what they are doing on the ice. They know when the pick is going in and they know when to chase. And obviously the catalyst of the line is Kris Draper. He's a very underrated player in the League and skates very well and makes a lot of things happen for both of those wingers. It's a great line, and definitely a line we have to pay attention to.

JEFF O'NEILL: Well, I think we had a meeting this morning about, you know, just sticking to the game and worrying about the game. As far as family and other distractions, people coming in for ticket requests, things like that, it is just -- you know, we have got to try to put that aside and keep our focus and worry about tomorrow night's game instead of all the other surrounding stuff. But we are definitely excited about the opportunity to play in front of our fans in the Finals. They are go be very excited. There should be a sufficient amount of tailgating going on tomorrow afternoon, so they will definitely be ready to take part in the festivities.

BATES BATTAGLIA: I can't speak for everybody on the team, but I love playing at home. I can only imagine, you know, the electricity and just the emotions going on in there, besides the players. I mean, the people, the fans here are just out of control, and I love playing here more than anywhere I can think of.

JEFF O'NEILL: I don't think we care who we are matched up against. I think last night was a tough game with all the penalties for our line to really get -- to get some flow into the game, and, you know, just didn't go our way last night. And we have to rebound and have a good Game 3. Like you said, we're pretty decent. We had some flow in the first Game 2, seemed like we were out every other shift and skating well. And last night we just couldn't get that going. So all three of us have to find way to generate some offense and play better in Game 3.

JEFF O'NEILL: Well, I think that's something we definitely have to get better at is faceoffs, especially when you are playing against a puck possession team because the more faceoffs you lose, obviously they are going to have the puck more. And the way their defensemen move the puck, you can't expect to win against this team if they are winning draws all night and they have possession of the puck. Roddy Brind'Amour, Ron Francis, and myself, and Kevyn Adams, have to win some draws here and get our defensemen the puck and create some offense.

JEFF O'NEILL: I think they have some pretty crafty faceoffmen: Yzerman, Fedorov, Draper --I wouldn't say faceoffs are Larionov's strong point, but those three guys are pretty good faceoff guys.

JEFF O'NEILL: He's obviously, in my opinion, the League's best defenseman. You say to yourself you want to put this guy through the boards every time he touches the puck, but he finds a way to kind of slither around. If you really watch him, he's one guy -- you never really see him get crushed out there because he's so smart positionally. He never puts himself in position to get hit like that. He's so smart with the puck, moves it at the right time. It's not like he bails out or anything, but he just kind of maneuvers himself always in the right way; he never gets hit.

BATES BATTAGLIA: I think that we're getting our chances, and I think we're playing well defensively, for the most part. I think back in Montreal we got some bounces and things were going in for us. You know, you go through streaks like this all the time; at least myself, I do. And I don't know. You just got to work through it. The bounces aren't always going to go your way, but we just got to be strong defensively; that's the most important thing.

JEFF O'NEILL: I don't want to pump our own tires, but I think our arena is definitely louder than Detroit's. It doesn't really mean anything, but when the game starts and the people start screaming in there, it's one of the loudest atmospheres I have ever been a part of. So tomorrow night should be even better.

JEFF O'NEILL: Sometimes for line changes when, you know, you can't even -- you can't even hear the coach yelling. And I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. But you have got to pay attention, got to be alert on the bench. And Paul usually does a real good job of letting us know who is ready to go.

JEFF O'NEILL: Beard is a bit of a problem right now. I feel like Tom Hanks in Castaway; just kind of keeps growing and growing. And it's getting out of control. You know, most guys are trimming theirs up a little bit, but I decided not touch it, and, you know, not a lot for the looks category, but it's something I am going to have to deal with.

BATES BATTAGLIA: He needs all the help he can get too.