NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: CAPITALS v RED WINGS

June 13, 1998

Brian Bellows

BRIAN BELLOWS: In the Finals, usually it isn't that much. It is just little things. Obviously we came out; that first goal really kind of unnerved us a lot. We were nervous the first period, but I thought we slowly came back and gained our composure. I really thought when we tied it up that we were going to win the game, but it just didn't go our way.

BRIAN BELLOWS: I thought maybe their first periods have really been hurting us. I don't think we play as reckless as we should. We play a little bit too conservative. Today, obviously, like I said, that first goal was the difference. I thought we battled hard and the third period we were all over them and I really thought the day was going to be ours.

BRIAN BELLOWS: I totally have to agree. It is not just their six defensemen. It is team defense. So often, I mean, I will grab the puck off the boards, I will look up, I will see Macoun and Rouse, this is great, I have got a 2 on 2, with Joey Juneau and Joey has got speed; by the time you are at center ice, you have got a guy whacking at the back of your legs because they backcheck and they turn that, you know, a 2 on 2 into, you know, with a 2 on 3 with a backchecker and it is tough. They clog up the front of the net. They are a good team. They know what it takes at this level of the game and just the type of the play for the Playoffs and that is all the difference.

BRIAN BELLOWS: I thought he made some key saves especially in the second period we were all over him. I thought we had one powerplay, we had -- we had numerous opportunities and he is playing good. He is playing like he did last year. He is a darn good goalie.

BRIAN BELLOWS: Well, it is kind of like rock climbing Mt. Everest with low oxygen. It is not undoable, but it is going to be very, very tough and only way to look at it is just get ready for Tuesday. We have got a couple of days to regroup, a day to rest. Hopefully a day to relax and come to work Monday and let's go get them.

BRIAN BELLOWS: Well, it is tough. This one hurts. I thought the last one hurt, but this one is really tough because it was almost, you know, I am sure as everyone in the building thought when we tied the game we were going to win. We had the momentum, everything going our way, but championship teams always seem to have a way of finding, you know, finding a road out of whatever spell they are in to get back to where they have been.