NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PENGUINS v DEVILS

May 13, 2001

Bob Boughner

Johan Hedberg

Darius Kasparaitis

Alexei Kovalev

BOB BOUGHNER: It's good for us to get some rest on the road. Obviously, the last game against Buffalo, we didn't much of a chance to get rest. It's nice to be here on Mother's Day. Guys can see their kids, their wives, enjoy their day and get back at it tomorrow.

DARIUS KASPARAITIS: Probably that's why he did, but this is playoffs. People play physical, and it's a long series.

ALEXEI KOVALEV: Well, I think we have to put more pressure on them like we did in the first period. You know, I didn't really see much difference compared to Buffalo game. Pretty much the same team, and compared to Washington, we definitely are creating a lot more space for ourselves and we just have to keep playing our hockey. It's a difficult game last night because, you know, they had an extra day to rest and for us to go out with the overtime game with Buffalo, the seventh game, we didn't have much rest and it-- you will actually really cost us yesterday, playing all 60 minutes, and -- after the first period we were not able to put the pressure -- enough pressure on them the second and third period.

ALEXEI KOVALEV you don't want to take a shot just because you want to take a shot. The shots we took yesterday -- the ice is very bad and you didn't want to take a chance. And if you have an opportunity to take a shot and instead you start making a move and use the puck, you kind of use your good chance and same thing yesterday. I have a couple good shots off a face off, off Hedi's shoulder; I surprise him. I guess if he sees that puck, he will -- maybe it goes at his knees and that puck would have go in upstairs. But because he didn't see it over his shoulder -- but it was a good scoring chance. A couple shots I make also from like from the board, when they try to get on the short side, but, you know, looks like he's been ready for that. I mean, we still have a lot of chances. The ice is not great anywhere right now. We have a couple more chances to find the net and we give up those, just try to make them fast and score into the net and, you know, we just have to keep shooting on them. Marty shot out of the blue and it went in, so anything can happen. You just have to keep shooting. I mean, it's not like you have to shoot on the red line. But any time you have a chance in front of the net, you've got to shoot.

BOB BOUGHNER: Like Kove said, the ice wasn't that great. It wasn't in Washington, Buffalo or Jersey. Yeah, we talked about that before the game, trying to get as many shots as possible and just get traffic. Goalies like Dominik Hasek and Brodeur, those are the goals you have to get sometimes, throw it at the net, try to get some traffic. A couple ugly goals, but we have a lot of guys on this team that have some great shots and know where they are going at all times. Sometime we only need 15, 20 shots to beat them. I don't know, last night I thought the shot clock was a little funny. I thought we had more shots than 15. Maybe it was just me, but all of the guys after the game were saying they had three or four shots apiece, but only got credit for one. Who knows what happened, but we definitely would like to get more shots.

DARIUS KASPARAITIS: I don't think so. It's good we have a couple days off, but the thing is, every game is so important. You cannot think about getting tired. I think, of course, there's going to be a lot of tired people, but I think you have to play smart right now and you have to pick your spots. You know, sometimes probably you have to have your shift short because you're playing three lines all season long, and now we play four lines and that's a good sign. I think Devils have more depth, but we have to play smart, pick our spots and just not waste energy, especially talking to the referees or doing extra stuff.

JOHAN HEDBERG: I feel pretty good. Obviously, last night I should have had the first one, but otherwise, I felt pretty good. I wasn't tired at all. Focus was there. Just try to keep doing the same thing I was doing last night and hopefully it is going to be enough in Game 2.

ALEXEI KOVALEV: Well, I don't really feel much difference. I mean, I play with all of the best players, with Mark in '94 and I played with Gretzky for a while. I don't really see much difference. Mario is a really good player and not hard to play with. You can always find anybody, be it in a slot, neutral zone, whatever. He's a great passer. Has great hands. The one thing you can do with him, just read off him and try and get an open area and he can hit you for a one-timer. And at the same time, when you get the puck, he's so good, he can find an opening. You can hit him for a one-timer also. But I don't really feel much difference, you know, you just -- last night was one of those games when we had some good chances where we couldn't score, but we can still adjust. It's only been two games playing together. It's definitely going to be different next game.

JOHAN HEDBERG: I feel like I got more shots low yesterday than high, but if they want to think that's my weak spot, sure. I'll be ready for that one next time. I really would like to have that one back, but if that's my weak spot. We'll see. Let's try it.

JOHAN HEDBERG: Me? Well, he actually came and said he was sorry and he shouldn't have done that, but I guess you are allowed to play with a broken stick -- he said I should have leave the big pad on the ice; I could have used that instead of my shaft. As it turned out, I got a new stick and nothing really happened. That was okay.