NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: RED WINGS v FLYERS

June 7, 1997

Scotty Bowman

SCOTTY BOWMAN: No, I thought we were-- he would be able to make the first goal standing up, but certainly it was a great individual play. We were getting some chances, not a lot of them-- played their best game of the series. I expected that. But I think our team picked up after a 2 goal lead. Just shows you what can happen at the end.

SCOTTY BOWMAN: No.

SCOTTY BOWMAN: I always wanted to be a player in the NHL and skate with the Cup. How many chances you get, I said if we win, I will go for it.

SCOTTY BOWMAN: It is pretty heavy, but it is pretty light too. I just felt like doing something that. I have always dreamt about doing, like to be a player, but couldn't play.

SCOTTY BOWMAN: This is very high because obviously it's 42 years that the Wings haven't won it. And the fact that I did have a big input the last few years, a lot of confidence from the ownership, you know, when I first came here I was coming for two years then we stretched it to three and stretched it to four. So, I think that was you know, that was the big reason that I was able to make some moves. They were supported by the people that had to support them. Obviously the staff that we had feel terrific for the guys that have never won it. Some of the guys have been on winning teams, but it is an unbelievable feeling.

SCOTTY BOWMAN: No, Brendan and a couple others they decided that he was going to go first and they wanted Slava and Igor to get right behind it and they said you go next. I said I'd rather wait they said, no you go next. Sometimes you have to listen to the players. (Audience Laughter).

SCOTTY BOWMAN: Experience of the last two years obviously was huge. I think our team was more prepared to play against different teams and I still feel that, you know, the experience that the players had over the past, 12, I think it was 13 players tonight that really went through some big agony the last two years, but that is a step sometimes you have to take, you know, the Devils came close in 1994 and they won it in 1995. I don't know if that is going to happen a lot. But we had some adversity in those years. We had a lot of good times too, but I think that is what happened, that the team-- they seemed to just support each other. I think really what happened too is the role players, like again, tonight big play by Joey Kocur first, then Kirk Maltby. First goal tonight was really a big goal to get going. That line, we didn't get a lot of production during the season, but we didn't play them as much. Tonight they were probably up there with the 3 other lines as far as they have been unbelievable defense. I don't know if they were on for a goal against in the entire Final.

SCOTTY BOWMAN: This makes eight tough decision because, you know, I am-- I will wait in a couple of weeks and talk to the people that own the team and you know, just see where my priorities lie. Naturally, my idol in coaching was Toe Blake. I admired him as a person and I was always saying he is one of the fortunate coaches that was able to win his last game. That is always tough to do. And, I think Tom Johnson did it with Boston in 1972. I don't know anybody else that decided to leave after they won the Cup. But that has a decision to make. I want to talk to my family and naturally it is going to be-- I am going to agonize over it. But I will have it done by the draft.

SCOTTY BOWMAN: Last four games, I thought like the Pittsburgh team of 1992 that I happen to be fortunate to take over, you know, we went on a big tear and I think we might have lost five games, I am not sure. I know we had a 7 game series with Washington and swept the other teams, and it is right up there. I mean, you always remember the first Cup. I remember the first Cup, the last Cup I won in Montreal because it was in The Forum and this is special, because it is in Detroit, home team I don't know if the trends now is everybody against get on the plane and goes to the next game and that puts more pressure on the team. I think the hype of the fans and the city really made the team you know, not didn't make them, but I have always felt it wasn't a negative. I told the players those fans have a right to do what they are doing. I heard some people saying well, you know, around the rooms stuff lining that, that is what the fans do. But I felt when I was in Montreal that if you didn't have a good season had you a tough summer and the fans in Detroit really demanded this and the players produced.

SCOTTY BOWMAN: No, I thought that Philadelphia came out with a much better game plan, not a game plan as much as, you know, their backs are against the wall. This is a theme that come into the Finals they only lost 3 games and they got -- they had some tough things happen to them. We seemed to capitalize on our chances early in this series, and I was -- I think that what really happened if they would have scored the first goal, we might have had to change our game plan a little bit. The goal by Lindstrom was big it was in the last minute of the period. I was kind of hoping to get out of the period even as long as we wouldn't fall behind in the first period maybe we had a shot of winning it. That is what I was hope something all of a should shot from the blue line went into give us the lead. That is really when you think you have a chance. It was pretty even period we still had a goal lead.

SCOTTY BOWMAN: Well, I never really thought about that. Nowadays, the coaching of the teams doesn't get us much credit as it should. Because there are more than one and you know, I was very fortunate in Pittsburgh with Barry Smith. He has got a better record than me if you look at it he has been in the Finals four times in the last seven years as a coach. He has won three cups, been on 3 president's trophies even though he is only an associate coach maybe but he and Dave Louis and Kozlov, that is the difference now, I kind ever guide it along but when they had ideas, they are a lot younger than I am they had a good feel for the players and I think the players definitely feel they have got a good coaching staff.