NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: MIGHTY DUCKS v DEVILS

May 29, 2003

Martin Brodeur

Patrik Elias

Scott Stevens

MARTIN BRODEUR: It was. I think the guys in front of me played as good as Game 1. I think it's important to continue doing that if we want to be successful. Definitely you got to give a lot of credit to the guys. I think these guys came a little stronger in the first period than they did in Game 1. I think we've discouraged them a lot by playing solid D.

SCOTT STEVENS: Being aware where they are. We had a good challenge against Ottawa and it prepared us for this team, Kariya is crafty. Just focus on the job and try to give them nothing out there.

MARTIN BRODEUR: We're winning. That's what's important. It's all nice and definitely when I look back and see these things when I'm retired, it will be really nice. Right now I can't get caught up in that. We want to move forward and try to forget these two games have been great for us. All 25 of us are going to war in Anaheim.

MARTIN BRODEUR: The games are pretty tight. We're not blowing them out of the water. It keeps me in the game all the time. It keeps you focused, because you know that shot that you allow or goal you let go through could be a big difference in the series. Like I said after Game 1, I think we got a good lead, 3-0. We didn't want to give them any momentum, any kind of confidence by them dominating the last part of the game because we were up 3-0. I think we did a great job staying focused and playing well defensively.

SCOTT STEVENS: I think we have done a great job limiting their chances and keeping it outside and not giving them a lot in the rush. What we do give them, Marty's there to make the save. I think any time you keep a team under 20 shots, you're doing a good job defensively.

SCOTT STEVENS: I think the first period was pretty even. We didn't play as well as we had like to. We thought we had to pick it up in the second. We did. We got the lead so that was important that second period like it was in the first game.

MARTIN BRODEUR: It's great. It's kind of hard for me to realize it. We're here on a mission to try to be successful in these playoffs and definitely, I've got to give a lot of credit in the way the guys played in front of me. I think any kind of shutout you make, it's really because of the team in front of you. You can't do everything by yourself. Definitely these guys, that's as good a defensive game they've played. You've got to be really excited about being able to start the series with confidence.

MARTIN BRODEUR: That one was tough a little bit. It is. They got a great chance on a bouncing puck late in the second. I was able to make the save and the puck stayed between my legs by the goal line. That's what it is. You don't get many shots. Sometimes you have to come up with a big save. I think definitely late in the second it could have been different if that one goes on. You have got to stay focused. It's not easy. You can't pick and choose what they're going to do to you. You've got to try to work with what's in front of you.

MARTIN BRODEUR: Definitely. We have pretty good momentum. We know we're going to a place that never has seen Stanley Cup Finals before. It will be awesome. These guys are going to be excited to try to forget this trip to New Jersey and get on the board in the first game and put pressure on us. It will be a big challenge for us to play really well in the game 3.

SCOTT STEVENS: I got thrown out of my first playoff game. I guess I've come along ways. It's special passing Larry, who is a great friend of mine and taught me a lot. I guess it's kind of special that way. Like Marty, as I said, I think you look back on these things when you're done and retired. Right now the focus is on different things. One day you can sit back and talk about those accomplishments.

SCOTT STEVENS: I think it says our forwards are doing a good job because they're getting in front of them. I don't care how good you are, if you don't see the puck, it's hard to stop. Grant Marshall going to the net, Brian Gionta, those two goals were as a result of guys going to the net and making it difficult to see the puck. We've got to keep doing those things.

SCOTT STEVENS: Jeff has played well through the playoffs and Oleg's stepped in. He's always ready to play. He got the puck through a couple times tonight, made some good plays, and it's nice. I think any time you've gone from one team to another, you want to play your best hockey against your old team, and I think Jeff is showing that right now and so is Oleg.

PATRIK ELIAS: It did. Getting opportunities, I could have gotten a couple more tonight, we're playing well as a line, and you can see that Marshall's got a lot of confidence and he's making great plays.

SCOTT STEVENS: I think so. I think sometimes that's a direct result of the other team pressing in their D, so that makes it a little tougher on everybody, but I thought tonight we did a better job in that area than we did in the first game.

PATRIK ELIAS: On the powerplay Gomez did great job by protecting the puck on the board and battling for it. I got a puck to Oleg and he got a shot through and a great job by Marshall and a lucky bounce popped right on my stick and I had a pretty easy put-in.

SCOTT STEVENS: Maybe, but I think they've gained a lot of experience by the teams they've beaten. You wouldn't think they would be intimidated by that. There is obviously a lot more people, press and family around in the Finals, but they've gone through a lot already, but I guess this is the first time they have been down, and we realize that, that they've won two games, the first two games in every series. It was important for us to come here and play well.

SCOTT STEVENS: Definitely I thought they came higher in the first. We thought we could have done better. We came out in the second and got better, which we had to do. They're a better team. They made some adjustments. They did some things a lot better. Fortunately we got the first goal, once again, which definitely helps.