|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: DEVILS v RANGERSMay 13, 2012Ryan CallahanBrad RichardsNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Practice Day THE MODERATOR: Questions for Brad. Q. Has last night sunk in yet? BRAD RICHARDS: Well, yeah, I think it's sunk in. All we have done is get halfway. So a lot of work ahead of us. Really good hockey team ahead of us. Last night's over with. We haven't even talked about that game. We went right to Jersey. Q. Brad, you've obviously been through the whole run. You're well‑versed in the fact it's only half done. Do you think there is a realization amongst the players, can players conceptualize that who haven't been through it? BRAD RICHARDS: I don't know. It's probably an ongoing battle. The difference now is there's only four teams left. Sometimes you start looking at that. We just played two series. We got to play two more to win it. So, you know, we know how hard and how long it took to do those two. The level is going to go up with these four teams left. Q. Having played 90‑something games with Henrik now, any different at all as an opponent? BRAD RICHARDS: Yeah, I didn't know anything really about his preparation, his work ethic, his commitment and all that stuff. You don't see that. You never know. Especially goalies, some people have different ways of preparing. So to see how committed he was, how he battled in practice, his work ethic, that's the stuff I get to see up close every day. If he's on the ice, he doesn't want you to score on him at any time of the year. Q. How much better do you think the team is right now than when you started the playoffs? What kind of improvements? BRAD RICHARDS: Definitely you grow as a team getting through rounds. The level, how hard we had to work, the bounce‑back, some of the ups and downs to be here today, be in the Eastern Conference final, you definitely got better. So have the other three teams. So, yeah, that's just the way it goes in playoffs. Every team kind of grows as you go. Q. Do these series feel particularly taxing? BRAD RICHARDS: I mean, first two series, you don't really think about it like that. If you're playing in June in the seventh game, you went through the whole thing, you might be able to read into something like that. But we're just halfway. We're a young team. We should be excited and energetic going into this. I don't think anybody is going to be tired. THE MODERATOR: Questions for Ryan Callahan. RYAN CALLAHAN: We're excited to be at this point. We're only halfway there. We know there's a long road ahead of us still. To be playing at this time of year is a good feeling and something you work towards all year. Q. The history of playing the Devils, does it enter into it or it's here and it doesn't matter who you're playing? RYAN CALLAHAN: It doesn't too much. Different teams. Can't look back. Even last year, we have a different team, they have a different team. You don't put too much of the past into what's happening now. Q. The way your team and the Devils in this regular‑season meetings have fought so physically for every inch of the ice, does that continue in an Eastern Conference final series or do you put that aside? RYAN CALLAHAN: I think it's going to be physical. Both teams, they like to play that style. They've been chippy games every time we played them in the regular season. I don't see that changing. At the same time you have to make sure you're disciplined, don't get too emotional out there. I'm sure you're not going to see guys fighting on an opening face off, but it's going to be intense. Q. Do you like a chippy game or would you prefer to play clean and straight up? RYAN CALLAHAN: I think a chippy game is still clean. I don't think we're going to be dirty or they're going to be dirty by any means. It's going to be a physical game. It's going to be tough to find room on the ice. I like that style of game. Our team likes that style of game. We're excited for it. Q. (Question regarding Martin Brodeur.) RYAN CALLAHAN: Yeah, I don't want to put words into Hecky's mouth. But I've seen him play against Brodeur and against other top goalies. Seems to always raise his game and play against other good goalies in the league. Q. For the guys in the room in '07, '08, couldn't get past the second round, can you talk a little bit about the growth of the team, the growth of you guys, how much better you think this team is today than it was from the end of the regular season? RYAN CALLAHAN: It's something that we've been building towards and working towards. You could see the progression year after year, us getting a little bit better. Obviously we haven't made it past the second round in a couple of years. Shows we stuck with it, stuck with our game plan. Guys are more comfortable under this system, used to it, brought some new guys in that obviously have helped. Shows we're going in the right direction and what we're doing is working. Q. (Question regarding U.S. players in the sport.) RYAN CALLAHAN: It shows U.S. players are making an impact and there's good U.S. players out there. It's tough to just look at the captains. I don't think you can put it totally on that. It just shows that U.S. players are growing through the NHL and there's good ones out there. Q. Having reached a certain age in this group or this generation, more leaders out there. RYAN CALLAHAN: I think you saw that in the Olympics, too. We had a good showing in the Olympics. There's a lot of young guys in the same age group that were on that team. It just shows that USA hockey is developing, getting better, getting good talent. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|