|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: DEVILS v RANGERSMay 19, 2012Henrik LundqvistNEWARK, NEW JERSEY: Game Three Rangers – 3 Q.  Seriously, when did you smell a victory, and what gave you the sense that this game was going to be in the bag? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: When we scored the empty netter, I could feel the victory. Before that it was just too much time. And they kept coming. So it was a big relief when we got that one. Before that it felt like there were stretches, too, in the game where we had a tough time to get pucks out. But also there were minutes where we did a lot of good things. We created some chances and played really hard. So went back and forth. They had some chances in the second, and I felt like it was a good timeout by Torts, they came out flying there in the second created big chances. But we didn't panic, and that's the biggest thing. I think we had moments during the year where we got into some tough minutes, if you can call it that, but we didn't panic, we kept our composure, kept playing the same way, and as a goalie, you know sooner or later it's going to turn. It's going to turn in our favor. We're going to get a chance. We're going to get a break. And that's the feeling I had. In the third we came out big, made some really big plays and scored some really good goals for us. Q. For the first and much of the end, too, you're always concentrating, but at some moment during those periods is there a sense of, all right, the Rangers are not getting very many good chances against Brodeur, they are coming in waves, is there an extra level of concentration or a next level of something, where you think if we hold them at bay here, it will change? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: That's what I mean. It's going to turn. There's no way that New Jersey's going to be able to play like that for 60 minutes. And a lot of times it could be a save or it could be a big play by a forward. And we just get the momentum and the game will change. And it felt like the last ten of the second period we started coming, and we felt a lot of confidence going into the third because we played really well in the last ten minutes in the second period. And I think our P.K. did a great job. I think as a team when you feel like your P.K. are doing so many good things, you can play physical and be confident even though you take some penalties here and there, you know you're going to get the job done. Q. There was an individual battle between you and Kovalchuk. What was needed for you to keep your mentality throughout the course of the game? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: I just tried to play my game. Being patient. He's a good player. So every time you face players like that, you just try to be patient and wait for him to make the first move. And he had a couple of big chances. But I was a little lucky today, a couple times where I made the first move I still ended up making the save. That's not going to happen all the time. So you need some luck sometimes. I always say you earn your luck by working hard. But today was a good day. We didn't play our best the first half, but we still had a scoreless game. Then we picked up our game and I thought we played really well the second half. Q. With Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, they get a lot of credit for their defense and blocking shots. Do they not get enough credit for their offensive skills, especially with Dan scoring two goals in three games now? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: Yeah. He's got a great shot. And Mac can join the rush because he's such a great skater. If something happens, something breaks down in the defensive zone, he's so quick to recover. But both of them are playing really well in the offensive zone as well. So overall I think they have a very solid game going right now, and actually all year. So haven't really changed. Q. Do you sense any frustration on their part where they're coming in? We've seen Kovalchuk kind of grab his head a couple of times when you robbed him in this series. Do you sense any of that? Are you aware of any of that when you're out there? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: No, not really. It's just 2‑1 in the series. You have to start over in the next game and try to do the right thing again, but they're so skilled that you can't take anything for granted. Yeah, they had a couple of really good chances today. But I thought we did a really good‑‑ the second half of the game‑‑ to keep them to the outside. Q. I was curious which save you would characterize as your most difficult or toughest one tonight. HENRIK LUNDQVIST: Well, like I said, a couple times I wasn't patient enough. Kovalchuk had a breakaway or half breakaway, I went down and had to make a glove save on my side. And that's not really the way I want to make a save. A little lucky there that he didn't roof it. But the timing was good, but I need to be more patient. But I'm happy I made the save and hopefully it sparked the guys a little bit. Q. When you shut out a team like this and you win and the opposing coach comes up here and says the difference was Henrik Lundqvist, what does that mean to you? What does it mean to you to hear that you gave your team that chance and did it in Game 1 and at such a big level? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: I mean, I'm really happy we won. That means so much to me to win every game here and it's so important to me and to the group. But on Monday it's not going to mean anything. You have to start over and earn that respect again, and hopefully you say the same thing after that game. But, again, I thought me personally, I felt pretty sharp. I saw some action right away and felt comfortable playing this game. And then when you feel the support from the guys in front of you doing their things. I thought we were much better being closest to them when they were shooting from the point and having guys come in for tips. We were much closer and then made it a lot tougher for them to make the plays they made in the second game. Q. It's zip‑zip at the end of 2, 0‑0 tie, what did the coach say to the team? What did you say to the team and what did your captain say to the team at that point in the room? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: After the two periods? He said a few things. I'm not going to tell you. But, like I said, the last time in the second period we built from that. We felt confident as a group knowing we've been playing pretty good in the third period all year just go out there and play our game and stay aggressive. Q. Did you talk? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: No, I never really talk. I'm pretty quiet. There's sometimes I say something. But for the most part I don't talk during the game. I might snap sometimes, but I don't say a lot of good things. Q. With the amount of composure in the offensive zone that Chris Kreider shows, do you almost look at him like a veteran that you can lean on every game? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: I don't know about veteran, but everybody's here for a reason. They're not here because we think a guy's going to be good next year or two years. He's here and playing because he's good right now. So if you're playing you expect everyone to do their job, and I don't think about age or how many games they played. He's done a great job, though. I'm really happy the way he came in and fit into the group and adjusted his game. So he should have a lot of credit. But, again, I'm not going to give him any slack because he's young and hasn't played that much. He's here because he can play here. So the expectation‑‑ especially in their own end, it's important everybody does what we expect everybody to do out there. But he's been good. 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
|