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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: DEVILS v RANGERSMay 21, 2012Martin BrodeurZach PariseNEWARK, NEW JERSEY: Game Four Devils – 4 Q. Marty, can you explain what happened with Rupp and your reaction to what followed? MARTIN BRODEUR: You know, I just‑‑ I was minding my own business, for real. But I never really yap at anybody, especially him, he's so big. He just kind of turned around. I don't know, I guess he was a little pumped up and wanted to get somebody, and I was the first target for him to hit me. And that's part of the game, I guess. It's unfortunate that somebody has a right to go out and just kind of sucker you like that. But, who cares, we got the (indiscernible) to win the game. Q. Marty, playing with two‑goal lead the first time in the series, is that nice for you guys to relax and play your game, so to speak? MARTIN BRODEUR: Yeah. I thought we played extremely well. We got the lead. We thought we maybe could have got a little more pucks out of it maybe in the second, a little momentum. Zach got a big goal early in the third, and that really sealed the deal for us. Q. When you see something like that happens, when someone throws a punch at a goaltender, do you think that's a sign that you frustrated them in this game? MARTIN BRODEUR: It's a good sign, I guess, when they take liberties on players. That means they're getting off their game a little bit. We've been working really hard, putting our head down, taking a lot of shots throughout the Playoffs. It's no different in the series. And as we go, we're going to keep doing the same. And it's paying off for us to be disciplined about these things. I'm not just talking about me, but I'm talking ‑‑ not like I was going to hit back anyway, but, you know, it's sort of like other guys also I think all game long they've been really good about it. Q. Zach, good to see the power play turn on the score? ZACH PARISE: Yeah. I think we felt like we moved it around pretty well all series. And the looks have been there. We just haven't made the right plays when it's there. And, I mean, tonight was‑‑ we were able to get one on the power play. And it makes a difference. I think you either gotta score or at least get the momentum off your power play, and tonight we got one. So I'm sure we'll look and maybe try and correct that 5‑on‑3 a little bit, see if we can get something out of that. But it was pretty good tonight, I thought. Q. Zach, you clearly weren't happy after Game 3. Was this the game you imagined having after you‑‑ when you went home after Game 3? ZACH PARISE: I don't know. I just‑‑ I think some people are making a big deal out of nothing, really. But it was the same. Just the puck happened to go in tonight. That's the difference. These games are so tight, and when you get the opportunities, you want to put them in. And last game we didn't. I didn't. And tonight they went in. And it's a fine line, especially right now where we are in the season. But it was really‑‑ I mean, there's no secret to it. Q. Just a follow‑up, Marty, he's sitting right there, I know, but how important is it to have a game like that from Zach after being shut out twice in this series? MARTIN BRODEUR: It's important. I think all of our offensive guys are doing a great job. I think Zach's been playing really well. He's been on the puck a lot. And I think it's tough when you don't find the back of the net, or you have a hard time scoring, not just individually but as a team. Got shut out twice and four games now, it's not fun for the team that's getting shut out. And so when you come through and score big goals in the right time of the game also, I'm sure it feels real good for the offensive guy, at least the dividends are collected here. Q. About four and a half minutes in you guys got a good energy shift from the Josefson line, and it seemed to steamroll from there. Do you remember that shift and what was the difference in the time after that shift in order to put two on? ZACH PARISE: Well, we had a good start to the game. All the lines had a couple of good shifts early. And those guys, that line and GO's line, they did what they've been doing all Playoffs. And we have a luxury of being able to‑ Pete being comfortable playing them against anyone at any time throughout the game, and for them to get that big goal early for us, they do a great job of wearing down teams, wearing down D, keeping pucks in the zone. And you can tell the crowd gets a little excited when they're pinning the other team in the zone.  And they've been really great for us the whole Playoffs. Q. During that sequence in the third, could you tell, did they seem to you like they were coming unglued or unravelled, or did you sense a certain level of frustration from them? ZACH PARISE: I don't know. I think throughout a seven‑game series, both teams are bound to get frustrated at different things. You have to ask them whether they were frustrated or not. But like Marty said earlier, we've done a good job all Playoffs of playing whistle to whistle and skating away from the scrums and things like that. Whether they were frustrated or not, I don't know. But we did a good job of staying out of it. Q. Marty, you've been around plenty of these Devils/Rangers games. Where would you assess the intensity of tonight's, and based on what we saw what appeared to be very intense, what do you think is in store for the best of three right now? MARTIN BRODEUR: I think the best of hockey is yet to come. It's going to get down to the wire. It's been a great series so far. It's been tight. And I don't expect anything different in the next three games. And we're looking forward to go into Madison Square Garden and try to seal a game in there. Right now it's the best out of three. They have two games on their home ice. It's going to be a tough task for us, but we put ourselves in that situation. We're looking forward to get to that challenge on Wednesday. Q. Zach, especially after what happened in Game 3, how important, especially because you outplayed them and you just didn't have anything to show for it the other day, how important was it for Salvador's first goal to get that first one on the board, and does that maybe settle everybody in and knowing full well, okay, we can finally get one past Lundqvist? ZACH PARISE: We were comfortable with how we've been playing five‑on‑five this whole series. We really feel like we've done a good job in their zone and keeping them in their zone for extended periods of time. But it really gives the bench a lift when we get that first goal. We get that goal early. And especially after being shut out, you want to put some pressure on them and put some pressure on Lundqvist. And it was great for us, for our team, for everyone, to get a goal early. Q. Zach, with the changes that Coach DeBoer made going into this game, was tonight a demonstration of how flexible your four lines are? ZACH PARISE: Yeah, I think Travis and I have played well with Zubie before. So I think they're comfortable putting us three together. And everyone knows how well Patty's played on the wing in the past. And we've needed him to play center. And he's done a great job there, too. And we've got a lot of guys that can play with different players, and I think really important is the way our third and fourth line has played. It's been a big part of why we're still playing right now. They've scored timely goals and they've been great for us. Q. Marty, given your guys' history together, were you surprised that it was Rupp that went after you? MARTIN BRODEUR: Yeah, I didn't expect anything to happen. And Rupp‑‑ Rupp doesn't matter‑‑ I just didn't expect‑‑ I never got punched like that in my career. First time. So, I don't know, just things that happen in the playoff series and just happy I didn't get hurt on it. Q. Marty, did it hurt at the time? Did you feel it? MARTIN BRODEUR: I'm a tough guy. (Laughter). You know, kind of stung me a little bit. I kind of didn't know what to do, really. It hurt a little bit, my jaw, but he hit me in the chest, and I think his fist went up to my mask. But kind of surprised me more than anything. But no, I know I can take a punch. Q. Marty, can you just talk about the contributions of the pairing of Greene and Mark Fayne together, they don't necessarily get a lot of publicity, a lot of stats, but they've been quietly very good for you guys through this playoff run all season? MARTIN BRODEUR: I can't say enough about the defensemen as they're playing in front of me this whole season. I think all year they've been battling really hard. Green and Fayne are a great example. They're getting some important ice time and they're getting the job done. So it's a big value to our team. People maybe don't recognize them as much as other maybe defensemen in the league. But we're really comfortable having them in front of me. Q. Zach, there's a war on now, and obviously it escalated; the coaches yelling at each other. How much worse or how much more intense or what do you expect in the Garden, particularly the way the Rangers seem to be kind of launching the war tonight? ZACH PARISE: As Marty said earlier, I think the intensity is only going to rise from here. There's a lot at stake, and we were up for the challenge. I think it's going to be tough going into that building. It's always hard. But I think we're ready for it and we'll be all right. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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