NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: MIGHTY DUCKS v DEVILS

June 3, 2003

Pat Burns

COACH BURNS: Guys, I just walked in the door. I didn't talk to anybody. I know that Bill said he was going to skate -- I think he did, or they were going to skate tomorrow. They did skate today. That's all we got. I'll know tomorrow more.

COACH BURNS: No. We didn't make them work.

COACH BURNS: I think we have to be a little more excited about it when we got the puck. We didn't seem to be excited about getting things done there. We'll have to generate more. He certainly didn't get a whole lot of work.

COACH BURNS: I believe they did. This is what I think I was told. I believe Turner skated, and I believe Joe, whether he skated today, or he might skate tomorrow morning or afternoon. I'm not sure what will happen there.

COACH BURNS: I think so. That comes to home ice and who makes the change and who's on the ice. I think that's basically it. You're right about that. We didn't generate enough on the physical side of the game. It's up to us to respond to it on Thursday.

COACH BURNS: To protect a tie. I don't think that was our intention. If that's what it looked like, I don't think anybody wants to play to protect a tie. We didn't generate much. We have to get a little more excited about the game than that.

COACH BURNS: Very good. Very good.

COACH BURNS: That was one of our points at the start of these playoffs is that they're probably used to the travel situation more than we are. But I don't think -- I think the two days will definitely be to our average and be beneficial to us.

COACH BURNS: Again, he made a great save on that first shot. We can't fault him for that goal. I thought he made -- we missed a chance to get it, and they came down. We forgot about Steve Thomas sneaking up from behind.

COACH BURNS: He was our best player in the Ottawa series before he got hurt. He was at the top of his game. Just his presence definitely helps us. We're playing with two guys who didn't play a whole lot in Rupp and Bicek, although we have nothing to say against them. They both played a good game last night. I think with the presence of a Joe Nieuwendyk and/or a Turner Stevenson definitely gives us a little bit more experience in the lineup.

COACH BURNS: Two games in overtime is very difficult to say that your team was down. If you get swamped 6, 7-0, then you can say we've got a problem. I think travel might have something to do with it, the time change might have something to do with it. Certainly I'm not down, and we're still excited here and we're dying for this game to get going again. I don't think we should be saying that this team has let itself down or didn't show up. We lost two games in overtime without those guys in the lineup too. We've got to get a little more excited. I agree with that. I don't think this team has quit or thought at any point in time that we were down and out.

COACH BURNS: There is a lot of things we've got to be excited about. I think Mr. Eisner has planned the parade for the Finals, saying that our fans aren't very good. We'll see about that Thursday night.

COACH BURNS: They didn't come easy at all. The Ducks didn't stumble into these Finals. They had to beat some pretty good teams. The respect that we're showing them is definitely the respect they earned.

COACH BURNS: No, I don't think it's that. I think we have to get down in their end and work a little more from there. I don't think it's a question where we're selecting our shots. We didn't get that many shots. You've got to get them first.

COACH BURNS: You've got to be kidding me. Get out of here. I just got in. I didn't hear about this. I'm truly shocked. I thought he did a good job. You've caught me in a big shock. Big shock.