NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: MIGHTY DUCKS v DEVILS

May 31, 2003

Pat Burns

COACH BURNS: I just wish to advise everybody in the last 24 hours nothing has changed.

COACH BURNS: No, none whatsoever.

COACH BURNS: It's like everywhere, Rich. It's going to be loud. We know that. It's going to be like it was in Tampa, Ottawa and Jersey. It's going to be loud. We expect it. We know it's going to be there. There is not much you can do about it.

COACH BURNS: I don't think so. I don't think so. Obviously if it was, we wouldn't be here.

COACH BURNS: Well, like I said, I said if it wasn't for Marty, we probably wouldn't be here. He's had an outstanding playoff. I don't think the overshadowing is that bad. He's earned -- when you get two shutouts, he's certainly got enough respect over that. Nobody is in it for a tug-of-war of publicity. I don't think anybody is. I don't think that bothers him.

COACH BURNS: Now, definitely. Definitely.

COACH BURNS: We're having a good time with it. Mike's probably a little bit different. This is his first kick at the can. But when you have been around for a while, 14, 15 years, it's a little bit different. It's fun, but you have to stay focused. We have to stay on top of things. I'm not out partying; I'm not having a good time that way. That will come later, if we win. But it's a situation where I feel for you guys, because you have to write stuff, and I'm coming out and saying absolutely the same thing I said last night, and I imagine it must be boring for you like it's boring for me.

COACH BURNS: This team, it's so easy for that. It's a team that's been there. It's real easy. I don't have to really mention a whole lot of things. I check the pulse of the team, and if I see that, I'll bring it up. When you have captains like Scottie Stevens and Scottie Niedermayer and Patrik and those guys who have been there, plus the veterans we have and the Maddens and Pandolfos and all those guys that have been there before, you don't really have to say a whole lot. You don't really have to talk about those things.

COACH BURNS: It's what you work for. It's what you get in this league when you start in training camp. You talk about it. This is what you want to do. Now, you have to realize, too, if you do win it, you've got 12 weeks before you start it all over again. It's a job, and that's part of it. If you're waiting for some overjubilance, I think that will be done if you win it. That's why I keep repeating that. We have won nothing. People say I don't look excited. But we haven't won nothing yet. We've won two games. That's all we did. We have to win -- if you want to win the whole bucket, you've got to win four. Until that happens, we'll see how my excitement level rises.

COACH BURNS: In what way? I don't know what concerns you -- I'm sure they're going to be better. They're at home. There is the line change. There is a whole bunch of things, but you're concerned every single game for 80-odd games during the course of the year and every playoff game. You have to find ways to win, and that's what we have to do.

COACH BURNS: And what is the question?

COACH BURNS: I'm very happy with the way the whole team has handled themselves. I think we have a team that's done that and that trickles down from the top. That the focus is important, and that's the way we do things and there is a reason why we do it. When you follow in those footsteps, it's easy to -- coaching is easy. There is a lot less distractions. There is a lot less things you have to worry about. When it's let out of hand and people are allowed to do what they want, it's difficult. I think the way Lou handles the ship here, it's a lot easier on coaches.