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Uncle Mike Q/A
by IwoCPO on 05/14/08 at 02:35 PM ET
Comments (4)
From today’s media avail with Mike Babcock.
Q. What does Tomas Holmstrom add to the Datsyuk, Zetterberg line?
COACH MIKE BABCOCK: He gets the puck back. Everybody talks about his net front presence. But he’s a physical, physical guy who gets the puck back, who creates space for them. They’re only at the net, on the drive or, you know, on an entry. They’re not at the net. He’s at the net. But they shoot the puck, he gets it back and gives it to ‘em again.
His puck retrieval skills are, I think, the best in the League. He goes and gets it and hunts it down and gives it back to them, then they spend time in the offensive zone. His penetration through the net creates space for them. They need space.
Q. It’s been five years. Are you appreciating this run any more or enjoying this anymore than in ‘03?
COACH MIKE BABCOCK: Well, you know, we’re in the same spot we were last year. We never got past this spot last year. I’m real fortunate. We had a lockout one year, but in five years in the League, we’ve been in this spot three times, one previous time got passed here.
Everyone thinks they have a chance. But until you get to the final round and won three games, you don’t have a chance. So we’re a long way away. We’re trying to be as prepared and focused for today. It’s so easy to get ahead of yourself. Can’t get ahead of yourself. We’re going to get the best push we’ve had from their team tonight, and we better be ready.
Q. You talked before Game 3 about the first 10 minutes of the game, matching their intensity, how that would be key. Is it really the same type of thing tonight?
COACH MIKE BABCOCK: Well, I believe that. You know, if you just sat back last night and you watched the Pittsburgh game, that’s what you saw in that game. You know, if the home team gets momentum, the crowd gets in, they get rolling, they got you on your heals. They had us on our heals. Kronwall got a penalty right away in the game. They zipped around pretty good. We were able to recover through that and get out of the first period. I thought that was, you know, key for us.
We were able to answer back when they scored, and so not to give ‘em too much life. I think that’s real important. I know Tip real good, and Brenden Morrow. These are proud people that win all the time. They’re used to winning. They come to the rink to win. They’re not coming to the rink for any other reason today. We have to take that away. So it’s going to take our best effort.
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Comments
His puck retrieval skills are, I think, the best in the League.
Yes.
Posted by Osrt on 05/14/08 at 03:00 PM ET
Kinda like the last couple sentences myself.
Then again, can’t say as I disagree with Uncle Mike much nor often.
The Homer getting pucks reminds me of the in game interview (IIRC it was the 8-2 blowout of the Dives) of the Drunk Chipmunk talking about D n Z ... “it’s pretty much Pavel to Hank, Hank to Pavel and Pavel back to Hank. I’m there for rebounds and to give them the puck back”.
And to think Scotty told him to change his # from 96 to 98, “cause that’s the year you’re going back (to Sweden).
Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 05/14/08 at 03:45 PM ET
Too bad he isn’t from eastern Canada - then we could call him a Labrador retriever!
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 05/14/08 at 03:54 PM ET
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