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Game Day with Sidney Crosby
by Alanah McGinley on 06/02/08 at 12:22 PM ET
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Q. Michel Therrien has been talking about how as this series has progressed, you guys as a team have gotten better. How do you think you’re better equipped to handle the pressure of maybe playing in this building tonight, than maybe you were heading into Game 1?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I think we saw some pretty good results. We haven’t come out with a win in a couple of different occasions where we played pretty well. The chance has been there. Last game, we didn’t give them a whole lot. I think we played our position a lot better as the series has gone on and been more patient. We just have to keep doing the same thing.
Q. You said you saw a ton of Zetterberg; I don’t know if it will be different tonight. Based on what you had the first few games, has your confidence wavered at all about your ability to produce, despite seeing them shift after shift?
SIDNEY CROSBY: No, not at all. We had chances. And first couple of games didn’t go in and third game we finally got a couple. It’s not like we’re not seeing chances. It doesn’t really matter who we’re playing against, we just have to find a way.
Q. Each of the last two series you were the team with the 3-1 lead at home with a chance to wrap it up. With the things you learned, either from the way you guys approached it being up in that situation or from your opponents, that you can use in tonight?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I think for us to switch roles, we were looking at that game as a must-win, too. The last thing we wanted to do was go back to the other team’s building.
So being on the other side of it, I think that’s our motivation is knowing they probably don’t want to come back to Pittsburgh. And they’re certainly going to be desperate. But so are we. So I think that’s probably the way we look at it.
Q. Give me an idea of just how your mental approach is different maybe in a game you know could be the last one?
SIDNEY CROSBY: You try not to change too much. I mean, if anything, it should be natural for desperation to be there. I don’t think that’s ever a question, especially the situation. I think you want to play the same way. I don’t think you want to change too much. As I said, it’s natural for that desperation to come.
Q. You as the captain or you or any of the other guys in the locker room, are you doing anything specific to get Evgeni out of the funk he’s been in in the series?
SIDNEY CROSBY: No, we’re all here for each other all the time. Sometimes there’s times that are more difficult than others, and we’re there to help each other. In this case, he’s not any different. We’re there to talk to him and help him make sure that if there’s anything he needs to talk about. Basically, it’s up to us to make sure he feels comfortable. And we’re all still confident, and it’s important that he’s confident himself.
Q. The last time you guys were in a must-win situation, in Game 3, you were able to really elevate your game. Do you believe you have another gear yet you can still give?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I’m going to try. It’s pretty hard to say that before a game. But I’m definitely going to empty the tank. I’m not going to save anything. I think that’s going to be the case with all the guys.
But we all need to step up and whoever it is, it doesn’t matter. I mean, we’ve got to find a way to raise our game and come out here with a win.
Q. An idea, because it could be your last game, how your mental approach might change?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, it’s not going to change very much. I mean, like I said, your preparation is the same, and the desperation is going to be there with the situation. So going to approach everything the same way, come out with the same frame of mind, and just let everything else take over.
Q. You mentioned patience. How has your team been more patient as this series has gone on? And second part of the question is: Would you want to be patient and simplify your game tonight and just get pucks to the net; is that kind of the approach when you’re on the road?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Well, I think we’ve been more patient just staying in our position. They have a lot of great players. Sometimes you can get caught chasing a little bit. When you get caught chasing, you open things up a little more.
We have to trust where we are on the ice and trust our speed, that we’re going to be able to shut them down. And as far as simplifying things, yeah, for sure you want to get pucks to the net, especially on the road, especially in a game like this, where you have to throw everything at the net and find ways to put the puck in.
Q. Has the experience of being in the Stanley Cup Final matched your expectations of what the Stanley Cup Final would be about?
SIDNEY CROSBY: Yeah, pretty much. I mean, I don’t think there’s ? there really hasn’t been any surprises. So it’s been pretty much everything I expected.
Q. Reading the Detroit newspapers and listening to the local all-sports station, they pretty much seem to say this series is all but over. How do you feel about that, when you read and hear stuff like that?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I don’t really read the papers or listen to the radio. So I don’t usually have to worry about it. But that’s part of it. That’s part of dealing with the playoffs, and it’s the way the media works sometimes. It’s just the way it is. We can’t control that.
We’re in a tough situation, there’s no doubt. But the only way to get out of it is to keep fighting, and that’s what we’re going to try to do.
Q. On the end of those line rushes, you guys practice and you’re celebrating a little bit. Was that just getting back to being loose and having fun?
SIDNEY CROSBY: I think our team’s usually like that. That’s typically the way guys are. We enjoy going out there and working hard in practice. But most guys have fun doing it, too.
So I don’t think it’s anything different than the way we usually practice, which is a good sign. In a game like this, you want to prepare the same way and the guys seem like they’re ready to go.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: sidney+crosby,
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