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Today with Michel Therrien
by Alanah McGinley on 05/27/08 at 03:02 PM ET
Comments (10)
The media had some questions today for Penguins coach, Michel Therrien. Transcript is below.
Q. A couple of your players last night after the game said that they thought the style that you guys had used to great success to get to this point wasn’t working because of what Detroit was doing. What can you do as a coach to switch up the strategy on this? Does it need to be switched up?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: First of all, you’re not coming to the Stanley Cup Final and start to change all your system. It takes years that players feel comfortable. That’s not the way it works.
You have give credit to the Red Wings. They played well. They played well in their building. This is a tough place to play. Yesterday, I liked our work ethic. I think our intensity was there. We have all the reasons in the world to be optimistic as well for Game No. 3. As good as the Red Wings is in their building, we are as good at home, too.
And it’s demanding to win on the road. It’s demanding. We haven’t lost a game in two months in our building. We feed from our crowd. It’s tough to play on the road. And we’re going to be ‑ another time we’re going to be a tough team to play when we’re at home.
And we addressed it with the players briefly before their optional practice. And we feel that our concentration’s got to be on Game 3. That’s all that matters to us right now. And after that, we win Game 3, but momentum could change.
Q. You have been on the other side of this, being up 2‑0 in the previous three series, but you hate to use the term “must win” and this isn’t a clinching game but you don’t want to be down 3‑0. But is this a must win?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: This is an important game, let me put it this way.
Q. I think certainly a lot of hockey fans in Canada were looking forward to the series between the two talented top teams. People are wondering what’s happened. It seems from the outside to be so one‑sided after the first two games. How do you explain what’s happened, and what’s your assessment of that and people’s perception of the relative noncompetitive nature of it?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: Well, honestly, I truly believe the first game, our young team was really nervous. We fell behind early in the game yesterday, and this is a team that it’s tough to generate offense with the obstruction that they’re doing.
But you know what, they’re doing it the right way. It’s like there’s a dotted line. Sometimes they’ll cross it a little bit. And that goes with experience. It’s tough to generate offense. And you need to score dirty goals. The tic‑tac‑toe play, sometimes it’s going to happen. But most of the time you’re going to put the puck at the net, and you’re going to crash the net.
This is where it’s tough for us. Because Osgood, like we saw yesterday on Malone, he’s there to go in front of the net. If he’s going to go at the players and fell down, it’s tough to score dirty goals. And he’s good at it.
So because you’re not going in front of the net, you still have to go in front of the net to score those dirty goals. But in the meantime, there’s a line. You have to leave the player in the front of the net to get the rebounds, because if the goalie is going to challenge the players and fell down, then you’re going to have two minutes of penalty, because you’re in front of the net. Malone’s intention was not to go to hit the goalie. This is not something we’re doing.
He went in front of the net, and Osgood challenged him and he fell. Sykora was trying to retrieve the puck, and he played well, Osgood. He moved the puck, and he went on Sykora and fell down. Osgood did the same thing against Dallas, against Ribeiro. But we’re still going try to be there and try to score those ugly goals, give us some confidence. But there’s a fine line.
Q. Are you thinking of making a lineup change? Are you thinking of using Darryl Sydor at this point?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: We’ll see tomorrow.
Q. How do you describe the confidence level, especially among your forwards, some of the chances you have got, missed the net, things like that? How do you feel the confidence level is?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: Well, obviously we need to generate a lot more offense than we did in the last two games. That’s not a secret. I mean, better puck support, attack with speed, taking better decisions with the puck.
We need to use our speed a lot more than we did. But in the meantime, they did a great job to take away our speed. So we’ve got to move our feet. It’s tough to ‑ I think the power play could generate some confidence to a team. And last night, well they played, I believe, like four minutes and 10 seconds.
So that’s not a lot compared to 13 minutes for them. So going to try to keep focusing on our work ethic and focusing on little details that I believe we could be better, the way we’re supposed to play regarding our system.
So when we’re focusing on those things, we’ll be able to generate more offense.
Q. You’ve done obviously a really good job coaching this team to this point. This is clearly your biggest hurdle at this time, to try to figure this thing out and figure it out in a hurry. Is this a tactics thing with your players? Is this something you have to teach them here, or is this something where you have to get them here in the heart and get them to play better somehow, someway?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: First of all, their heart is there. This is a team that we don’t have much experience. There’s a reason why we’re here, because this is a team that really battles. And they’re never going to give up.
Yesterday, I liked their intensity. We have to make sure we’re focusing on the things we have to do. And sometimes when things don’t go your way, for a young group, you could get a tendency to get out of the game plan, try to do too much.
By doing too much, you’re not going to accomplish a lot of things. So it’s the way that we’ve seen with that young team, we do a lot of videos and try to make sure that we’re sharp, first of all, physically. I believe we’re sharp. I think our desire is there. But we’ve got to make sure we’re sharp mentally too, as well.
Q. Given the amount the Zetterberg line is playing, how much of an effort will you try to make them get away from Sidney’s line?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: If you break down the ice time, the difference with Zetterberg, that is most of their special teams. Yesterday we went with three lines most of the time, and they went three lines most of the time.
They got 13 minutes of power play. We got four. I like to give roles to players, and we got guys who kills penalties. This is their role. There are offensive guys, they’re not always on the ice to kill penalties. They were at times yesterday because we were down by two goals or three goals at times, and this is where you have to take chances, you have no choice.
But we’re still young. We’re talking about guys ‑ you make comparison about guys who are 20, 21 years old against other guys. So there’s a process. And in that process, we, two years ago, were not expecting we’re going to be in the Stanley Cup Final with that young group. But we surprised a lot of people that we’re here so quickly.
But there’s still a process to be made. Regarding ice line, five on five, it’s the same. Power play, if we would have had 13 minutes of power play yesterday compared to four, you would have ended up to say Crosby/Malkin would be more ice time.
So one thing you have to pay attention, you gotta break down even strength, power play, PK.
Q. Is there a chance we’ll see Crosby and Malkin together five on five?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: We would do it at times. We do it at times.
Q. You’ve talked a little bit about the work ethic and the penalties. Do you feel that through the first two games your team has worked hard enough, and would you like to see them work even harder?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: I really believe yesterday we worked hard. We worked hard. First game we were tense. And it’s pretty normal to be tense. When you’re 19 years old, when you’re 20 years old, and when you’re 21 years old, you play your first Stanley Cup Final so quickly, I spoke to a few guys after the first game. And they were nervous.
And I believe it’s normal. But I thought yesterday our work ethic is there. Our desire was there. We need to be better in a few things, but this is a tough place to play. You have to realize that. We only lost one game and Turco was outstanding. He was making the breakout, and he got two assists that night. So they’re a good team.
Q. When you break down the tape of the first two games, how many scoring chances are you getting, and how does that compare to what you were getting against Philly or the Rangers in the past two rounds?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: Obviously, they play well defensively. We haven’t scored. So we generate less coin chance against Detroit than we have in the past.
Q. In the three previous series, your team had an uncanny ability of breaking the spirit of the team you were playing against at the right time. You were up 2‑0. You went in their building all three times and ended any hope they had of making that a series. How do you avoid now having your team’s spirit broken early tomorrow or some point tomorrow night?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: Like I said earlier, it’s a crucial game. It could be a crucial game for both teams. Not only for us, but them as well. I like the confidence of our team in our building. The Red Wings played with a lot of confidence in their building.
And we do play with a lot of confidence in our building. And you have to be a good home team to be in the Final. And they’re a good home team to go to the Final. That’s one of the reasons why. And we are a good home team. And that’s why we are optimistic for tomorrow.
Q. There’s obviously, before the series, a lot of talk about the amount of Stanley Cups they won, their experience as well. Do you at all worry your guys may be giving them too much credit at this point?
COACH MICHEL THERRIEN: Well, they play well. What do you want me to say? They don’t play well? They play well. But I thought yesterday our work ethic is there. So we’ve still got to focus on the work ethic, we’ve got to make some adjustments about our concentration. A few times there’s stuff I didn’t like. And we’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: interview, media, michel+therrien, quotes, transcript,
Comments
We fell behind early in the game yesterday, and this is a team that it’s tough to generate offense with the obstruction that they’re doing.
But you know what, they’re doing it the right way.
I see YZ beat me to it, but man, talk about back-pedaling.
This is where it’s tough for us. Because Osgood, like we saw yesterday on Malone, he’s there to go in front of the net. If he’s going to go at the players and fell down, it’s tough to score dirty goals.
Nobody has more goals, justly or unjustly, called off than Holmstrom. It doesn’t keep him from playing the game in front of the net. Don’t make excuses.
This whole presser, with the numerous references to the youth of his team (something he played down before the series), reeks of a coach that’s trying to cover his own ass. Way to throw your players under the bus, coach. Calling them out when they are playing poorly ("Dey are soff") is one thing—saying they are nervous or that their poor play is somehow better than it appears simply because they are young?
Keep it up. The more you say these things, the more built-in excuses you are giving your club to fail. And when teams give up against the Wings, they take the opportunity and run with it (see game four against the Avs and game six against Dallas).
Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 05/27/08 at 03:03 PM ET
Yeah, this guy has no idea what to do. Reminding the media and your team that they are so young, no one expected them to make it to the SCF is not a good strategy.
The reality is they do have to change their game plan, but they don’t have the players to do it and Therrien knows it. They need to get their forwards and the D-men in the neutral zone, clogging up the play. When the Wings cough up the puck, their D-men need to display this fantastic transition game we keep hearing about and advance with the play.
Unfortunately, their D-men are not fast enough to advance with the play and contribute offensively and the only one who is (Gonchar) isn’t good enough defensively to know how to handle a Red Wings rush when he isn’t several strides in front of the puck. They are screwed either way. If they keep doing what they are doing, they don’t get any offense, and if they push their D to help out in the neutral zone and on the offense, they leave themselves wide open for some Zetterberg/ Datsyuk/ Filpulla/ Franzen heroics.
Therrien is going to keep doing what he is doing and hope that the benefit of the last change will give Crosby and Malkin some more room. But the question he has to ask himself is, which Wings line would he rather have Crosby out against? Zetterberg’s? Franzen’s? Draper’s? Which D-man pairing...Lidstrom-Rafaski? Kronwall-Stuart? Every Wings line is taught to be strong defensively and to pressure for turnovers in the neutral zone.
This is a no-win situation for the Pens.
Posted by John from Austin, Texas on 05/27/08 at 03:22 PM ET
Nathan, you said it. Therrien is covering his own but and selling out his players in the process. There is nothing more inspiring than telling the media that your team is losing because of a character flaw that is irreparable because of their age.
They may not be able to compete at this level because they are too young and inexperienced, but home ice will save them! You just wait and see....
Posted by John from Austin, Texas on 05/27/08 at 03:27 PM ET
Alright, I give up. After haunting the KK boards and Abel to Yzerman since the lockout, I finally decided to register. The two comments above are mine.
Posted by John from Pittsburgh, PA (Wings fan for life!) on 05/27/08 at 03:37 PM ET
These are the moments that make me appreciate Babs even more. You would never hear these kinds of layered excuses from him.
Why aren’t we driving the net to get the garbage goals: Ozzie dives. Umm...what were you doing for the first 115 minutes?
Why aren’t you generating any offense: they obstruct; we’re young; they’re good defensively; we’re nervous; we’re overachievers for our age;
Compare that to Babs: when a reporter asked him if the Wings can play any better
“Oh, we’re *gonna* play better” : his tone was almost threatening. Who brings the best out of their players?
Posted by Osrt on 05/27/08 at 03:37 PM ET
LOL @ Wikipedia on Michel Therrien:
Began his coaching career with the Yahoo fantasy hockey league, the Montreal HockeyRulesForever, averaging 120 points a season.
Got to love Wikipedia.
On a serious note, John, you make great points. The problem Therrien will have with last change is that even if he sticks Crosby out against Helm’s line, and Babcock is unable to get the guys swapped on the fly, then The Flying Circus will end up out against one of the weaker defensive lines in the Malkin line or the Hall line (which they exploited on Homer’s goal last game).
The Pens have to play better. I mean, they’ll be at home, they will get some better matchups at least here and there through last change. We’ll see what happens. If the Wings can re-assert their faceoff dominance in game three, they can use that to nullify the Pens last change advantage.
Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 05/27/08 at 03:56 PM ET
Watching NHL “On the Fly” last night, and Larry Murphy, of all people (if you can believe it) summed up his opinion on Therrien (after Terry’s post game presser) in one word: “flabbergasted”.
I think that sums him up quite accurately.
From Dictionary.com
adjective
as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise
Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 05/27/08 at 04:05 PM ET
excuses excuses
Therrien is a coach who at the moment has no answer to the Red Wings so he is doing whatever he can to cover his own butt.
I personally cant stand the guy he has a pathetic look on his face when things aint going his teams way, its the the refs, its the diving, come on.
He is being outcoached and his team is being outplayed by the better team, the Penguins aint out of it yet but i cant wait to here his excuses if the lose the series.
How ironic that a team and fanbase who has dismissed the notion that they are getting the advantage of some dubious calls and that there captain doesn’t go down easy is now complaining about the very things that the teams they knocked were complaining about.
Sounds like karma if you ask me.
Posted by nyr30 from Scotland on 05/28/08 at 05:19 AM ET
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Okay, so before Game 1, “HCMT” said the Penguins weren’t nervous, just excited. Now, he says they were nervous, but that’s normal.
Last night, the Wings were obstructing his players and the refs were ignoring it. Today, it’s
“But you know what, they’re doing it the right way. It’s like there’s a dotted line. Sometimes they’ll cross it a little bit.”
And now, his players are so inexperienced...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah...blah…
These are the sounds of a coach with no answers. Treading water for now. But going under soon.
Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 05/27/08 at 02:32 PM ET