NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: STARS v DEVILS

June 4, 2000

Richard Matvichuk

Kirk Muller

Darryl Sydor

Scott Thornton

KIRK MULLER: Obviously it was a tough series. We knew that Colorado series would be real tough, and we put a lot of emphasis into it to win that one and -- but New Jersey is no different. They have battled their way to get to the Finals. And when you get to this stage, obviously it is rewarding to be here and fight for the Cup and have that opportunity. So I don't think we can use being tired or anything as any excuse. We heard that some people said our team looks a little tired, all that. I think it is just the style of the game right now. Both teams are playing. You are fighting for every inch out there, and there is no space. But I think we still have a lot left in the tank. We just got to use it a little better and get better results.

RICHARD MATVICHUK: I agree totally. When you get to this situation where it is a race to four to see who wins the Stanley Cup, it is obviously -- I think the deterioration factor and everything that comes along with it, it's put behind you. And it is a race to four. And I think if you ask anybody in either dressing room if we are tired or they are tired, they are -- you are not tired. I think adrenaline and everything else takes over once you get into game time.

KIRK MULLER: I think they are a pretty balanced line. They seem like they have really -- they played together for a while, and they really have great chemistry there. We see them sometimes where they just throw the puck in areas that they know they are going to be, and so you have to be aware of that. But I think they have shown they can play well defensively. But as soon as the pucks turnover, they have a real good transition there and they attack pretty quick. He obviously has good size, so certain lines in the League have that chemistry, and they seem to have it. So we have to, obviously, be aware and start containing that line.

SCOTT THORNTON: I think Jamie was a big part of the line just because he is a great hockey player. I don't think that rattled the chemistry on our line or not. He is a tough player to replace. We definitely miss him. And Joe and I have been playing with different guys at times, and haven't had the results in this series. We didn't score against much against Colorado either. We are trying to be effective in other ways, in physical ways, and I think you have to give credit to the other team for playing a real tight defense against us. And we are just having -- going to have to keep battling, keep fighting through. We faced a little controversy in the San Jose series, and we finished well and strong because we kept our confidence high and kept fighting through it.

DARRYL SYDOR: I don't think -- I think he has done fine. I think in Game 1 if you are thinking about that, we were on the ice for five goals, I think in a row, but it is everybody. It is just not one player. Zubov is an outstanding player, and I guess if he doesn't get two, three points a night, maybe people think he is not getting the job done. He has been physical, all being physical. It is something that Zuby has really picked up is being physical. He is getting into areas, moving the puck. That is what we have to do, move the puck. I don't see any problem in Sergei's game.

SCOTT THORNTON: I guess the best way to do it is just to have confidence in yourself and in our team systems. Obviously, there is nothing we can do about Game 1. Not many positives we can pull out of that night. We rebounded strong. That has been sort of the characteristic of the team. I haven't been here long, but it is one thing I noticed right away is this team has got strong personnel in the dressing room. They keep their confidence level high and they don't get rattled by situations like that. And I don't think that we stunk the last game. I think it was a great hockey game and -- but we lost.

SCOTT THORNTON: I see what you mean, but it has been a rollercoaster and Playoffs are like that. Much like the Colorado series, every game, the momentum shifted, not only from night to night, but at five-minute increments throughout the series -- it could be anybody's game. That is the way Playoffs are. Got two great hockey teams battling for the Cup right now. The momentum is not always going to be our way, and the key thing with our team is that we got a lot of mature guys in the dressing room that maintain our confidence.

RICHARD MATVICHUK: Of course, we don't want to go down 3-1. Fortunately, we haven't won a Game 3 yet, but we have always rebounded Game 4 and come out with a strong performance. We have got key guys in our dressing room all the way from guys that just got here, like Scott Thornton and Manson and Guy Carbonneau, Hatcher and Modano. We have got experience that have been here before. Last year everybody that won here and that was here learned a lot, and we just got a lot of experience that takes the key out of everything.

DARRYL SYDOR: I think just like Matty says, we have so much experience in the dressing room, I think that obviously you couldn't like what happened the night before. But the next day is a new day, and we realize what we have to do, and maybe we just play a little bit more desperate, a little bit more under control, and keep it simple. Keep it simplified and get things done. Maybe that is a part of it that we do a lot better in trying to rebound to usually even up a series.

RICHARD MATVICHUK: I think that whole complete line of Sykora, Elias and Arnott that they are playing really well together. They have been together for over a year now and it is just they know where each other are. It is just like if you look at Darryl Sydor and Zubov, when you get used to playing with certain guys, you get used to knowing where they are. And when they throw the puck behind the net, one of them is usually there on 3-on-2 or 2-on-1. They know what is going on with each other. Jason is playing real well right now. He's got two skilled players. But we know the way -- myself and Hatcher -- and if we are physical and we can shut them down, we are going to give ourself and our team a pretty good chance to win.

KIRK MULLER: No, we left -- we leave it up with Hitch and our coaching staff to what is best right there. Obviously, Carbonneau has made a living his whole career on those type of challenges, all that. But it certainly is a line that we got to contain and all that. We just have to find the right matchups. Whatever Hitch feels is going to be best for the team, that is what we are going to go with. We got to spread the scoring out a little bit with our hockey club, and at the same time, contain those guys. But I think it is going to be a tight series from here on in, low scoring. And you are going to battle for every goal. So I think it goes back to everyone loves challenge, and we have a lot of guys here that would love to take it on. But it is important that we find the right matchup for our club.

SCOTT THORNTON: I didn't play with Jere in the third. Him and Joe were together. I think Jere just has a little different aspect of that line. He's obviously a great defensive hockey player, and that has been proven in the past. But he can create a lot of offense in the zone. He's confident with the puck, and he's poised in the corners, and he is not afraid to battling, get his nose dirty. It is much like the same things that Jamie contributed to the line. So I don't know if that is going to be a combination or not. I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. It is like Kirk says, we leave all the decisions with the coach, and we just trust in his decisions and go out and battle as best we can with any lineup we have.

DARRYL SYDOR: I think maybe -- I am not sure if he is bigger, stronger. But I think he's a lot more mature. He has played the game for years, and you learn from things that you have maybe not done well and people around you, and he's for sure a lot more mature and a lot more composed with the puck, and obviously creates a lot of space out there for the other two guys. And he's a guy that you want, they want to have the puck in the corners. That is where he does a great job. And to contain him, it is a tough task. But there is guys on our team that want that challenge.

RICHARD MATVICHUK: I think we have all got confidence in Joe. I think just because Joe hasn't scored 6 or 7 goals in the first 4 games that everybody thinks he's not playing very well. Joe is playing very well for us. He's playing on the line. He's used to playing with Jamie, but less playing with Scott and whoever else is thrown out there. They have been a pretty good dominant force in the offensive zone. I think if you can look at the game tapes and look at the way the games went, that Joe's line spent a lot of time on the offensive zone. That is a matchup we want. When you can get guys like that with that much talent, with Joe in front of the net making scoring chances, guys like Scott Thornton working down low, I think that is a matchup that we want as a team and as an organization. And I think Joe, he plays his spots really well. And I think just because last year when he won the Conn Smythe everyone expected him to come in here and score 12 goals in the first series. It is beyond that. He's playing very well for us. Just because he is not scoring seven, eight goals in the series doesn't mean he is not playing well.

SCOTT THORNTON: Well, I think, as Matty referred to there, we have spent some good time in the offensive zone. We just really haven't created a lot of good scoring chances in front of the net. But I don't think that is going to happen. As Kirk mentioned before there is going to be tight checking games, and I think any goals that you score in a series like this are going to be just scrambles and rebounds and chip-ins and screens and tips, like that. That is not stuff that you can -- it is not execution. That is just hard work and the willingness to battle in front of the net. I think we have got that as a unit. And Joe, I think, has been creating a lot with his speed in the neutral zone right now. And we just have to do a better job of bringing that puck out of the corners and getting in front of the net, and as we said, that is not X's and O's to execute stuff like that. That is just grittiness and willingness to battle, and we are going to do some more of that.

KIRK MULLER: Well, I think we got a big challenge right now, we are looking forward to it. We are in a tough series. Jersey is playing well. Everyone knows what kind of style they play -- play well defensively. They are a confident bunch right now. They are coming off a big high from Philadelphia. And likewise for us, sometimes the word "urgency" might not appear there or look like it is there when you are trying to fight through a team like that. But I think we are as a hockey club right now, still feel like we can go out and play desperate tomorrow night and we know how big and important that Game 4 is. But like Scott had mentioned there, we are going to have to battle for every inch that we can get right now and got to get more pucks to the net, create more opportunities and all. That is just: Hey, we are in the Stanley Cup Finals. No one said it is going to be easy. And I don't think any of us felt it was going to be at the start of the series. So we are in it and we are in the thick of things, and we got a good bunch and guys that want to do well. So we have always responded well in these circumstances in the past, and I think tomorrow is going to be a big game for us, and I think everyone is going to be ready.