NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PENGUINS v DEVILS

May 12, 2001

Larry Robinson

COACH ROBINSON: It was an okay game. We started off a little slow. I think the guys were a little tentative, especially when you are going up against firepower like that, we were a little bit too careful. So, we got it going later on a little bit.

COACH ROBINSON: There was an understanding. I really didn't -- I didn't see it, but I was told that it wasn't that good of a penalty. So, we knew.

COACH ROBINSON: We made a few little adjustments after the first period because, I mean, we went in thinking they were playing one way and they come out playing another way. So, we had to adjust how they were forechecking us, and I think that helped a little bit.

COACH ROBINSON: Like I said, there's not a lot of difference between the two players. They are both tremendous hockey players. Whether you are worrying about Jagr on one line or Kovalev on another, it doesn't matter. You can switch them back around the other way, you've still got to worry about both of those players, because they are very dangerous.

COACH ROBINSON: Well, their whole team I think showed the effects of the game the other night. They looked a little tired.

COACH ROBINSON: Yeah, I agree. Other than right at the start where we played a little tentative, I think that's understandable, because, you know, you are going against some pretty good people on the other side, and sometimes you're in a little awe watching, as opposed to reacting, and I think we were doing more watching than reacting. Once we got going, I thought we played much better. I think our game picked up physically in all parts of the game, and I think that's got to be a big bonus for us. You can't -- you can't just let them, you know, skate around the ice. I think you have to -- you have to finish your checks with them. You certainly can't run, but, you know, when the -- you have to be kind of a physical presence, and when the hits are there, you have to finish them.

COACH ROBINSON: I really didn't pay that much attention. I was paying more attention to the fact that, you know, we were sitting back a little bit too much and we were throwing pucks through the middle of the ice and they were picking them off, and they had some good scoring chances. I think I was paying more attention to that than what was going on on their side.

COACH ROBINSON: Well, that second one was -- I don't care who is in the net, you can't stop that. He got all of that one. His first one he made kind of a good play, because the puck kind of tipped and was bouncing and he knocked it right in the air. So that was a good individual effort. The ice wasn't very good tonight and the puck was doing a lot of bouncing.