NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: RED WINGS v FLYERS

June 6, 1997

Darren McCarty

DARREN McCARTY: We think about our team as the guys that are here have matured since 1995. We have learned. No one is going to hand anything to us. We have got to work for it. But we also know that we believe in ourselves that if we work hard and work the other team, that we are going to win. That is pretty simple. We try to make it as simple as possible.

DARREN McCARTY: Everybody has their own different opinions about that. Nobody really knows until the game is played. We have got to play the game. We understand that. We have got to prepare ourselves just like we have prepared in the past. We don't want to fall into the same trap in Game 5 in Colorado. We got to come focused and ready to play. We are going to treat this like this a do or die game for us. And we will be ready to play. We are focused. We know we have got to working hard and, you know, it is exciting, obviously, but we keep things in check. Everybody else can blow things out of proportion. And, you know, it is good for them if that is what they want to do, but we are not about that.

DARREN McCARTY: You know. No, you know why, because in the past that is what we have tried to do is live up to everybody's expectations and it hasn't worked. This year we lived up to our expectations, everybody in here, that is all we care about. I mean, in -- we figure if we concentrate on that, everything will work out. But, we are not worried about what the fans think or what the town, the media. They can think whatever they want. We know what we have to do to win.

DARREN McCARTY: Last year pretty much. I mean, I would say pretty much last year. This year a bit. We learned everything. You can't pinpoint and say this is what we have learned right here and then and there. It has been -- we are still learning. It is a learning experience and we are still learning. You always learn.

DARREN McCARTY: I can't remember. I don't recall. I guess you look for the positive in them in a disappointment like that in a whole series. I am a positive person so I really don't remember the negative things. I try not to.