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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: FLAMES v LIGHTNING


May 31, 2004


Chris Clark

Jarome Iginla


CALGARY, ALBERTA: Game Four

JAROME IGINLA: We have got to find ways to -- we missed the net on a few good chances. We had some chances. We have to find a way to score one goal. But I don't think it was just a lack of discipline.
Q. What did you think of officiating?
JAROME IGINLA: Doesn't do us any good to comment now. I mean, it's tough. It was pretty tough out there to see some of those things. That's the way it is and from our point of view, we got to find ways to score one goal and then another, and we'll think about ourselves more than worry about that other stuff.
Q. You had some chances but missed the net with some pretty good shots --
JAROME IGINLA: We had very good chances in the second period coming right down the slot, at least a few. I know myself I missed a very good chance and some others right down the slot. So we got to find ways to hit the net, but that happens some nights, our point of view 5 on 5 we weren't outplayed. We have got to play better. We have got to find ways to not only hit the net but to score. We're not going to win in front of Kipper not scoring any goals. So we will be better.
Q. (Inaudible)?
JAROME IGINLA: It is an opportunity, but at the same time it's supposed to be tough. They are not just rolling over and giving it to us and letting us go 3-1 or anything like that. It's the Stanley Cup Finals, it is supposed to be tough. Each time for whatever reason, you lose a game you get more desperate and I thought we had a pretty good start there. I thought we came out and had some chances right off the first few shifts, end up with 5 on 3 for two minutes, I mean, that doesn't help our cause. Then we hang in there, but it's -- we got better in our room. As far as opportunities, it's best of three now.
Q. Nieminen's hit late in the game, your take on that?
JAROME IGINLA: Well, Kerry was right there. He was the closest ref to it. He didn't call anything. Brad was the furthest away, you know, but maybe it is a penalty, but it's a -- he hopped up pretty quick. I don't know. If I was to break it down, I probably have a lot of complaints and it's not the time for that.
Q. To two days off. Speak about that.
JAROME IGINLA: We weren't as sharp, we didn't skate as well as we could have. This one hurts. This is a chance to go up 3-1 because you look at them, were they really that good? We outshot them. They had way more power plays than us, so it's a very -- it is a tough one to take, when we know if we could have been a little bit better and found ways to score a couple of goals. It's not one where we got beaten. We did get beat on the scoreboard but we also feel like we beat ourselves.
Q. On Khabibulin.
JAROME IGINLA: He was good. Both goalies were very good. We had some chances. He made his saves, but I think on our best chances we unfortunately we didn't make the most of them and that happens. That's good goaltending. It should be both ways, we missed the net on a few. We got to find ways to have more of them. That's just a matter of if we had, a great chances we have got to find a way to make them.
Q. (Inaudible)?
JAROME IGINLA: We have seen it a lot against us, but it was tough to take. Off the start we had a pretty good start. We had some hits, had some chances, and then two minutes 5 on 3, I mean we would love to kill it but percentages are pretty high. They are a very skilled club with a very good power play and our doing whatever the result what that was, that was -- but after that, you know it's 1-nothing, we should have found a way to be better.
Q. What was the difference tonight? Strictly a case of them stepping up their game or --
JAROME IGINLA: Oh, you like -- you give teams credit when they do stuff with their game. They found a way to win a close game. So you give them that credit, but this is a tough one to take. We feel like we beat ourselves. They had a lot more power plays than us and we still found ways to outshoot them, so I don't think they were going full throttle here, and that was a real opportunity for us that was missed.
Q. How much did that early goal change the complexion of the game?
JAROME IGINLA: We have got to find ways. We want to score the first goal, but if we don't, we have got to find ways to still score a goal or more. But unfortunately you look -- or fortunately if you score the first one, the results of that goal are very big. It's tough not to comment on other things and how the 5 on 3 and things because it's not going to do us any good. We have still got to find a way to score goals in a game. That one didn't help us, no doubt about that. I think as a group of forwards, we have got to hit more net and we have also got to create more chances. This game tonight wasn't our best effort.
Q. Is this the angriest you have ever been after a loss?
JAROME IGINLA: This is a tough one to take, I will tell you, yeah, for a lot of reasons, though. This is a tough to take because a chance to go one game away from a Stanley Cup, I mean, the finale, I mean, the Stanley Cup we didn't take advantage of it and it wasn't -- they found a way to win a close game, but it was there for us. It was really there for us and then we were frustrated for other reasons, too.
Q. Bad reaction from the fans and the bench several times toward the officiating, was it a factor?
JAROME IGINLA: I mean, I'd love to comment but it's really not the time; it doesn't do us any good. As far as our fans, they have a right to be frustrated and upset for many reasons. Our play, we got to find ways to score a goal and more than one and make the most of this opportunity and also other reasons to be frustrated.
Q. (Inaudible)?
JAROME IGINLA: I think we do. I think the determination, guys were working but we have more determination. Shutouts are something but when you're shut out as a group of forwards, we have to look at ourselves. It wasn't like we had 50 shots and you know, Khabibulin made some very good saves, but we have got to make him make more saves so I think we look at ourselves and know that we have to be better an it's best of three coming up.
Q. (Inaudible)?
JAROME IGINLA: We're expecting to score a goal but we have got work harder. It's something that this game, we have made it this far this year on hard work and determination and finding ways to score goals, and that one unfortunately you know, you look at a lot of things, we have to look at ourselves and say there's more in that room.
Q. (Inaudible)?
CHRIS CLARK: We had chances, shot wide or shot into him or made a big save here or there. We didn't give him the big test that we needed to.
Q. The crowd, the bench several times had a bad reaction of officiating. Do you think it was --
CHRIS CLARK: We had our chances. If we bury those chances, it's not a factor.
Q. 5 on 3 -- (inaudible)?
CHRIS CLARK: Plenty of time to come back. We had our chances like I said. It's something we as a team know that if we had buried them or made more chances, we would have come out with a different outcome.
Q. The road hasn't scared you at all this year.
CHRIS CLARK: No, it has been pretty good to us. I don't know the reasons but we played very well on the road, so it's one more thing, might have to win two more on the road so we'll see.
Q. (Inaudible)?
CHRIS CLARK: It's surprising, but I guess they are penalties and they have to call them. It's part of the game. Part of the rules. You have to play within the rules and we didn't.
Q. Looks like there might have been a chance to even it up in the second --
CHRIS CLARK: Could have been, but it's their call so we have got to live with it. We did have plenty of time to come back.
Q. (Inaudible)?
CHRIS CLARK: I've got to control my emotions and keep my stick down, that's it.
Q. Were you surprised the call was made?
CHRIS CLARK: A little bit, but like I said, it was a penalty, so they have to call it.
Q. Do you think there should have been a retaliation penalty on that as well?
CHRIS CLARK: Could have been, but you never know. He might not have saw it. It's just the way it goes sometimes.
Q. Did it boil down to lack of discipline on your guy's part?
CHRIS CLARK: Maybe. It always hurts the team. Being in the penalty box is not good for any team. Lack of discipline is sometimes the key to winning or losing a game. That was the only goal of the game, so it was.
Q. (Inaudible)?
CHRIS CLARK: We just come back and go at them. We have been down. The series is tied. It is a best of three right now and we're going back to their place.
Q. Missed a good one, missed the net. (Inaudible)
CHRIS CLARK: 5 on 5, we're a very good team. We created many chances to put us in the position to win. We just happened to miss the net or he made a save or something like that, but it's there for us and it's not like we were outmatched tonight.
Q. One of those things where a goaltender is hot and you are trying to be perfect or is it just one of those nights -- (inaudible)?
CHRIS CLARK: We maybe want to shoot high. We were shooting high. Maybe we'll shoot low next game. We tried to pick corners and if it goes in, it's the best shot. We even it up. But they didn't.
Q. Ready for a couple days off?
CHRIS CLARK: I think we're ready to go. I don't like the two days off. I'd rather play every other night. I think that's the way most of the guys are feeling. We're well trained and we're a very excited team and we want to get going.
Q. Did you see the hit and was that clearly a five minute major?
CHRIS CLARK: I missed it. I just jumped on the ice. I didn't get to see it.
Q. The crosscheck after you were called, do you think that should have been a call?
CHRIS CLARK: Could have been, but he might have missed it. He might have been looking at some other play. I got the penalty. I deserved it. But you never know what they can call afterwards.
Q. That early goal did put you in a hole but you also had 57 minutes --
CHRIS CLARK: Yeah, right. That didn't cost us the game. We had plenty of time to come back, they held on very well. We had our chances. We just didn't bury them. A lot of the shots missed the net. One thing, their D and their forwards have been blocking a lot of shots and getting it around them. I think we did it a little this game but we need to do it more.
Q. Not enough traffic?
CHRIS CLARK: Too much traffic. They got three of their guys in front of the net. We have got to look for spots around them to throw them. It's very hard to do. There's chances. You saw when Iggy scored last game from the pass there, he didn't shoot it, he shot it -- passed it around. That's what we have to do.
Q. That's a conscious effort -- (inaudible)?
CHRIS CLARK: We know because they are opportunistic where they want to block shots and get on the forecheck right away. They get their two defensemen and the forward right in front of our defensemen. We have just got to have guys off to the side and shoot around them.
Q. You need to hit the net?
CHRIS CLARK: And hit the net, yeah.
Q. Was Khabibulin any better tonight?
CHRIS CLARK: No, our chances weren't -- we didn't capitalize on them. We missed the net sometimes, we didn't hit the net other times. It was just something on our part. It wasn't more him. I think it was more us.
Q. Good start though in the first. You get a goal early, before that double minor kills the momentum. Certainly you were capable of it on the basis of the chances, quality of the chances?
CHRIS CLARK: Right. It didn't cost us the game. It's so early, it did cost us eventually, but we had plenty of chances and time to do something about it.
Q. How tough was the third period? How difficult did they make it for you in the third?
CHRIS CLARK: They played the way they are supposed to play, played it simple, getting pucks deep and frustrating us that way. We would get the puck into their zone they'd just dump it out. We expect that. That's the same we would have done if we were in the same position.
Q. Does the team that loses, is there a little higher desperation level the next game?
CHRIS CLARK: Exactly. We'll come back and we're looking forward to it.
Q. Were you surprised when he gave you the penalty, because it seemed like it was a harmless play?
CHRIS CLARK: A little surprised but then again, it's a penalty. The stick came up. It's a penalty and he called the right call.
Q. Who called it?
CHRIS CLARK: Watson.

End of FastScripts...

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