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NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: FLAMES v SHARKS

May 13, 2004

Evgeni Nabokov

CALGARY, ALBERTA: Game Three

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Evgeni Nabokov.
Q. This is the first time the Flames have been shut out in the post-season. You must feel pretty good about that. Why do you think it happened tonight?
EVGENI NABOKOV: Well, first of all, I think we played a little bit of a more patient game, and I think we were pretty strong defensively.
I think it was a completely team effort, and that's why we won.
Q. Did you see a lot of the shots tonight compared to the other games? Did you see most of the shots?
EVGENI NABOKOV: You want me tell you that (smiling)?
I mean, yeah, they been doing a pretty good job for the whole three games. They were shooting the puck, and they were crushing the net. They've been doing everything what it takes to score the goals.
But today I think the most important part, I think we didn't have that many rushes against us, and that's why we were control on the play in the defensive zone.
Q. Were you personally more determined to be better tonight? Did you take it upon yourself to try and be the best?
EVGENI NABOKOV: There's no question, you try to go out every night and you try to give your team a chance to win every night. I think that's a goalie's job. What else the goalie can do? To go out and give your team a best chance to win the hockey game.
Q. What are you thinking about before the game starts when you have your head down there looking at the ice in that pose?
EVGENI NABOKOV: I think everyone in the locker room just think, you know, to win the game. That's the bottom line. We have to win one game at a time.
Q. Before every game, before the anthems, you're bent over in the net staring down at the ice. Is there a routine you go through mentally?
EVGENI NABOKOV: Just try to get focused, you know, to be -- challenge the shooter over time. Just try to focus more than anything, to kind of turn myself off the crowd and everything.
Q. Can you talk about maybe some of the criticism you took after the first couple of games, and if you felt that was a little unfair?
EVGENI NABOKOV: Honestly, I didn't read any quotes. I have no idea what you guys were saying. If it is, then that's fine. It's obviously we didn't get the win. I will take the full responsibility for that.
But that's the playoff. That's the hockey. You know, you go out there and you just try to -- like I said, you go out and you try to give your team a chance to win and make sure you're empty the tank. That's includes the goalie, that's include everybody else.
Q. After what happened in the first period of the first two games, that had to be a good feeling, a confidence builder for everybody, coming back into the room. You're not fighting from behind like you were in the first two games.
EVGENI NABOKOV: That's for sure. I mean, in a playoff, one or two goals in the first period can make the difference. And that's been a story the whole year along - the playoff also. We felt pretty good. You know, we tried to slow them down. We tried to create some opportunities for ourselves.
But I think the most important part, we've been patient enough. I don't think so that we've been patient in the second game at home.
Q. Even in defeat back in San Jose, you were very supportive of your teammates. What do you want to say tonight about the team? You looked so good overall, collectively.
EVGENI NABOKOV: Like I said, I think we played team game, and everybody was sacrificing the bodies. We killed the penalties pretty good, I think. We were pretty good in the penalty kill today.
It was a completely team effort. I think in the playoff, that's the story. None of the single player, I don't think so, that can win the game in the playoff. I don't know. I never see one.

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