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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: OILERS v HURRICANES


June 19, 2006


Rod Brind'Amour


RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: Game Seven

Q. Rod, when Justin Williams scored into the empty net and when the Final file buzzer sounded. You bent over. Was that exhaustion?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: It was just surreal. It has been a big weight on everyone's shoulders, but on mine, I just it just kind of came to a head when I realized that was it we were going to win. It's tough to explain to be honest with you. We have been through a lot. So many guys on this team that just -- I mean, years -- and the years and the ache and, you talk about Wes there. I have been with him for a long time.
I have seen the injuries he's played through, and I sit with him on the plane and we never talk about it. But there after Game 6 I just kept thinking there is just no way we can let this go. There's too many guys that deserve this. And, you know, that is -- I guess it all came to a head all that emotion.

Q. Can you elaborate on what Glen said about the speech after Game 6? Is this more emotional than you ever thought it could be?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: Well, no, I mean, I got to be honest. Since Game 5 there was a great big lump in my chest. I have just been feeling it. There is -- you know what is at stake. When you have so many guys that just deserve it and you just you want it so bad, not just for yourself, but for the guys sitting beside, you your dad and your kids, guys that have been with you, your friends, there's so many people that you are thinking about that are pulling for you. And, you know, it's exhausting really, and I just can't be happier for all these people that deserve it.

Q. Rod, talk about the job that Cam Ward did in goal?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: I don't know what else more can be said, to be honest with you. The kid came in when we were down and out, so to speak, and just brought us life, and goaltending wins you championships. No mistake about it. Everybody knows it. We had the best goalie in the Playoffs.
Got to raise the Cup because of that kid, and there is just -- I am very proud of him, and he's a good kid. But he just played awesome. You saw it. He never looked like the there was a panic situation. Even empty netters, he was just calm. You don't realize how much confidence that gives a team.

Q. Third time, that emotion that you talked about, how much of that was due to thinking about knowing what it feels like to get this close and lose?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: Well, that's part of it. I mean, today I just kept thinking we got to -- it was almost -- you have the fear of losing motivates you a lot of times. You just can't -- there's no way you are going to have that happen, and that's the way we played tonight.
It was just no way we were going to lose, and a couple of minutes there in the third that was a little shaky. But really first two periods on that is how we played, and you know, we deserved it.

Q. Wondering if you could say a few words about the young guys that have come up from the Lowell (ph) squad last year and from this year and how they impacted the team?
ROD BRIND'AMOUR: Our young kids pushed the older guys. You watch them play, the energy that they provide. They play like veterans, but they are a constant. Every night they were a force. They give guys like myself, and like I said, the older guys' motivation because and energy and that's you can't you got to have that.

End of FastScripts...

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