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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: RANGERS v CANADIENSMay 26, 2014Martin St. LouisMONTREAL, QUEBEC: Practice Day Q. Boyle was saying that you guys in the playoffs Game 4 against Pittsburgh where you felt like you guys were in the moment or maybe not focused at the task at hand, and he said you guys got embarrassed. Was that a good learning tool anyway to avoid looking at it and kind of stay present? MARTIN ST. LOUIS: Well, for sure. Obviously, at that point our backs are against the wall. We had come off Game 3 where I felt we probably played one of our better games and I think I shut out 3‑0. And the following game we weren't very good at all. I think Game 3 was very deflating, and you felt it in Game 4, and now our backs are against the wall, and it's at a time where you can't worry about yesterday. You can't worry about Game 6. You've just got to take care of Game 5 and get in the battle and get it going. I thought we've done a good job at really staying even keel and I think it's helped us obviously keep moving forward. Q. Is it hard when you're so close to something and it's obviously a goal? MARTIN ST. LOUIS: Yeah, sometimes it's harder than others to stay even keel. But we've done nothing yet, you know? We keep reminding ourselves we understand the fourth game is the toughest one to win, and we know we're going to have to bring our best and more. Q. Players go through a time when you're playing against friends for former teammates and stuff like that. Can you appreciate the uniqueness that Alain and Therrien have? While they're close friends but it's been kind of contentious for varying reasons in this series and maybe the awkwardness that's there? MARTIN ST. LOUIS: I think we're all competitors. I think I have friends around the league and once you get in a battle, there is a sense of pride and a sense of competitiveness in you that just wants to beat, whether it's your best friend, your brother. Obviously, I don't know how good of friends they are. I know they have similar backgrounds how they came in the league and everything, but I know they both want the same thing. As coaches, it's just like players. They're fighting for every inch out there. Q. Does having been in this situation that the Canadiens find themselves in now so recently, is that in any way an advantage for you guys when you're on the other side? MARTIN ST. LOUIS: I don't understand the question. Q. You guys were down 3‑1, so you know what their mindset might be like. Is there any advantage for you guys? MARTIN ST. LOUIS: I don't know if it's an advantage for us. I think because of sometimes you're on, you know, the other side of the coin, so you understand what they're going through, how they're thinking and how they're feeling. So that's why you can't take anything lightly. You don't want to give them any hope, you know? I don't think it's an advantage. I think it's more of an understanding what we're up against and I think it's helping us to try not to get the foot off the gas. Q. XÂ’s and OÂ’s‑wise on the ice when you came to this team, did the structure help you assimilate into a new team quickly kind of the way the system was played or what did you find about kind of how the Rangers play as a team? MARTIN ST. LOUIS: Yeah, I can't say my transition was smooth by any means. When you come to a new team, you're trying to do the right thing all the time, and sometimes when you're just thinking about doing the right thing all the time, you're not playing with your instincts as much because you're trying to be in the right place. The reality is it's really hard to play a perfect hockey game. Hockey is a game of mistakes, and it's how you read the game along the way. But for me, what was very‑‑ what stood out to me is how the Rangers played before I got here. When I first got here the first couple weeks, I'm like, this team plays like they're in the playoffs right now. I've played on teams before where you feel you have to turn the switch on a little bit. Once the playoffs start, it's a different style. There is a switch almost that you try to turn on, and you talk about it, too, amongst teammates. We have to raise our game or there are certain things we might have done in the regular season, and guys, we can't do that right now. That wasn't the case when I got here. I was impressed at how they played such a playoff‑style hockey game. It was very encouraging for me knowing that once I got going this was going to be a good opportunity because this team is built for playoff hockey. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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