Friday, June 25, 2010

Sergei Bobrovsky graduated

Bobrovsky hasn't now only finished his hockey season, he has also graduated from the local Pedagogical Academy at the Faculty of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism. He graduated today.

Now Bobrovsky will focus on hockey again and his future with the Flyers.

"I'm preparing to go to North America. We have a rookie camp in July there. Then I come back to Novokuznetsk where I'll continue my independent training and then in September I'll go to the Flyers training camp."

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Jakub Kovář getting healthy again

Jakub Kovář hopes to have gotten over his injuries and is getting ready to prepare for a new season with České Budějovice, sharing goaltending duties with NHL veteran Roman Turek, 40.

"It's been five weeks since the [knee] surgery now and I'm finally getting into full practice soon", Kovář says.

This season Kovář tried to play through a ruptured joint and meniscus in his knee, but finally the team management put an end to his desperate battle.

"I hurt my knee at the end of last season. They took an MRI of it, but I started the season anyway. The doctors found something in my knee, but they decided not to operate it. I wanted to avoid the operation and go into the season and see how it would hold up. Then eventually, the team management decided that it would be better for me to undergo surgery."

"It was a simple surgery, but I still have to be careful. I shouldn't hurry my training because I don't want any setbacks."

"The doctor told me it's a birth defect. So I must be very careful."

"I had a similar surgery last year. But it looks like something in the knee reopened this season and they had to sew it together again. Maybe that was the last setback and now everything is sorted out."

"Right now I'm trying to put some weight on the knee and make straight moves, but nothing complicated. So I ride the bike and don't put too much weight on the knee. I'm also starting to run carefully, not fast. As I said, I have to go slowly and carefully, but by July 19 when we go on the ice I should be 100%."

"It's too bad I have to skip some team exercises and have to train by myself a lot. But I still work a lot with Ed [Roman Turek's nickname], we prepare together. Ed has his own training plan and I can't do everything the team does because of my knee, so sometimes we hold our own training together with him."

Kovář expects to get a fair shot at challenging Turek in goal next season.

"I don't know yet how much we're going to play. Neither do the coaches. Starting from July 19 we go on the ice and play a lot of preseason games and those games will show us. Then the coaches will decide by our performances."

Thoughts on Mario Kempe

Mario Kempe declined the Flyers contract offer and signed a two year contract with Djurgården instead.

"I've always liked Djurgården and to play there has been a dream of mine. It's the all time best hockey club in Sweden. I feel like I'm going to fit in well in the type of game they play."

Kempe isn't thinking about the NHL right now.

"It's not something I think about anymore. I focus on doing well in Elitserien."

The quick change of mind came as a surprise as Kempe had been talking about how eager he is to join the Flyers organization before. His willingness to play in the AHL was well documented as well as his desire to play the North American game in the smaller rinks. He has often said how he enjoys the North American game more than the European and how the fast paced game in the smaller rinks fits his own game better. One of his quotes that sticks out to me was when he said his dream is to play in the NHL and he would be closer to his dream if he chose to play in the AHL instead of Sweden. I also asked him about his willingness to go to North America a couple weeks before the Flyers offered him the contract and he said he had an on-going dialogue with the Flyers and that both parties were interested in having him play in North America next season.

So why change his mind when the offer he was eagerly waiting for, was finally on the table? As the Flyers went on in their deep playoff run, Kempe realized how good that team is and how hard it would be for him to crack that lineup. He would've been willing to start the season in the AHL, but it seems that he wouldn't have been ready to spend a whole year there.

Obviously it is possible that he simply had second thoughts and decided that Elitserien is better for his long term development than the AHL would be. That's his official reasoning.

In the end, it could all be about money. If Kempe expected to be stuck in the AHL, he wouldn't be making big bucks. At the very same moment, "the all time greatest hockey club in Sweden" enters the stage with their own offer. We can be sure the money is better than it would be in the AHL.

Kempe is known to be a player who puts his own career above everything else. When he's unhappy with ice time, he leaves the team. We've seen it happen a couple times before, whether it's Rögle or the Phantoms. When he chooses his team as a free agent, he wants a team that can offer him an offensive role with big minutes. It's very likely that Djurgården could give him better guarantees on that than the Flyers could.

Choosing Djurgården over the Flyers offer seems like a combination of a lot of reasons. Djurgården is the safe choice for his career. But will it take him closer to his NHL dream? It remains to be seen, but turning down an NHL offer is often a red flag for all general managers in the NHL.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Word with Joacim Eriksson

Catching up with Flyers goalie prospect Joacim Eriksson.

What kind of a person is Joacim Eriksson off the ice?

"Oh, I'm a laid back type person. I like to be at home, watch movies, hang out with my dog. I have a German Shepherd."

Eriksson is happy with how his season turned out.

"It felt really good the whole season. I developed so much in all areas and got a lot of confidence, so it's been great."

"The game is a lot faster in men compared to juniors. It felt really fast in the beginning and it took some time to get used to it. Then I went down to play a couple junior games and they felt slow."

Strengths as a goalie?

"I stay calm in all situations. I try to cover the net and use my size to my advantage."

Weaknesses?

"Haha, none. Everything, really. I want to be quicker, more explosive, get in better condition, get more strength..."

Eriksson confirms that his new two year contract with Skellefteå has the NHL outclause that allows him to move to North America by certain date in the summer. It's not going to happen this summer.

"The Flyers told me that they want to see me in Elitserien, so I'm not thinking much about going to North America."

Eriksson drew a lot of interest in the free agent market in Sweden. Many teams were going hard after him.

"Yeah, there were some. Brynäs, Timrå, Södertälje, AIK, Rögle and Skellefteå. There were a few teams, but Skellefteå felt best. They had been positive about me the whole time. They showed a lot of interest, they have good guys on the team, the goalie coach is really good, the head coach is really good. They were also interested in me already last season."

Eriksson has set simple goals for himself for next season.

"Obviously I want to play as much as possible. I want to keep developing in all areas. Give it my all in every practice."

Eriksson thinks it's positive to have a veteran goalie to share the load with him in Andreas Hadelöv, 34.

"Yeah, definitely. I've also heard only good things about him as a person."

Monday, June 14, 2010

Kempe declines Flyers offer

It sounds like Mario Kempe has made his decision on where he will play next season. It doesn't seem to be in North America.

"The Flyers have given me a contract offer, but I believe I develop better in Elitserien than in the AHL", he says.

"If I'm good enough, I'll end up in North America eventually anyway. Right now I think Elitserien is better for my development."

Djurgården is said to be the team most interested in Kempe's services.

"I know that Djurgården is interested and I've met with them. But there are several other teams as well."

Backlund happy to stay

Johan Backlund is happy to re-sign with the Flyers.

"It feels really good", he says. "I've been determined to stay and take a spot in the NHL. It's been my goal, so it feels good to get the extension here."

There were many teams in Sweden interested in signing him as well.

"There was some interest", he confirms. "My agent got some inquiries on if I had interest in coming back. But the season went on for so long and my goal was to stay here, so no negotiations or deeper discussions ever took place."

"It's been a great learning experience. It's been up and down, I was assigned to the AHL and I got to play there. Then I got to be up with the Flyers in the end, but unfortunately I got injured when I got my chance. But it's been a very nice season. To be around in the playoffs was a great experience. Everything overall has been awesome."

Backlund's NHL debut was the most memorable moment for him, despite his injury.

"Even if it was just two periods, it's a memory that I will always have with me. The whole playoffs were also really great with all that happened. But when I got my debut, that's the memory I'm going to have with me for a long time."

Even if Backlund didn't get to play, the finals were an experience to remember.

"I was in all the practices and trips during the finals. I did a little extra by myself between the games. I wasn't in the lineup for the games."

"You have to be there to understand it. It's amazing. 20 000 people in the crowd, all dressed in orange. It's like just one big party during the finals."

Backlund says it's easier to start his second season in North America.

"It feels like I have better circumstances now", Backlund compares his current situation to last summer. "Last season I had no idea what was waiting for me. Now you know how everything works and I can focus my energy on hockey. I'm better prepared and hopefully I can perform better now when I feel safer. I know I can end up in the AHL, but I've gone through everything about my decision and I see no problems with that."

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Forsberg declined Flyers offer

Paul Holmgren asked Peter Forsberg to come and help the Flyers in the end of the regular season when both Jeff Carter and Simon Gagné were battling with injuries. Forsberg says he received a contract offer to play out the regular season in Philadelphia.

"Yeah, it's true", Forsberg says. "But I felt that I wasn't in good enough shape to go."

"They also had my old linemate Simon Gagné out with an injury and they were in a desperate fight for a playoff spot. They had eight games left in the regular season when I got the offer."

"I had been so bad in Modo at the end of the season, that I decided not to go. I had problems with the foot again. I thought I simply wasn't good enough."

"Obviously it would've been cool since I know so many of those guys from my time with the team."

Forsberg doesn't want to comment about the Flyers being an option for him next season.

"It's way too early to start speculating about teams when I still don't even know if I can come back and play hockey again."

Source: Expressen

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Mario Kempe undecided

"I have received a contract offer from Philadelphia and I'm considering it", Kempe says. "I go back and forth with it. Right now they have an incredibly good team, so if I go over there I'm going to play in the AHL."

Staying in Rögle is not an option for him.

"It's not an option because I want to play in Elitserien. Many teams have much more interest in me than I thought."

"Djurgården have expressed that they want to have me and obviously that's a good option. Modo is also an option."

"Luleå have also shown interest, but I think their roster is full now."

Kempe says he won't be going to Flyers camp this summer, if he chooses not to sign with them.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Unlucky speedway for Bartulis

Oskars Bartulis thinks the Blackhawks were just the luckier team.

"We didn't have any problems with getting in the right mood before such an important game. And the game showed that. It could've gone either way and the Blackhawks were luckier in the overtime. Both teams tried to play a bit carefully in the beginning, but then there were chances in both ends. So either team could've won."

The speed of the game left Bartulis in awe.

"I have never played in such a fast-paced hockey game", he says. "Never in my life."

"You don't think about making mistakes, because if you do, the mistakes will come. I usually try to think positively."

If the pace of the game was fast, so was the puck in that Patrick Kane shot that decided the game in overtime. Bartulis was one of many who had trouble realizing the game was over after that shot.

"I didn't even see the puck go in", he says. "I thought it didn't go in."

"But unfortunately in sports, the other team has to lose."

Post game 6 with Timonen & Leino

Kimmo Timonen was disappointed and tired after the final game of the season.

"It's a huge disappointment", he says. "It feels like we threw ten months down the drain."

Timonen wanted to get his hands on the Cup, but got something else.

"All we got was shit in our hands."

"We didn't play at our own level today. We were probably a little tired. We had 12 shots after two periods, you can't win these games that way. I don't know what was wrong. We hung in afterall, but they got the gamewinner."

"You could say we ran out of gas. If you get just 12 shots in two periods, it's not just about being nervous anymore. Head wanted to go to work, but legs couldn't follow."

Timonen refused to blame goalie Michael Leighton.

"We lose as a team and we win as a team. Of course they could always get a shutout on their perfect day, but it didn't go like that this time. It's no use to blame anyone."

Timonen says the line of Scott Hartnell, Daniel Brière and Ville Leino was the only one that succeeded in the finals.

"It was clearly our best line. Of course you hope the other lines could've succeded, too."

Timonen says it's tough to get over the loss - both mentally and physically.

"I could've played for one more game, but no more than that."

"You can't describe this feeling. We didn't reach our dream, so we can't really jump in the air. We've built this for ten months, and when it hits a wall like this, you can't describe how it feels. It will be tough to get over this. It's going to take a long time for sure. It's going to be in my head for weeks."

"I'm here only to win the Stanley Cup and everything else is just a sidenote."

"You never know if you get to the finals again. I don't have many years left. I've played so many years without getting this far. Time will tell, you never know."

"Now we'll rest for 2-3 weeks. It's just a game afterall. Of course it bugs me, but there are other important things in life, too."

Ville Leino says the margins were small, once again.

"We tried in the overtime, but it just didn't go in. We did have a chance. If we could've gone on for a little longer, something could've happened."

Leino agrees the Flyers were tired.

"Obviously it doesn't feel good. We were so close, but so far away. The better team won and maybe we were a little tired."

"I guess we got something positive out of this, but I can't really say what it is right now."

"It was a big chance. I'm proud of this whole team even if it didn't go all the way. You never know if you'll get another chance."

Leino dodges the infamous blame game.

"Neither goalie wasn't at their best. It's a tough spot, goalies have a lot of pressure."

Leino says his individual success wasn't much of a comfort right now.

"It doesn't feel much right now, but I guess it starts to feel better later in the summer. A tough season got a happy ending in a way. I guess you can't really prove yourself much better than that."

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Leino shows the Red Wings, enjoys Philly

Ville Leino recalls the trade that sent him to Philadelphia and says he knew to expect a trade.

"I knew it was going to happen, but you can't be sure until it happens", he says. "There were speculations about it, but it's a shock when it happens. That's how it goes here."

Leino admits he wants to show the Red Wings what kind of a player they lost.

"I've been wanting to show the Red Wings and also everybody else. The expectations were high for this season and the regular season didn't go well. Obviously the playoffs have saved my regular season and I still have the chance to win the Cup on top of that."

Leino has nothing but positive things to say about his time in Philadelphia.

"This is a great time that I will remember for the rest of my life. We have a good group of guys here, good environment and good people. I've enjoyed everything. It's been the best time of my career."

Pre-game 6 with Timonen & Leino

"One game and we have to win it", Kimmo Timonen sums up. "We don't think further than that and it would be useless to think further because it's not helping anyone. We focus on this home game and try to win it. We'll think what to do next after the game. Everyone has to give it their all if we want to do well and win."

"We've been in this situation many times before during the last two months. There's no panic. We have a big game coming up and we try to win it."

"We had a pretty heated conversation about the previous game. We tried to find a reason for what was wrong, but we couldn't really find one. Everyone felt good before the game, but it didn't translate onto the ice. We did get over the loss pretty quickly. We went through the game video, so we'll know what to do better. We lost that game and we can't help it. We learn from it and try to win the next one."

"Each game starts with your individual preparation. Everyone has to come to the rink with the mentality that 'we'll win now'. You have to go to the net and win the puck battles. You can't effect anyone's preparation at this level since it's everyone's personal matter. The only thing us more experienced players can effect on is to calm down the team before the game."

Antti Niemi has a weakness and the Flyers know what it is.

"Antti gives a lot of rebounds and that's what we have to use to our advantage. Lots of shots and get into the rebounds. We can get those ugly goals from the rebounds. Antti has played well, but there are a lot of rebounds and that will be our weapon."

The playoff run has been an amazing experience, even for a veteran like Timonen.

"It's been a fast pace the last two months when we've had a game every other day. It's been quite an experience for a veteran player. It's one of the best experiences in my career. The playoff atmosphere is the best time for a hockey player. This is why we've worked in the summer. You will remember the little things that stand out in the playoffs."

"Sometimes I've wondered if I still have a family anymore when I haven't seen them much. It's been a long spring, but the dream is so close. I still have the energy to play this week with just left foot if I had to."

"We need to learn from the mistakes we made in the previous game", Ville Leino says. "We just have to play the same way we've played at home before. It's not the first time we have our backs against the wall."

"I don't really know what happened in the fifth game, but somehow we were too nervous. The puck bounced in my stick too and everyone avoided the puck a little."

Things need to change for Game 6.

"We need to get that work ethic back, because it's going to be the toughest game so far. The Hawks know that this is their chance and we have to win. There's going to be a lot of speed and emotions in the game."

Like Timonen, Leino says that Niemi leaves a lot of rebounds.

"You get pretty good rebounds even from low quality shots. We need to go to the net and get the shots high. We've gotten pucks past him pretty well. Last game we had four goals and that should be enough to win."

Leino welcomed the little extra rest during the games.

"It's been tough", he admits. "We got a break in a good spot when we've played every other day for so long."

Leino says the Stanley Cup finals are incomparable to the SM-Liiga finals.

"This is a totally different game. The difference in physicality is huge."

"The Stanley Cup must be the hardest trophy to win."

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Erik Gustafsson - the new Timonen?

The newly signed Swedish defenseman Erik Gustafsson has come a long way despite his young age, switching Swedish junior hockey to American college hockey. His journey was rewarded with an NHL contract in the end, but the start wasn't easy.

"I wasn't happy during the first months there", he says. "I hadn't decided what I would study and I hadn't chosen any classes. At the same time I had difficulties with the language."

"But I had decided that no matter how tough it is, I would stay for a year. I hung out a lot with Greger Hanson. He had a similar background."

Gustafsson and Hanson might have a similar near future as well as also Hanson has been invited to Flyers camp this summer.

Staying through the difficulties was rewarded this spring.

"Day after the last game of the season I got a contract offer from Philadelphia", Gustafsson recalls. "They wanted me to come and play the last regular season games for their AHL team."

Gustafsson was an instant success at the AHL level, adding seven points in five games.

"It was totally unbelievable. I never expected that to happen. But I got to play on both penaltykill and powerplay and got confidence."

Gustafsson also had the chance to practice with the Flyers during their first round playoff series against the New Jersey Devils. The experience was unforgettable.

"I had my chin down the whole time and just hung around. Then I sat next to Chris Pronger in the locker room. That was really unbelievable."

Signing the three year contract with the Flyers was another moment hard to believe.

"It feels sick when I look at the numbers in the contract", he says. "But it's important not to lose your perspective because of the money as it doesn't make you any happier. It's all about hockey."

Gustafsson isn't stressing about next year.

"Even if a lot has happened, I haven't stressed about anything. I'm not stressing now either, I take everything as it comes. You don't want to think too much, just do your best and prepare yourself when the chance comes. Obviously I dream about my first shift in the NHL, but I need to get more routine first and foremost. They play 82 games in the AHL compared to the 40 I played in school."

There was another Swede on the Phantoms this season, goalie Johan Backlund.

"Yeah, we chatted a lot. We went to the movies once. He's very popular in Adirondack, he's the star of the team. He's the idol of the fans and really helped the team a lot."

Gustafsson will be back in Philadelphia on July 4 when the summer camps start. The Flyers have high hopes for him and have also told him so.

"They say they see me as their new Kimmo Timonen. I don't know what to say... laugh a little and shrug. Of course it would be cool if that happened."

Gustafsson is now closer to his NHL dream, but knows there's still work to do.

"Yeah, I'm much closer now than I was two months ago. But I know I need to get better at everything. I need to be faster and stronger, play at a higher level and get routine. I'm not stressing, but I'll be ready the day I get the chance."

Quinn & Bowman praise Timonen

The Edmonton Oilers coach Pat Quinn has nothing but praise for Kimmo Timonen.

"Kimmo Timonen is as valuable for his team as Chris Pronger", he says. "His passing and playmaking abilities are excellent. He's just a terrific playmaker, who can play big minutes every game."

"But that he can defend so well as a smaller player and always position himself right is what is especially great about him. As a former defenseman myself I'm very impressed by the way he plays."

The Chicago Blackhawks advisor Scotty Bowman compares Timonen to Nicklas Lidström.

"Kimmo Timonen and Nicklas Lidström are very similar. They're both very intelligent players. I like Timonen's style to play on the blue line. That's where he's at his best. A smart player like him shoots and passes at the right times, doesn't lose the puck and doesn't shoot straight at the shot blockers."

"I also like his style to play aggressive just enough. I liked his style already when he played in Nashville."

"It was a very valuable signing for the Flyers when they got him."

Monday, June 7, 2010

Post game 5 with Timonen & Leino

Kimmo Timonen didn't sugarcoat anything after Game 5 loss.

"To be honest, I'm fucking pissed off", he grunts. "It was the game of our lives and we're that weak in the first period."

"I don't know why. We just didn't skate, and when we don't skate, we don't beat anyone. It was definitely our worst first period in these playoffs. We stood, we didn't move and didn't move the puck. The first period was so terrible it can't happen in a situation like this."

"I give credit to the Hawks, they played hard, but we didn't fight back at all."

Timonen isn't blaming goalie Michael Leighton.

"We didn't help him much today. He could've made a couple saves, but the whole team was so terrible it's no use to blame him."

"But we definitely haven't given up. We've had our backs against the wall so many times this spring and that's when we've played our best games."

Timonen demands more from the leading players in Game 6.

"Our best players need to be better than their best players. That wasn't the case today and that has to change."

"What annoys me is that we can do so much better."

Ville Leino was disappointed, but quick to shift focus on the next game.

"Of course everyone is a little down, but we have a home game up next and we've played well there."

"We just threw the puck away and were probably a little nervous. We came back surprisingly well, but then they always answered with a goal. That's how it goes."

Like Timonen, Leino says they didn't give enough help to Leighton.

"He didn't have his best day. He kept them out of the scoreboard for a while, but we left him in a pretty bad spot."

Leino remains calm about Game 6.

"We don't need any big tricks yet. We go home and play a good game. We've played well there, so we'll focus on that."

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Bartulis hopes to remain in lineup

Oskars Bartulis says the Flyers sticked to their game plan in Game 4.

"We played better than we did in Game 3", he says. "We played like the coach wanted; started forechecking hard right from the start and forced the play into their zone. The coach told us to put pressure on them, not stay in our own zone, shoot the puck more and create traffic in front of their goal."

Bartulis isn't playing much, but isn't demanding a bigger role on the team.

"I played more shifts this time, but this is the finale; I play as much as the coach plays me. I'm happy with that. The main thing for me was to get to play."

"The level here is higher than in the Olympics. I think it's everyone's dream to win the Stanley Cup. This is the biggest thing in hockey."

Bartulis doesn't think that the Flyers sat back in the third period.

"I wouldn't say that we relaxed when it was 4-1. We just got two penalties, making it a 5-on-3. They stepped up their game a little, scored two goals and started to put pressure. But we scored in the empty net and won. Of course we felt the pressure when it was 4-3. The coach told us to just relax, don't hold our sticks too tight and play the puck out of our zone."

Bartulis wants the Flyers to put early pressure on the Blackhawks also in Game 5.

"We have to play the same style in Game 5, putting the pressure on them from the first minute on. It's hard to defend against them, they have good offensive players. We must get more shots on goal."

"I also hope I get to play. The coach will tell me [on Saturday]. Hopefully I'll be in the lineup."

Word with Bill Barber

Flyers legend Bill Barber isn't surprised to see this Flyers team make the Stanley Cup finals.

"I'm not surprised in general. Yes, there were difficult times and unexpected injuries. But they didn't have a big effect on the result. The league has become totally unpredictable after the lockout. A lot of points in the regular season doesn't guarantee playoff success. Look at Washington."

"What do the Flyers have to lose when they barely made the playoffs? The pressure isn't weighing them down. They can relax and enjoy playing. That's why the Flyers and Canadiens met in the Eastern finals - seventh and eighth seeds. We all know what happened before that."

Barber says he couldn't have bet on the Flyers win before the season started.

"Absolutely not. It was impossible to predict the winner again this year. Predicting isn't easy in general. You can have the strongest team on paper, but get injuries. Your goalies can go down. Look at what happened in Philadelphia. Have you ever seen five goalies play in one season? Who's going to predict the winner while having these scenarios?"

Barber isn't surprised to see goalies like Michael Leighton and Antti Niemi in the finals.

"Success usually follows teams that have a strong defense that is excellent at blocking shots and can move the puck quickly out of your own zone. In these cases the goaltenders are not under great pressure. Still, you won't go far without a reliable goaltender. Maybe they can't save the whole series by themselves, but they can make the saves that are needed."

Barber doesn't see a big difference between the Flyers and Blackhawks.

"They are both very similar. The Hawks were not better in the first two games. I believe the Flyers were just unlucky. The bounces didn't go their way. It's been just as close in these games in Philadelphia."

"I don't think the Hawks are as good as everyone thinks. Yes, they're young and fast. But the Flyers prepare themselves well for these games and they have a great coach in Laviolette. And most importantly; the guys believe in each other. That's a great force. If the Flyers keep playing well as a team and don't sit back, they'll win the Stanley Cup."

The playoff fever isn't enough to lure Barber back to coaching.

"Oh, no. It takes a lot of mental strength, health and nerves of steel. Not to mention you have to be thinking hockey 20 hours a day. I'm too old for that."

Quotes from today's Sovietsky Sport

Post game 4 with Timonen & Leino

Kimmo Timonen says the Flyers didn't play at their own level.

"We didn't quite get into our own level. We were probably a little nervous. The Blackhawks were more aggressive than what they've been and that's good to know for Sunday. They're going to be a completely different team. They skated the way we should have skated."

"We scored on our chances and defended okay, but overall we didn't get into our level. Today they had the puck a little too much. It could've been 3-1 for them after the first period."

"I saw for a while that I could probably make a pass", Timonen recalls the goal that Claude Giroux scored. "I just decided to wait and it went in."

Timonen says that's how the defensemen are asked to play.

"That's what the coaches ask us to do. If you have a chance, you join the rush. And our game bases on taking risks anyway."

Ville Leino seems unstoppable right now.

"When Ville is hot, he's hot. When shots go in from defensemen's backs, it's a sign that the kid is on fire", Timonen laughs. "It's a great thing for us and hopefully he can go on for a couple games."

"We got a few gift goals today. It's good to get them right now. We'll take all the goals and points we can get."

Timonen knows the Flyers need one win on the road.

"We need one win in Chicago and hopefully we'll play better. We're going there to get a win. We're in a good situation now, but we have to play much better if we want to win in Chicago."

Leino thinks the Flyers answered well to the aggressive game by the Blackhawks.

"We were ready for this game and we wanted to win puck battles. We played smart even if they forechecked hard."

Leino admits it felt great to get the Flyers playoff rookie record.

"It was a fine moment. Full house sharing it with me. I got a lot of support and cheering. I'm going to remember that moment for a long time."

"It's great, that's why you work. But it got me confused for a moment. I was in the cameras for a little too long."

"At least it ended up being an important goal."

The goal itself makes Leino just laugh.

"I missed the shot a little", is all he manages to say.

Leino received two big hits in the first period.

"Both were hard hits. But in these kind of games you come back."

Leino says he's alright and ready to keep playing.

"In Campbell's hit I was turning around and I wasn't in good balance. I had to go get some treatments. I heard some snapping from the back, but it didn't effect my play."

"I'm ready to play. It wasn't a big deal."

Leino thinks there's a chance the Flyers have shaken the Blackhawks goaltender Antti Niemi.

"I don't know if we've managed to shake Antti. He was a little insecure. Hopefully that continues in the next game."

Friday, June 4, 2010

Pre-game 4 with Antti Niemi

Blackhawks goaltender Antti Niemi wants his team to focus on defense tonight.

"We'll focus on our defense, everything bases on that. If we do that, I think we'll do fine."

Niemi says it's not easy to win in Philadelphia.

"It's incredibly loud and they play a physical game, especially at home. It's a tough spot for the away team, but we did fine in the previous game. We just have to keep working."

Niemi tries to relax and remain calm before the games.

"It's no use to get nervous or worry about anything because it's not helping. You just have to trust yourself that you've worked hard and I feel good now."

Niemi doesn't think the first goal is necessarily the most crucial one.

"It depends on the game. Sometimes it can be deciding, but we've seen here that both teams have had the lead and anything can happen. But if it's a low scoring game, then it's definitely important."

Niemi says he's not interested in taking part in the mind games in the media.

"I haven't thought about it. I don't read any papers."

Pre-game 4 with Timonen & Leino

According to Kimmo Timonen, today's theme is skating - once again.

"We need to skate a lot today."

"This is the most important game of the season for us. I'm sure we can do that."

Timonen expects a good atmosphere at the game.

"Everyone knows we're home and I'm sure the atmosphere will be good."

Timonen says the Flyers keep taking just one game at a time.

"We focus on this game now. Our only goal is to win today and go to Chicago with a tied series."

"Each game is the most important game of the season right now and that's the mentality we have", Ville Leino says.

"We have a good win behind us, so it's easier to go into this one."

The recipe for the win is simple.

"We need to win the puck battles and keep working as hard as we have. That's how we'll win."

Bartulis looking for a perfect season

Oskars Bartulis was excited to get into the lineup for the Stanley Cup finals.

"As soon as I was told that I would get to play I called my parents and my wife and told them that I will play", Bartulis says, smiling.

It wasn't easy to get ready for such important games after a long pause, though.

"I hadn't played since the first round. It was difficult to get into the game. I watched a few videos to remember all the nuances. I was nervous in the first two shifts. Then everything went fine."

Bartulis hasn't been playing much, but ice time isn't as important to him as winning games.

"The coach has more confidence in the more experienced guys", he explains. "That's it. I don't care how much I play. The main thing is we won [Game 3]."

Overall Bartulis is very happy with his season.

"If someone had told me before the season that I will play in the finals, I wouldn't have believed it. But I've had a terrific year. I was at the Olympics in Vancouver and in the Winter Classic in Boston. Winning the Stanley Cup would make it all perfect."

Bartulis is confident the Flyers can beat the Blackhawks.

"Of course, yes! And why not? Each game has been a one goal game. Shows how close it is."

Bartulis says coach Peter Laviolette told the team to simplify their game heading into overtime in Game 3.

"He told us to get more shots on goal. Don't think too much and look for passes. Put pressure on them. And we did."

"We thought too much and overdid things at first. We started shooting the puck more in the third period and put more pressure on their goal."

The first step has been taken now.

"Now we're three steps away."

Quotes from today's Sovietsky Sport

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Post game 3 with Timonen & Leino

"This was one of those must wins you had to take today", Kimmo Timonen says. "It went to overtime, but it went our way so that's good. Now we'll have some rest and focus on Friday. You could say it's a new series now."

"It was a real big win. Of course we've come back from 0-3 this spring and we wouldn't have given up this time either, but everyone knows it's hard to do that twice."

"Now we're in it. We probably wouldn't be if it was 0-3."

"It looked like it went in, but it didn't", Timonen recalls the shot in overtime by Simon Gagné that slipped on the goal line. "You had your emotions running high there, but you just had to put it behind you quickly and keep playing. Fortunately the goal came pretty quickly after that. It was a great win for us."

Timonen also has some praise for Ville Leino.

"Ville was our best forward. He was on his game, he had a damn good game. Now we need everyone else on board."

Timonen hopes the good play at home continues.

"We've been great at home. We have to continue that on Friday."

Coach Peter Laviolette promised Leino more ice time in the pre-game meeting and kept his word, playing Leino more than any other Flyers forward, over 23 minutes.

"I started to feel it a little in the overtime", Leino admits.

"But now we can rest for a day. We'll be fine."

Leino says his goal was easy.

"We had a few good chances, I had a couple too, but we couldn't score on them. When you get enough chances, something goes in. You get a lucky one or an easy goal like that one."

"It was probably the best game of my NHL career. At least it happened in the best possible situation."

There's a simple explanation on why he's playing the best game of his career right now.

"A lot of ice time. That's what I've been trying to say; when you get to play, you get confidence and that's the most important thing."

"Today it felt like I was playing pond hockey."

Like Timonen, Leino called the game a must win.

"Yeah, we had to win. It was a good game, a new game on Friday and a new series."

Leino also hopes for the good home games to continue.

"It was an amazing crowd and we play well at home. We need to continue that."

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Thoresen leaves KHL

The Salavat Yulaev Ufa GM Oleg Gross said yesterday that Patrick Thoresen hasn't told him anything about leaving Ufa. Now Thoresen has done it. He is leaving Ufa and the KHL and will likely end up in the NHL.

Thoresen and his agent have found a way to get out of the contract that would have him staying in Ufa also for next season.

"We have tried to find a hole in the Russian contract. We've tried to get out of it", Thoresen says.

Now it's done. Thoresen has contacted the Ufa GM, telling him he is leaving.

"I hope and believe that everything is in order now. We found out that we had misinterpreted the contract."

Originally Thoresen and his agent thought he was allowed to sign in North America only by June 1. Now Thoresen says he is free to find himself a new team.

"It would have been hopeless. I couldn't have done it by June 1."

"The Flyers still hold my rights in the NHL, but they can choose to trade me. The signals I got from there were that they will finish their season first before they assess their roster moves."

Thoresen's agent has already had preliminary talks with other teams.

Quotes from NRK.

Post game 2 with Timonen & Leino

Kimmo Timonen wants the Flyers to add more speed to their game.

"As soon as we skate and every guy moves, we will find those open guys and we are a good team. We held back a little when it was 0-0 and didn't just go forward as much as we should have."

Timonen wants to see the Flyers play full 60 minutes the way they played the third period.

"Now that we go home we have no other option than put pressure. We have to play hard for 60 minutes. If we play 60 minutes like we played the second half of this game, we will find those holes we need to find. We need to use this game as an example; we will beat this team by skating. There's no other way."

The trash talk seemed to go up a notch in Game 2. Timonen says three Blackhawks players threatened to kill him during the game.

"What can you say to that?", Timonen smiles and shakes his head. "Other than: 'Okay. Go ahead'."

Ville Leino got the ice time he was looking for in the third period, but it felt too little too late.

"It doesn't work that way. It's like you push a button and suddenly you play double shifts. You can't score right away then. If you play two minutes per period, it's pretty hard to get the feeling and get anything done. The third period was like a first period for me. At least I was fresh there."

Leino says his deke on Brent Sopel was well planned and compares it to soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"To quote Zlatan: I went right, then left, and Sopel went on to have a hotdog."

"Eh, just kidding. I already saw earlier that he goes down to his knee pretty easily and we also knew that he blocks a lot of shots, so I decided that if I get a 1-on-1 against him, I'll try a fake shot."

Nothing has been lost yet if you ask Leino.

"We haven't lost anything. We haven't lost any games at home and you can only go one game at a time. We won't lose our faith at this point, we've battled back from 0-3."

Like Timonen, Leino wants to see the Flyers play the whole game like they did in the third period. He wants the Flyers to be "angry".

"If we play like we now did in the third period, we won't have any problems. We have to get angry right from the start, so we'll be ready to play desperate hockey."

The star of the game, Blackhawks goalie Antti Niemi is looking forward to play in Philadelphia. He has never played a game there.

"It's interesting to go there. I'm sure the crowd is amazing there. And like we saw today, the Flyers always battle hard right until the end. That team is ready to work."