Stanley Cup Final - Post Game

June 30, 1999

Buffalo Post-Game Quotes

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff:

Q. Are you protesting this game something?

LINDY RUFF: We are going to try to do whatever we can.

Q. We saw the replay. What are you trying to do at this point?

LINDY RUFF: Did you see the replay?

Q. Yes. What are you personally asking to be done at this point?

LINDY RUFF: We want to protest really. I mean, that is the worst nightmare right there man in the crease, puck is definitely out of the crease, you can't explain that one to me. You can't they have tried -- you cannot explain that one to me.

Q. Who tried explaining?

LINDY RUFF: Supervisors tried to say it was a good goal.

Q. Do you know, is there a mechanism in place that you can use now?

LINDY RUFF: Do you think there is a mechanism this place? No. I don't think there is. You can protest; you can do whatever. I mean, it's got to be -- that was the worst nightmare right there. They knew that they ran the risk of overtime goal meaning a series -- Stanley Cup pandemonium sets in and they can't go back to review it. That is my opinion.

Q. Is it ironic for two years now that rule has gone against you. You said it would even up and it isn't --

LINDY RUFF: Obviously it didn't even out. All I wanted was a review. I mean, everybody saw it. Once you have got 200 people on the ice, no, they are not going to review it.

Q. On what basis did they try to explain to you that it was a good goal?

LINDY RUFF: Brett Hull had control of it and he was -- he had it under control in the crease and he stick handled to his forehand and shot it in. Well, that wasn't the case. It went off Dominik's glove, Holzinger's skate, went outside the crease, his foot is in the crease when he scored the goal.

Q. You can't take back the Stanley Cup?

LINDY RUFF: Not taking anything away. I mean, if they wanted to slow down the procedure, they would have reviewed it. They would have held things up and reviewed it; somebody would have called from upstairs said, listen, this is not a goal. I mean, we have gone through the procedure throughout the year. We have gone through it in the Playoffs. I mean, the rule is in place. It is still in place. They are talking about changing it. All I want is a review. I want a review. I want it reviewed.

Q. The celebration, do you think that is why they didn't review it; do you think it all happened so quickly and the refs were overwhelmed; couldn't take that opportunity that everybody is --

LINDY RUFF: I think that was the worst case scenario. Obviously an overtime game where pandemonium sets in and they just can't take it back.

Q. Did they make a motion, any kind of motion as if to talk about it or review it or anything?

LINDY RUFF: They said it was a good goal. In terms -- they said it was a good goal.

Q. You went into the dressing room after the game, reviewed it and then you went storming back out. Who were you going after?

LINDY RUFF: I wanted Bettman to answer the question, why is that not reviewed. And really -- he just turned his back on me. He almost looked to me like he knew this might be a tainted goal and there was no answer for it. I just wanted an explanation, just tell me, listen, it is a good goal; not a good goal. There was no answer. No review. There was no answer.

Q. Amongst all that now, what in the world do you say to your team to your players?

LINDY RUFF: I said yesterday we would play our best game, best game of the series, and they gave it everything they had. I thought we outplayed them, you know, we played hard. It wasn't -- at the end it wasn't X's and O's that won or lost the game. We hit a post; we hit a cross bar. We couldn't buy the bounce, but I was extremely proud of the season and the Playoffs the players had. There is no shame and no blame. We got this far together and we lost together.

Q. Does Dallas know that you want this reviewed?

LINDY RUFF: Personally I don't think they care right now. They just think it is spilled milk right now.

Q. The goal is not legitimate obviously when you look at it on the replay. Clearly all year it would have been called back. Do you feel like you didn't lose? Do you feel like this thing should still has been going on?

LINDY RUFF: I feel as coach I have got to do everything for my team including making sure that gets reviewed, making sure that the supervisors got to review it. They got to call down. That is why I went back out on the ice because -- everybody knows it is 24 years since the last time we had been to this spot. As hard as my players battled tonight, I felt I had to do everything possible from going to supervisor to going to Bettman to just try to get an answer because there was something within reach and they just they ripped the piece of it out. It was -- I don't even want to go down there anymore.

Q. How does it feel two straight years to be knocked out of the Playoffs in that same end zone, same sort of play, Joey Juneau last year that same side of the net and Hasek --

LINDY RUFF: I think you can't explain the feeling. It is disbelief really. I thought the way the game was going that we would get the bounce, that sooner or later, you know, one would go in for us. But, you know, strange, you make one mistake or you get one bounce somewhere and it can go the other way. Obviously they got a couple of breaks. We had a post and a cross bar, could have ended earlier. There wasn't going to be a lot of chances even in the overtimes we played.

Q. You have seen the goal. Do you know what happened on the goal that set the whole play up?

LINDY RUFF: No. I watched the overhead replay. I watched the play in regular speed just frame-by-frame and I didn't watch the whole play.

Q. There was a lot of talk about Dominik's performance coming into this series, how much it meant to his standing as perhaps one of greatest that has played his position. How do you feel his reputation comes out; you can't ask anymore of your goaltender?

LINDY RUFF: Dominik had really a -- for battling through injury and I thought he had a fabulous Playoff for us. He was a pillar of strength a lot of times when we scrambled around. He made a lot of key saves. He would probably like to have the first goal back, but you know, that happens to even the best goaltenders. You know, his performance in the Playoffs was fabulous.

Q. Lindy, was Mike Peca hurting? He looked -- is there an injury that he was covering up or no?

LINDY RUFF: Not really. We have got a lot of players that were hurting. Michael is -- he has got some bumps and bruises but he is not hurting. He is not hurting anymore or any worse -- I thought -- you know, as a group there are some guys probably taking needles on both sides to block pain and whatever else. As far as I know, Michael doesn't have -- nothing he was taking medication for. He played a fabulous game for us tonight. Thanks.

Michael Peca:

Q. I think this was one of the most incredible games we have ever seen. Can you give me your thoughts about what happened here tonight?

I'm in a little bit of shock. It's pretty hard to talk about right now. The whole series has been a battle. It was a first class organization that won this here today. We did a lot of things right to give ourselves a chance.

Q. The intensity in this series and in the entire playoffs was absolutely magnificent. Was it more than you expected?

I think it was about what everyone expected. Both teams were very determined and strong in their defensive play and it carries over into the rest of the game. It was a hard fought series and I only wish we had a better finish.

Stu Barnes:

Q. Does the ending cheapen this game in any way?

I don't what the full story is on what happened at the end, but obviously we're very disappointed.

Randy Cunneyworth:

Q. How difficult was it for your season to end like that?

I was not aware of it until we got back into the dressing room. I guess it's a difficult thing to call back with sudden death and everyone jumping on the ice. But they're going to have to answer to it. It's a rule, they have to look at it honestly to see if they made the right call. We should be proud of what we accomplished this year. It's a great group of guys. The organization should be proud on both accounts. The AHL team did so well and so did this club. To be a part of going for a Cup twice in one season.

Q. Were you conscious that this was the second longest game in Finals history?

Neither team was really giving a lot up out there. It was an awfully good game throughout. Our guys played very well and stuck to a good game plan.

Geoff Sanderson:

Q. What were the emotions in overtime?

"It was a battle of wills and eventually the game dropped right off as guys were exhausted. Nothing was being mounted on either side and it was tough to get any space out there,. because we didn't have the jump, but it was both ways. It was really frustrating as it was so close. We needed a bounce, we hit a couple of crossbars. We could be flying to Dallas very easily now, but unfortunately that's not happening."

Joe Juneau:

Q. On the goal…

I really think that if we had scored a goal like that, it would have been called back. I think because it was a goal that gave them the Stanley Cup, everybody jumped on the ice and they were afraid to make the call. It was our team that had scored the goal, it would have been called back and we would still be in overtime.

Q. Your best game of the series, was it terrible for it to end like that?

First of all, their goal was a lucky goal. I believe we gave everything we had. They played hard, you don't want to take anything away from their team, but I believe everybody will remember this as the Stanley Cup that was never won in '99. It was given away to a good team, but the goal was not a legal goal.

Dallas Post-Game Quotes

Stars head coach Ken Hitchcock:

This has been a long journey for you. How do you feel?

HITCHCOCK: I don't know, kind of -- Jimmy, kind of numb. I just, you know, I was thinking about -- I told the players at the start of the game we always ask as coaches that you play for each other and I told the players at the end of the game and into the overtime that we are playing for families and friends past and present, we had some people this year and in the last little while that lost family members; in particular, Guy. It was a pretty emotional situation. For me, I don't know, it just -- this is such a magical team. I mean, I know people get that way when you win and you talk about that. But this is a team that, from Christmas on, pushed its own engine; we didn't push it. They were harder on themselves than we were. We started out and we reached every goal that we set out for. The Presidents Trophy, the Jennings, home-ice advantage, Stanley Cup, it is unbelievable, and I just -- I am so proud of this team and the players and the coaches and I just -- I feel like we answered every bell. We went the distance with every team and we answered every bell. And I don't think you can ask for anything more from a team as a coach.

Considering the fuss that was raised over the winning goal, have you seen the replays of it?

HITCHCOCK: I mean, it is -- some people are going to say he had full possession; some people aren't - whatever. I mean, he scored the goal. I think the story on Brett Hull, when the dust settles, is going to be an incredible story. What this man did to play hockey -- we hit a lot of things and what this man did to go on the ice, what we had to do between periods to get him back on the ice, I mean, he might -- he might be rehabed enough to start the season. He is in tough shape. He has a great three full blown MCL. He has a torn groin. And he has been doing this stuff and he came back and played and he played on one leg and no groins the last three shift. He limped around the ice. The goal he scored, if you watch the shift, he limped into the corner; he limped to the front of the net. I mean --

Which leg?

HITCHCOCK: We are talking the knee, the left knee and both groins are pretty well finished. Tough shape. But you know, that is why we just knew today with the way our team was, I mean, it is the only team I have ever coached where we had to bring a second doctor in to do the things. I am sure Buffalo is the same way, but I don't know where this group would have been if we would have had to play Game 7.

Can you talk about the game, Ed Belfour, he was simply amazing tonight?

HITCHCOCK: This is the same game that we saw in the Edmonton series in Game 4. He just would not allow us to lose. I thought Buffalo outplayed us in the first two periods. I thought they were unbelievable. It was the best I have seen them play and I thought we came back in the third and then we seemed to get stronger in the overtimes. But I thought we were outplayed in the first two periods and Eddie kept us in there. You know, he is an interesting guy because he has changed. He has changed a lot. He has learned a lot of lessons in the last couple of years and he deserves a lot of credit because he made some significant personal changes in the way he dealt with people; in the way he defended himself, he became much more open with his teammates, with the coaches and he became part of a team; not just a goalie. I think that is one of the reasons that he is sitting where he is right now. He became part of the group for, I think, the first time in his life and he has had tremendous success because of it.

Can you just -- obviously Modano was overcome by emotion. Can you talk about his contributions, his injury and what this means to him to win this Cup?

HITCHCOCK: He was in really tough shape at the end; wasn't he? I think Mike always carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. Sometimes it is unnecessary, but I think he is in a position that he feels he is carrying the torch for the hockey club. He has been here, you know, for a long time. He came and made some significant adjustments in his game that had to be made for us to win. He made a conscious decision. I will never forget at the end of the season after my first year here, we had a meeting and I asked him to think about those changes and he didn't want to make those changes that he had to make. He didn't want to be that type of player. But he thought -- he said he would spend the summer thinking about it. He came back that next year and I remember we went on a road trip and he never scored a point and we won all four games. He was a great player. We went 4 and 0 to start the season and he was sold that he could help us win games without scoring goals all the time. He also found out that he could be a gritty hard player to play against and in the last two games he, for us, was our best player. Joe was our best player throughout Playoffs, no doubt; Joe and Eddie were our best players, but Mo in the last two games when we really needed him he stepped his game up to another level.

You won 3 of your 4 series with overtime goals. That may never happen again...

HITCHCOCK: I never thought about that. It just -- it felt -- you know, today felt -- the feeling after the first overtime, it was -- we were just numb. I think our coaches were numb and our players were numb. I just -- the guys just got tired listening to me so we just kept playing.

How much did losing to Edmonton a couple years ago and all the battles you had with Edmonton push you to this and the other one, were you thinking of anyone back home when you won?

HITCHCOCK: Well, the thing with Edmonton I think that the Edmonton series gave us the humble personality that I think you need to win in this League. I think that the minute you get -- you fall in love with yourself, the minute you get careless with your personality as a team, you get careless on the ice. I think that the Edmonton series taught us that. I think the other thing from a personality standpoint, I think anybody that seen me in Edmonton or anybody that knows me from Edmonton knows my story, and it is pretty well documented. But there is some special feelings for me and the feeling that you know, I lost my father when I was young. He really pushed hard and he gave me an opportunity to do a lot of things and there was a lot of feelings. I talked to my brother and my sister here in the last couple of days and Keith came in for Game 5 and Barb and I had talked everyday. You know, he was watching.

Joe Nieuwendyk and Mike Modano:

Given the Buffalo reaction to the victory what is your take on what happened tonight? They said there should have been a review?

NIEUWENDYK: Having seen the goal, you know, I don't know, I am just thrilled to death that it is over. I don't know that there is a controversy or not, I had think it is over now. We have got the cup and you know, my hat is off to Buffalo. I thought they played a great series. They have got a good young team and they are certainly going to be back in this position again with the group of people that they have.

Your boy from very close to Toronto, you probably know the history of that thing next to you there. What does it feel to win it?

NIEUWENDYK: It feels incredible. So tough last year not being a part of the Playoffs going down early and I just felt like I was really excited about coming into this year's Playoffs. It just felt like I wanted to lay it all on the line and have fun with it because I know what it takes to go to the end here. I was here ten years ago and I know how grueling it is. Your teammates battle so hard and I can't say enough about the guys in our locker room.

You dream about what it would feel like and does it feel the way you always felt it would?

NIEUWENDYK: It feels incredible. When I was 22 and won the Stanley Cup I was a little naive, I think, thinking that that was the we had such a good team then ten years later here we are again. You just realize what a battle it is to did you go through it -- all the adversity all the injuries guys playing hard. It is just one battle after another and it makes it all worthwhile in the ends, though. It has been a great ride for us.

Ken Hitchcock told us what Brett Hull had to go through just to finish this game. When you see a player have to go through what does that mean to the rest of the team?

NIEUWENDYK: It means a lot -- we need Hull on the ice even if he can only give us 15 second shift out there. He is such is an important part, and Mike what he did the last three or four games with his wrist injury...we just had so many guys playing hurt and continuing to get into the lineup and help our team. When guys are in the lineup it just makes the other team little weary of what they can do. I am so proud of our team. We got a veteran team, but you know, we certainly know how to win and the guys have a lot of experience and just battled hard.

Mike can you talk about little bit what was going through your mind there when you were overcome by emotion?

MODANO: I think just a lot of relief that in 88 they made a move to the pick me to make me a part of the organization and to have Bob Gainey come in and to pretty much help me change my whole game last 6, seven years last couple of years -- it was kind of tough, frustrating for the fans and the players. We knew there was going to be an end to the team in Minneapolis when we had 6500 people after the year we went to the Finals. It was all down Hill, but just to see a lot of faces coming in and out of this organization and finally we had a little bit of stab built last two, three years and guys had tough times to fit in with our team, a lot of guys will to change their style, Brett Hull and Pat Verbeek, Zubov to fit in with our team system and it took sometime. But last couple of years the jury was out on us still to see what we would do in the Playoffs. But a lot of guys stepped up and made great plays an Eddie made some spectacular saves tonight as well.

You held the Stanley Cup tonight. How is the reality compare to the dream?

MODANO: A lot of the same. I spent a lot of time just buy myself the last couple of days an last day and a half seemed like it took for ever to get here. You visualize those things and the relief and the two months that we went through together is probably the most emotionally and physically draining thing I have ever been a part of. I think that is why you see the emotion kind of pour through and everybody kind of breaks down to be pushed to the edge like that and to come out on top to go out with a game like this makes it that much more dramatic.

Mike, now that you won't have to play another game for at least a little while. Could you give us some details how badly you were injured and what it was like to play?

MODANO: Well, it was a with it after soap opera there the first couple of days, I think that that happened. But it was clear crack in the wrist and afterwards after that game I didn't think I was going to play the rest of the series. Next morning when I woke up there wasn't much pain that I thought there would be, not a lot of swelling. There was a lot of stiffness and -- in it. But as series went on I was able to develop some casts and develop some, you know, casts that were able to play in. But there was a lot of needles flying to take the pain off. Brett could barely move his groin is totally shot. His MCL is shot when everybody thought it was his ribs. But in hockey you are good at hiding injuries.

Can you talk Mike about Buffalo and their effort and if you were surprised how tough this series was?

MODANO: I think you get to this point everybody talks about how they were a 7th seed, but they were the top two or three the whole year. Goals against were second or third in the year, to us and I think everybody -- mixed reactions going into the Finals. We figured that this series would be the toughest. There was a lot of similarities like I said all along with the two teams, very patient, very good goaltending, to have the number of 2-1 games that we had and low scoring, says a lot about the teams and the way they are disciplined, they're good defensively, positionally, all over the ice. The chances you did get were very few and far between, both powerplays were very good so far. But the goal that ended it was kind of the goal that ends a lot of overtimes you throw it at net everybody is whacking at it bodies are missed and checking. We told Brett to get to the front, we will get the puck there. Buffalo played spectacular. They played well as a team. They are very disciplined and very good positionally. Very well coached. And their goaltender gives them every opportunity to win every game they play.

How demanding is Hitch?

NIEUWENDYK: Very.

Can you elaborate a little?

NIEUWENDYK: Well, he has a lot of my phone numbers so he is able to track me down wherever I am at and let his feelings be known about the way I am playing. Last couple of games he was real quiet, pretty much compared to the rest of the Playoffs and the regular season. But he demands a lot. He demands focus, execution, hard work. He installs a system that guys had a very hard time adapting to the last couple of years. When he first came in, and but it proved to be a winner and finally guys grabbed on and jumped aBoard with him and he is very intense individual when he is behind the net, like a lot of guys he has come along way to be where he is at today.

Derian Hatcher, Guy Carbonneau, Ed Belfour, Darryl Sydor, GM Bob Gainey, Brett Hull, Brian Skrudland, Mike Modano:

Hull on winning the last one

They were such a great team. They are so well coached, worked so hard, would do anything they didn't want them to do because obviously they studied the tape and then look at what you do and they do everything they don't want them to do they did. They are a great team and I tip my hat to them and we were very fortunate that we came out and won tonight because you don't know what happens with those guys.

What are you looking forward to now that you won?

I am looking forward to not having to practice for a while. It has been a long year and I think now I really realize what the sacrifice is to win the Stanley Cup. I just think of my buddy Wayne Gretzky and to do it as many times as he has is incredible.

On the organization...

I think you are looking at an organization that is…if you ever wanted to use a family as an organization, it sits here. They brought up the core players like Matvichuk and Modano and Hatcher and they molded them together and stuck with them, made very few changes and picked up some free agents…basically this group is…I never have met a guys from the day one that I got to Dallas that were closer and cared more for each other…

To have Bob Gainey, Tom Hicks and Ken Hitchcock bring me here and fit me in, and to be able to battle great teams in the playoffs, like Edmonton, St. Louis, Colorado and Buffalo, this is truly amazing. I think of Eddie Belfour and Mike Modano and the things people said about them, I think of how people said we were too old. We proved them wrong.

Skrudland on winning the Cup…

We had it in our minds that we were going to do this in September and we were going to this in any way we could to win this…in signing the guy who scored the overtime goal was a great first move…

When do you think it will set in?

It has settled in…I am going to enjoy this...I am going to really soak this up and try to understand what this is about this time. This is sweet.

You have been here before, is this sweeter than the first?

It is sweet anytime you win it. I am sure it doesn't matter. We're an elated group obviously. This is what we really set out to do in September and it so nice that we were able to accomplish it.

So many guys on the team have been before, but there a few guys 6that haven't…

I am enjoying it and I think the next few days are going to be a lot of fun. These are days that these guys are just not going to forget.

Hatcher on it being tiring going that long, but having the strength on holding the Cup…

It was tiring for everybody, trust me…both teams keep going and going...for a long time I thought the game was never going to end.

Hatcher the pressure that has been on you the past two years to win the Cup…

We fought through a lot of stuff. We faced a lot adversity this year in the playoffs, but this team always responded. This team was built with a lot of character.

Modano on the goal...

Everybody was just dying and that is the typical type of goal scored…you just throw it in front and everybody is just wacking at it. Guys lose track and the goalie is just sprawled out. Brett's totally blown out his knee, his MCL is gone. We told him he has just got to get to the front of the net and get his stick on it.

Modano on it being a gutty series for him…

Well, the things people have been saying about me since I came into the League in 1988 and comments that were made about me as the series went on. It feels good just to rub a little salt in the wound. You take those quotes to heart, you take it personally and it is great to get it over with.

Modano on patience

The patience that Bob Gainey showed me when he could have gotten rid of me years ago, I am just really grateful for it. This organization gave us a chance to grow together and then we added a few key pieces along the way. I think we deserve this

Hatcher on winning:

I didn't think the game was going to end to be honest. You've got to give it to Buffalo and our guys who just kept going and going.

Hatcher on the Stars overcoming obstacles:

It's unbelievable. We overcame stuff all year. It's unbelievable. It's hard to describe.

Carbonneau on winning:

Well you know I think we deserve it. I think we worked for two years for that. I think everybody was disappointed last year, and to win it in a fashion like that, everybody deserves a big round of applause. We've worked so hard since September. It was hard but I think it was fun. And seeing Brett score that winning goal. He wanted that puck so bad. It's fun.

Carboneau on Belfour:

I think Eddie went about his business. There was a lot of talk about other goalies that Eddie couldn't finish it. I think that since the start of September his attitude really changed. At the start of playoffs they decided to go after him and he stayed concentrated and he made a big save when we needed it.

Sydor on winning:

We knew it was going to be the hardest game of the series because we wanted to finish it and they didn't want to finish it.

Sydor on the last two periods and was it like the Edmonton game:

Yeah we were tired like that. It was like throw it at the net and you never know what's going on. It worked out man.

Sydor on what it feels like:

I don't think you can ever picture how it's going to be but you can always wish. It's been one heck of a year and a half. I don't know when I'll ever come down. You want to win it for guys like Luds and Carbo. The older guys. It's been eight years since I've been back.

Sydor on how it feels:

I don't think you can express how you feel. I mean everybody dreams of this and we were able to do it. We're going to be able to say we're the Stanley Cup Champions of 1999. The last one of the century.

Sydor on what it felt like when the game ended:

You don't know. It happened so quick. You just lose it. I don't think anybody can express how they feel. It's just outstanding.

Belfour on how it feels:

This is a lifetime of hard work and dedication. Finally the dream came true. It's a great feeling to be with these guys on this team at this time. We're brothers for life now and I'll never forget this day as long as I live. It's the happiest day of my life.

Belfour on Hasek:

Dominik's a great goaltender and you can't take anything away from him. He's a hard worker and I've known him since Chicago. I know what type of goaltender he is and it's a great feeling to beat him.

Belfour on beating the great goaltenders in the playoffs and finals:

It's a really good feeling beating those guys and that I can play with those guys and win. God gave me the strength and courage and confidence to come through and my teammates supporting me 100 percent. Everyone in this organization supported me 100 percent right from the start and I'm very thankful for that.

Belfour on how difficult the third overtime was:

There was definitely fatigue there but I stayed mentally strong and kept telling myself if I come up with the saves sooner or later we're going to get the chance to score.

Belfour on keeping his cool:

You have to stay cool and the refs talked to me a lot and they really helped me out. It's just a matter of keeping your head.

Gainey on what was special about this particular win:

I would say the expectations that we had. They were there and we weren't shying away from them. I think if anything we attacked them. We knew where we sat at the beginning of the season and we attacked the season and went right into the wind and we wanted to end up in first place and we did. And we went from there. I know sitting in the hearing when Hatcher got suspended right before the playoffs started, one of my pleas to the League was that you understand the expectations that we have. They were suspending a guy for four playoff games and our whole season is built on the playoffs. I think that's what makes it. We went head on and we succeeded.

Gainey on how satisfying this win is:

We had a lot of good things happen to us, a lot of good luck. We were promoted as a top team and we played as a top team the whole season long and we faced some good opponents in the playoffs and we had really hard competition. I thought we deserved the win tonight. We stayed with it and we stayed in the game and one of our guys found a way to win it for us. When you add up the last seven or eight months and all the energy that went into it and all the hope and the desire and drive. It's all coming out tonight.

Postgame Quotes

NHL Director of Officiating Bryan Lewis:

LEWIS: I think it is important to first of all, to point out that every goal scored in the National Hockey League sure has been reviewed. This one was no different. Our immediate reaction is take a look at it; backup tapes from a variety of angles, number of different things. Officials do not leave the penalty bench area; we do not drop the puck until they have been given a signal from upstairs to the penalty bench area to go.

A couple of things I'd like to point out in terms of rules. The debate would be is: Are there reasons that a guy can have his foot in the crease and score a goal? Absolutely.

One example's coming down with possession and control, taking a deke, your left foot would go you would shoot and score even thought the puck would be out, that goal counts. The debate here seems to be did he or did he not have possession and control. Our words from upstairs and our view was that yes, he did, he played the puck from his foot to his stick, shot and scored. The other component of the debate is: Does the puck change as a result of hitting the goalie on the glove. Our rules are very clear in terms of completion of play. A puck that rebounds off the goalie, the goal post, an opposing player is not deemed to be a change of possession and therefore Hull would be deemed to be in possession, control of the puck; allowed to shoot and score a goal, even though the one foot would be in the crease in advance of the puck.

So that is what we looked at. That was the determination we made from upstairs, and walked our way through. This was sent to our managers in a memo dated March the 25th listing all the examples we could possibly think of that would be subject to review, dispute from upstairs, and we gave them to our video goal judges; gave them to all the on-ice people and managers as we walked our way through.

Having looked at it, the determination by those of us upstairs in the goal judges location upstairs, including myself, was in fact that Hull played the puck; Hull had possession and control of the puck, the rebound off the goalie does not change anything, it is his puck then to shoot and score albeit a foot may or may not be in the crease prior to.

Q. What plan did you have in place in the event that it was clearly a goal that should have been called back and the celebration was on?

LEWIS: We have talked about this. I mean, this would be the worst case scenario that you can think of. Our reaction is blow the horn; get the players back out there, drop the puck outside the blue line and play hockey.

Q. In the crease rule was put in (inaudible)-- objective -- what you are explaining make it a subjective call; does that kind of contradict the advent of the ruling?

LEWIS: No, not necessarily because some of these had been there since the very -- it started. The terminology possession and control has always been there. The rebounds off the goalie always has been there. All we have ever tried to do is to clarify by examples of what we gathered over the years since this has been into play; to walk your way through - that when scenarios cropped up, we are in a position to say to our video goal judges, take a look at it, here is the criteria.

We carry that paper with us the paper; lays there in front of the table; posted in every video goal judges location so that it is always there for any one to make any reference to. It has been in place; well looked after it. It has been there, since the inception, but it has also been clarified as recently March 25 of this season.

Q. It is customary when these things come up that there is a lengthy delay. There was nothing of that sort here. There was no indication that the play was being reviewed --

LEWIS: I just said every goal in the National Hockey League this season has been reviewed. I also think it is important to point at Playoff time someone from our management team is always there. Our immediate reaction is the moment a goal is scored -- we even have this year a camera angle from down low that is mounted inside the net that is not even available to television - so the automatic process, the moment that a goal is scored, as simple as some people may think it is, we are already backing up the tapes and taking a look at it.

Q. Why in this particular case -- normally if you say it is reviewed and certainly there would have been question on it, in every previous instance, an announcement is made that it is under review and would you agree that this -- this should have been made with this type of a situation?

LEWIS: No, because if we can look at it and say immediately, possession and control -- the idea is we don't want to have a three, four, five-minute delay. If we can phone downstairs -- we have done many, many, countless number of goals you look at and say there is not a problem; drop the puck center ice and go. So no, in all cases do we have long lengthy delays, absolutely not.

Q. Who makes the Final decision?

LEWIS: Charlie Banfield, Larry Rupter (phonetic) in conjunction with both video goal judges that work here were there with us as well. But it is the League person who takes over -- there is a League person at every Playoff game. The series supervisor sits with the video goal judge.

Q. Isn't this the worst possible scenario, so much controversy over the video review. I mean, if you sit there and think what is the exact worse scenario-- (inaudible)?

LEWIS: We talk about all these. We talk about worse case sin near I don't see throughout the entire Playoffs - talk about worse case scenarios throughout the entire hockey season. This is an example that we have written; talked about; looked at videotapes all year so that if it happens, we have got clear explanation as to why the goal would count or why a goal would be taken away. This whole process goes on all year. I said as recently as March 25th this year -- we even produced a videotape with a number of sequences on it to give to our video goal judges before the playoffs start. So they have had it in have it in picture form and written form, so that when we have every example we have got we think we sit in a comfortable position to make the right rulings.

Q. We understand your explanation and we understand the rule. A further question. Should the rule be changed? Is video good for in the crease?

LEWIS: My immediate reaction is I think it is an inappropriate time to get into that, from my perspective.

Q. Do you have any kind of count would that be available to you -- how many goals this year when a foot was in the crease were allowed because possession had not been changed on a rebound?

LEWIS: Just so you know what we do. Every time the review is made, a copy of videotape comes to the office. They are all numbered. We record them all under a variety of categories; do I have them at my disposal? No. Do we have the amount for players in the crease? Yes. I would have to go through them probably all one by one to take a look..... Probably the polite answer is, no, I don't have that to say as how many people would be. But I said before where a player comes down makes a deke; then the puck would go in the net and the immediate reaction by a lot of people is his foot was in first. Our immediate reaction is that doesn't matter.

Q. Did you speak to either referee on the phone after the goal --

LEWIS: What we do, it becomes part of a signal whether the referee went to center ice to drop the puck - he doesn't drop the puck until signal is given to him by us on top. It is the same premise here is, once it is phoned down and said the goal counts, then that is it. Under normal circumstance they would go to center ice, be standing there. That puck is not dropped until they are given the signal by us.

Q. How many times did you run it back and can you estimate how long it took?

LEWIS: We had --- our prime tape that we used initially was the overhead - was the first one. We take a look at each tape that is there including the one that is in our net that is not available. I would say probably six, eight, and some of those include different angles that we take a look at.

Q. You ran it tonight?

LEWIS: There is more than one of us up there. Charlie is looking at one set of machines; I am looking at another set; video goal judge is looking at another set.

Q. How long did it take?

LEWIS: I can't answer that.

Q. Was it one minute? Was it five minutes?

LEWIS: I don't know.

Q. Would you have stopped the celebration if indeed then --

LEWIS: Absolutely..... Just -- that is the job we say as we do in many, many occasions when the players are celebrating or cheering, we just say, whoa here, it is not a goal, doesn't count --

Q. Were you still reviewing it during the celebration?

LEWIS: Yes, we were. If you notice -- and I can't tell you how long it took -- the officials stood at the penalty bench. They don't leave that area until they have been given a signal by us. How long did that take, I apologize I can't answer that.

Q. What kind of signal is this?

LEWIS: By telephone. We phone to the guy in the penalty box; he just says the signal.

Q. Did you feel pressure to make the rule fit because of the celebration?

LEWIS: Not at all. No.