Martin Straka Quotations

I can't say it in the paper what I told him.

For us, this is like the Super Bowl. It's the biggest thing you can do.

Today isn't a nice day for us. We lost playing against a team that played very well from the beginning. They skated so fast. We had some chances in the second period, but they won.

He's a small guy and he always looks for the open spot at the front of the net. He's getting all the rebounds, so he is not afraid at all.

He's definitely playing with a lot more passion than a couple years ago.

He's awesome. He's a big part of the team and when he's playing, he's playing well. He's a leader and a great guy in the locker room, helping the other guys. He's funny on the bench during games. I like to sit next to him.

I thought we could have a shot. You're always wondering. You don't know what's going to happen.

I think this is what we get paid for. Thank God we've been playing well lately and hopefully we'll win a couple more games.

It is huge (win). Teams like this you have to beat. We still have six games to go and we just want to win the division. It was a big step tonight.

I think the Washington game was the game. We had lost six in a row and we just wanted to get our confidence back, to know we can win again.

I saw Jaromir down, so I wanted to take care of business. That's how it is. You just have to go in and do what you do.

I saw Jaromir down, so I wanted to take care of business.

That was just a complete hockey game. All four lines played well. Plus, we had a good start and that's so important.

We haven't had much luck so far, but we've got time. We played better today (after losing to Switzerland on Thursday), we're getting there.

The quarter-finals is going to be the key game for us.

When you start doing that, you are in trouble. You have to focus on yourself and your game.

We're not scoring, and it's tough. When we get the chance, we've just got to score. (In the third) we just kind of tried to protect the lead and sat back too much. We didn't create anything and they were skating really well.

We were a little bit more desperate today.

We don't want to go into the playoffs the way we played (Tuesday). We want to go with a good feeling and confidence. Pittsburgh is a huge game because they've been playing well. Philadelphia is just a crucial game. I think that whoever does win will play at home (in the first round).

We were tired today. I don't know what happened. We just didn't have the legs.

It was tough, especially the 5-on-3. You've got to score in playoff games. We kept talking about plugging away.

That's what we said before the game, especially on the power play - we were going to battle for all the pucks and get all the rebounds. That was the difference. That's always the difference.

They're doing the same thing in the Czech Republic now. It's not as many hats as here because people don't have as much money.

I tried to pass to him, and then they boo me when I score a goal. I told him, 'Keep the goal. I don't want to hear the booing.

It's tough playing all those games in the NHL and then here. It was easier in Nagano and Salt Lake (only three preliminary-round games). Maybe that's something everybody should think about for next time, give us a couple of more days off.

It was just good luck on the first puck of the game, and we never came back from that. I guess we ran out of gas. We were very tired with so many games, but everybody is in the same boat.

After that (goal), I think we controlled the game. For the first 50 minutes, I thought we played pretty well.

After that (goal), I think we controlled the game.

I hope this will be a wake up call for the us.

I hope that it's going to be a wake-up call.

I'm very happy for him. He works very hard and practice and is a great, great guy.

If you play like that for 10 years in the NHL, there's no way you lose it in a year.

I just tried to stay in the neutral zone today. I didn't want to go close to the net. It's special, every time you break some kind of record, it's always nice to be part of it. It's a huge accomplishment for him.

I just tried to stay in the neutral zone today.

If he has something important to say, he says it in the locker room, in front of the guys and the coaches. Now he's been in the league many, many years. He's learned from the best: Mario, Ron Francis, Mark Messier.

I feel bad. It's the second goal this year I took away from him. I tried to pass it to him, that's for sure. I feel bad for him. I feel bad for myself. They booed me. I don't want to hear the booing.