Evgeni Malkin: We want revenge!

Evgeni Malkin fighting for the puck against Pavel Datsyuk

In his interview before the Stanley Cup finals start Evgeni Malkin states that the new coaches treat players in a friendly way, doubts that Datsyuk will play man-to-man defense against him, repines at the game schedule and says that the Penguins want revenge.

- In the Stanley Cup finals the Pittsburgh Penguins are going to fight against the Detroit Red Wings for the second year in a row. Don't you have last year's events in front of your eyes before this series?
- We don't think about last year's defeat. We know Detroit very well, we studied its game thoroughly. And we are full of confidence because we've got a good team too. We are going to fight!

- Some say that the Eastern Conference is weaker than the Western. What do you think?
- I don't agree. This season we played a lot of games against the teams from the Western Conference and we won in many of them.

- The rivalry between the Red Wings and the Penguins can be compared to a machine vs. geniuses fight. The Penguins have got a lot of talents, the Red Wings are a well running machine. Do you agree?
- There is an element of truth. All twenty Detroit's players seem to be born for this team. Detroit is “Red Machine”, if you like. But we are no worse! Sometimes we are being called “young stars” but we also gained some experience already. We made the playoffs for the third year in a row and playing in the Stanley Cup finals for the second year in a row. We are starting to resemble a machine ourselves.

- Do you agree that the Penguins have a successful season because they've got a spirited team where everyone stands up for everyone?
- Of course! After adding Kunitz and Guerin our team started playing better and different. And what an atmosphere we've got in the team! This is what we didn't have last year. Besides, the new coaches treat players in a friendly, correct way.

- Detroit's key players -- Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom -- are injured. Does it make your task easier?
- Of course you can't be upset when the opponent's players like these aren't playing. But I'm sure that both of them will play in the finals. They will do everything in Detroit to set them on their legs.

- Some say that Datsyuk will probably play man-to-man defense against Malkin. Have you heard anything?
- No, I haven't. Well, that's unexpected. I don't think forwards play man-to-man defense against forwards in the NHL. I don't believe that Datsyuk will be my shadow.

- Why don't they do it in the NHL? During the Soviet epoch it wasn't rare.
- It's hard to get both lines on the ice at the same time. Besides, if someone starts playing personally against me I will just skate to another player and will “tie” these players creating room for my partners.

- The NHL announced a very tough game schedule: back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday and then 2 games on Tuesday and Thursday. Who's going to win from this – the Penguins or the Red Wings?
- Television! I was surprised by such schedule. I have never had to play two days in a row in the Stanley Cup finals. But I'd say we are going to benefit from it more than Detroit because we had 1 rest day more: while we were having a rest on Wednesday, Detroit was fighting against Chicago.

- Are you ready to bring Detroit down?
- Nobody wants to lose twice in a row. All of us want revenge. And I see very well that our team is driven as crazy!

Translated by Malkin-71.net