Pierre McGuire’s Interviews Post-Cup

Q. You’ve done so many things in your career. World Junior, Olympic gold, now this. What do you have to say?

JONATHAN TOEWS: Oh my God. It’s like that commercial. I’m speechless. This team put on one heck of a run. We knew from day one of this season we had the potential to do it. And to realize our goal, it’s an amazing feeling.

Q. To come back, they tie in the third period. Obviously, you have to go to the overtime. Have you ever seen a celebration after a goal that Patrick Kane just scored to end the series?

JONATHAN TOEWS: You don’t predict something like that. It was just hoping to God it was an actual goal or we would be celebrating for nothing. That would take a lot of heart out of it, but they came back hard in the third and we stuck with it. An incredible feeling.

Q. What did you gentlemen say in the dressing room before you came out for overtime?

JONATHAN TOEWS: We just said someone has to get that feeling. Someone has to be the hero. Having it be Kaner he’s been awesome all series. Didn’t matter who got the goal.

Q. You haven’t won the Stanley Cup in Chicago for 49 years. 1961. Can you imagine the parade?

JONATHAN TOEWS: There’s so many great things about winning a Stanley Cup. This is it.

This is the best feeling you can ever get playing hockey, and I just can’t believe it’s happening.

Q. University of North Dakota. All kinds of fun when you were a kid growing up in Winnipeg. There’s Minnesota. Did you ever think?

JONATHAN TOEWS: No idea. No idea. This is amazing. This group of guys makes it even more special. A city like Chicago. We would have liked to do it in front of our own fans. We’ll take it anyway we can.

Q. Congratulations, Jonathan. Way to go.

Q. You gave your teeth to win the Stanley Cup.

DUNCAN KEITH: I always missed a lot of teeth. I just think everybody on our team sacrificed. A huge team effort, especially tonight.

Q. This is such a tough building to play in. When it was 2-2, how did you guys get the momentum going?

DUNCAN KEITH: I just thought we were skating the whole time. And I thought even from the start at first we were playing well. They had a power-play and they got kind of a good bounce there in the second goal.

I thought we were skating the whole time. Give them credit. They came hard in the third and tied it up.

Q. You are a kid from British Columbia. There are a lot of mountains there. You’re on top of the mountain right now. What’s the view like?

DUNCAN KEITH: It feels pretty good. I don’t even know how to explain it. It gives me chills thinking about it with our fans up there.

Q. You’re what’s great about the National Hockey League, Duncan Keith. Thank you so much. Your career is going to be splendid.

DUNCAN KEITH: Thank you. Appreciate it.

Q. Are you the only person in this building that thought that puck went in?

PATRICK KANE: I knew it right away. It was stuck behind the meshing there. Got a shot out to my people back in Buffalo. My hometown. I have four buddies who drove all the way to come out here. My five family members. Three sisters, three beautiful sisters. My mom and dad. What a feeling. I can’t believe it. It’s unbelievable. We just won the Stanley Cup.

Q. The rebirth of the Chicago Blackhawks started with you and Jonathan Toews. Did you think you would get to the top of the mountain this quickly?

PATRICK KANE: I can’t believe this just happened. It’s something you dream of as a kid. To score the winning goal in the Stanley Cup Finals. It was just — it was unbelievable.

Q. How heavy did the Cup feel?

MARIAN HOSSA: It feels pretty heavy, actually. I put it on my shoulder. What a relief. I’m so happy to finally do this.

Q. Were you concerned at all after they tied the game late in the third period that this wasn’t going to end the way you wanted to tonight?

MARIAN HOSSA: It was a disappointing moment. But we knew it was 3-3. Lots of hockey left. We could have just put our heads down. We have to work and we knew we could do it.

Q. What‘s going on in Checkoslovakia?

MARIAN HOSSA: I’m sure everybody is celebrating. There’s going to be a huge party.

Q. Did you make the right decision coming to Chicago?

MARIAN HOSSA: Definitely.

Q. Marian, congratulations. It’s been an unbelievably difficult wait and you deserve it. Way to go.

MARIAN HOSSA: Thank you. Appreciate it.

Q: You did this as an assistant. You never did it as head coach. Any difference?

COACH QUENNEVILLE: It’s a great feeling. Once you do it once you can’t wait to do it again. Very comparable but this series was very competitive. My hats off to Philly. They were competitive. Giving up a late goal. Great going into overtime. Hey, the building is as good as it will ever get.

Q. The Patrick Kane goal, when did you know it was in?

COACH QUENNEVILLE: I heard the sound. It was a funny sound. Nobody knew where the puck was. Kaner thought it was in. Video guy came out, he knew it was in the net. And I think the guys knew. That’s why they celebrated. I didn’t know for sure when I saw the net lift and I saw the puck in the back, I said okay, the party is on.

Q. What did you say to the team to calm them down after the late goal in regulation to tie it up?

COACH QUENNEVILLE: You know what, Philly kept coming. The building was loud late in the game in the third. Trying to settle down, time out. These guys you don’t have to say too much. The leadership in the goal, always wanted it and their focus was in the right place. Overtime was pretty hectic as well.

Q. What was the swing moment in the series for you and the coaching staff?

COACH QUENNEVILLE: I thought losing Game 3 in overtime got our attention. And Game 4 we gave up some uncharacteristic goals. Guys battled back. I thought the last two games were the two best games of the whole playoffs.

Q. People wondered about the goaltending going into the season. Any question about Antti Niemi?

COACH QUENNEVILLE: He’s the real deal. Great save on Carter in the dying minutes of the third period. He played so many big games for us. What a big Game 2 in Chicago for us.

Q. What kind of parade will it be?

COACH QUENNEVILLE: The party is going to be unbelievable.

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