Ribeiro:"I'm still learning"
Jan 29, 2003 10:08:02 GMT -5
Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Jan 29, 2003 10:08:02 GMT -5
Mathias Brunet
La Presse
Mike Ribeiro learned at the very last minute that he was going to replace Joé Juneau on one of the three offensive lines. The young Canadiens forward did not disappoint.
He scored a goal of remarkable beauty at the end of the game, had one which seemed to be valid refused at the beginning of the game and had seven shots on goal!
"I hope that this goal will give me confidence, it's been a long time since I've scored", said Ribeiro, who threaded between defensemen Majesky and Ozolinsh before deking Roberto Luongo with a beautiful feint.
"I've tried that play many times, but it doesn't always work", he added.
Claude Julien didn't appear very surprised by Ribeiro's performance. "Some people are maybe surprised, but having seen him play like that a lot in junior, I'm not."
Chosen third star, Ribeiro doesn't want to get too excited. "I know that Joé Juneau and Yanic Perreault will be back sooner or later. But it's a good experience for me to play more regularly and I won't complain about returning to the fourth line. I'm still learning the game."
Stéphane Quintal had some scratches on his face following his fight with Peter Worrell, but he hadn't lost his quick wit in the locker-room after the game. "I wonder why she said that I had been courageous, it's as if I had taken a beating or something", he said, referring to a comment by reporter Josée Boudreault.
Quintal took many punches from his 6'6 adversary, one of the most frightening brawlers in the NHL, but he gave some back. "He started to go after everyone, and I was perhaps the only one on the club who could face him. I said to myself, "Why not?" Against such an opponent, one does well for a few seconds, but then he catches up to you a little bit... "
Saku Koivu admitted that this fight had been one of the key moments in favour of the Canadiens. "When you see a team-mate sacrificing himself like that, that inspires the rest of us."
La Presse
Mike Ribeiro learned at the very last minute that he was going to replace Joé Juneau on one of the three offensive lines. The young Canadiens forward did not disappoint.
He scored a goal of remarkable beauty at the end of the game, had one which seemed to be valid refused at the beginning of the game and had seven shots on goal!
"I hope that this goal will give me confidence, it's been a long time since I've scored", said Ribeiro, who threaded between defensemen Majesky and Ozolinsh before deking Roberto Luongo with a beautiful feint.
"I've tried that play many times, but it doesn't always work", he added.
Claude Julien didn't appear very surprised by Ribeiro's performance. "Some people are maybe surprised, but having seen him play like that a lot in junior, I'm not."
Chosen third star, Ribeiro doesn't want to get too excited. "I know that Joé Juneau and Yanic Perreault will be back sooner or later. But it's a good experience for me to play more regularly and I won't complain about returning to the fourth line. I'm still learning the game."
Stéphane Quintal had some scratches on his face following his fight with Peter Worrell, but he hadn't lost his quick wit in the locker-room after the game. "I wonder why she said that I had been courageous, it's as if I had taken a beating or something", he said, referring to a comment by reporter Josée Boudreault.
Quintal took many punches from his 6'6 adversary, one of the most frightening brawlers in the NHL, but he gave some back. "He started to go after everyone, and I was perhaps the only one on the club who could face him. I said to myself, "Why not?" Against such an opponent, one does well for a few seconds, but then he catches up to you a little bit... "
Saku Koivu admitted that this fight had been one of the key moments in favour of the Canadiens. "When you see a team-mate sacrificing himself like that, that inspires the rest of us."