Seidenberg On Canucks Winning Cup In Boston: 'Everything In Our Power To Prevent That'
BOSTON (CBS) - The Stanley Cup is in Boston, but the Bruins are hoping it does not make an appearance on the TD Garden ice Monday night.
"You never want to see another team celebrate on home ice," Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche on Sports Final Sunday night. "Definitely not a team you play six times in a row and develop a certain dislike towards them. We're going to do everything in our power to prevent that."
The Canucks are just one win away after taking a 3-2 series lead with a 1-0 Game 5 victory in Vancouver Friday night. It has been a hard-fought series, with plenty of extracurricular activity going on, both on and off the ice.
The Alex Burrows biting incident, which led to taunting from both sides. The Nathan Horton injury, and Aaron Rome's suspension for it. Now Roberto Luongo is taking shots at his counterpart Tim Thomas.
But Seidenberg chose to take the high road when it comes to anything but hockey.
"I'm not really getting into that," said Seidenberg. "We're focused on our team. We're focused on winning the game (Monday). Whatever they want to say, they can say but we're not getting into that."
Dan Roche Catches Up With Dennis Seidenberg
"I think it has to be our mindset in order to win games," he said. "It doesn't make any sense for us to waste energy on any comments they made."
Seidenberg has come up big for the Bruins, anchoring the front defensive line with Captain Zdeno Chara. In his first full season with the Bruins, the 29-year-old defenseman has helped lock opposing teams down during the postseason, keeping them from finding any rhythm in the offensive end. In the Finals, Vancouver has scored more than one goal just once in five games. Most of that is courtesy of Tim Thomas, but it helps to have two of the better defensemen cutting down on traffic in front of the net.
"I definitely enjoy being physical and battling hard out there on the ice," said Seidenberg, who is a plus-one during the finals. "I love one-on-one battles, batting in the corner; I love the physical contact. That is what playoff hockey is all about."
Roche: Home Ice Key For Bruins In Final Home Game
Seidenberg and the Bruins will play their final home game Monday night, and are hoping it is not their final game of the season as well.
'The biggest thing is us following the game plan and sticking with what's made us successful; Being physical on those guys, and getting guys in front of their goalie, being hungry on the net and getting those rebounds," said the seven-year veteran. "We have to be focused on our game. You saw in Game 3 and 4, if we stick to our game plan, if we're physical and really dig deep and get pucks in the net with guys in front, things will take care of themselves."
Although he plays hard on the ice, Seidenberg brings a quiet, reserved demeanor off it. But do not let that fool you; he is just as tense even after the skates come off.
Read: Bruins Focused On Forcing Game 7
"It's pretty much a cover, on the inside I'm pretty tense," he joked. "I'm focused. When I'm home I'm never really relaxed. I always have the game on the back of my mind."
And his mind will have to wait until the season is finally over in order to relax.
"It has to wait a couple more games until I do that," he said.
98.5 The Sports Hub is the only local station to listen to every game of the Stanley Cup Finals. Coverage begins an hour before each game with the Bruins Pregame show hosted by Dave Goucher & Bob Beers.
