Lidstrom, who now has 49 postseason goals, spoke with the media after the Detroit Red Wings advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 6-1 win against the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 7 of this Western Conference Quarterfinal at Jobing.com Arena.
Q: That was a textbook Red Wings' performance tonight, wasn't it?
Lidstrom: I thought we played with a lot of confidence tonight, even after the first period when they were no goals scored yet. I thought we played with patience and confidence.
Q: How nice was it to see you guys respond in a Game 7 on the road after not finishing the job at home?
Lidstrom: It was great feeling to win a Game 7 on the road. It was a tough series. Phoenix was a great opponent. They forced us to a Game 7, so we're very happy with the way the team responded tonight.Q: The power play certainly stepped up tonight. What was the difference?
Lidstrom: I thought we were very poised with the puck. I think we had some motion and we were getting the shots through. When you have the motion, you're going to get some chances. That's what happened tonight. I thought that was key.
Q: You didn't look like a 40-year-old shooting the puck on your second goal. It looked as if you could play another 10 years if you wanted to.
Lidstrom: I just wanted to make sure I got a lot of wood on it. The puck came perfectly to me there.
Q: You still have a couple of hours left before your birthday. How will you celebrate?
Lidstrom: It's just great to win a crucial Game 7 on the road. I have a big birthday coming up, so it's a great feeling.
Q: This is the first time in your career you've ever won a Game 7 on the road. Can you talk about that experience?
Lidstrom: I had to wait a long time for that. It is a great feeling to see the team respond the way we did in a Game 7 on the road. It's been a tough series. It was great to see the team come out the way we did.
Q: You guys don't have much time to think about the San Jose Sharks. What do you expect from them?
Lidstrom: They have two very strong offensive lines, but they have a lot of depth on their team too. They play a very sound system, and it's tough to get scoring chances on them. It's going to be another tough opponent for us.
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