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Penguins profile: Sykora
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Petr Sykora
Position: Left wing
Age: 31
Hometown: Plzen, Czech Republic
Season: 12th
Notable: After scoring 63 points (28 goals) in the regular season, Sykora has eight points (five goals) in the playoffs, including the game-winner in the 4-3 triple-overtime win in Game 5 of the Cup final. Sykora hadn't scored a goal since Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final or a point since Game 3 of that series. A first-round pick (18th overall) of New Jersey in 1995, he helped the Devils win the Cup in 2000 and recorded career highs in goals (35) and points (81) in 2000-01. He played for the Devils, Anaheim Ducks, New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers before signing as a free agent with the Penguins last July.
Quoting Sykora:
Q: What made you predict that you were going to score the winning goal, and how did you feel when you scored it?
A: "It happens like that, because I haven't touched the puck the whole game. Nothing was coming to me. I didn't have a real shot on that. I didn't have a scoring chance. I went through this before. The overtime in Dallas (in 2003), I probably didn't have a shot on that, either. I know the puck is going to come in. It was a long game, so like it had to happen. I think both of us, Gino (Evgeni Malkin), we were struggling offensively. Gino had a pretty big scoring chance in the first overtime, and he had that good shot and (Chris) Osgood made a save. I just kind of want to get a little looser. I didn't feel I was going to score, but just to get a little looser out there and make a comment like that, get the guys a little laugh in the locker room. I'm not complaining that it worked."
Q: In a game that long, what do you do between periods to keep up your energy? What are the secrets?
A: "Pizza. No, I think we just want to keep your fluids going. I think it's very, very important. And when you're out there, just keep hockey very smart. Just keep short shifts going. Don't get caught in the long shift, because it can really kill you. And I think it's important to roll the four lines, make sure all the guys are going to get into the game. And that's what we did. Between the periods, basically, just keep the fluids going and get some food in you. We had some pizza coming. We had some PowerBars and stuff like that. I think it's very important."
Q: You had pizza in the breaks? Who delivered?
A: "Yeah, you get a little piece here and there. Yeah, I did have pizza. (It was) Domino's."
Q: Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said he hated to see the puck go to you in that situation because he remembered you winning a game for him (in Anaheim) in overtime years ago. Do you remember it, and was it odd to score a goal against a coach you used to play for?
A: Yeah, I totally remember that game. It was in the fifth overtime. It was kind of a similar game. Nothing was really going for me. I didn't think I had a scoring chance until the goal scored. It was kind of similar to (Game 5). The puck was going away from me, didn't really get a shot on net until like the second overtime. And when I saw Gino behind the net, I knew he's coming to my stick and I shot it where I wanted to."
