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Thursday, March 15, 2001
Chat wrap: San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov
ABC Sports Online
On March 15, San Jose Sharks rookie goaltender Evgeni Nabokov made a special appearance in the chat room to discuss this Saturday's game between the Sharks and Los Angeles Kings (ABC, 3 p.m. ET) as well as the Sharks' latest acquisition of Teemu Selanne.
Mikedog
Evgeni, how do you feel about the playoffs? Are you nervous? What do you think the Sharks need to do to be contenders for the cup?
|  | | San Jose rookie Evgeni Nabokov ranks in the top six in the NHL in wins, goals against average and save percentage. |
Evgeni Nabokov
We are a really good team right now. But with the expectations with Teemu Selanne coming back, everyone wants to see how he is going to play here. Our chances are really good because we have good forwards and good defensemen. We are looking forward to it. We are going to do some damage, I think.
The team is expecting Teemu to score goals. They are expecting him to score the goals. He's an experienced guy.
sharks101
You were wearing a new helmet last night. Can you talk about it?
Evgeni Nabokov
That's my new helmet.
We came up with this design because it is the 10th year anniversary of the Sharks. In the back, I put up my old team from Moscow and my hometown team, who my dad played for. It also has my dad's #20.
Joseph
Did you know that you were going to be the #1 goalie in the playoffs even before Steve Shields was sent to Anaheim? Also, since the IIHF isn't allowing you to play for Russia in the Olympics, will you play for Kazakhstan if they make it through the preliminary round? Good luck with the final 12 games and hopefully you guys catch Dallas for the Pacific Division title.
Evgeni Nabokov
I am not going to play for Kazakhstan because we didn't make the Olympic Games. I am still waiting for the season to end. Maybe in a couple of years, I will have a chance. I want to play for Russia.
Xavier
Who would you least like to see coming at you on a breakaway?
Evgeni Nabokov
It's pretty hard to say. If you are playing it right, it doesn't matter who you see. I don't know.
I haven't played in the league enough. I don't have enough experience with breakaways. There are so many good players who can do breakaways.
Chris
How did it make you feel when they traded Steve Shields? Did you guys get along?
Evgeni Nabokov
We have been getting along pretty well. We never got upset. I am sure it is going to be best for him because he wasn't happy with the situation because he wasn't playing as much as he'd like. He deserves to play. He will get more chances at Anaheim. Our relationship was pretty good. I wish him good luck.
With him gone, I feel some pressure. It's not because he's gone, but everybody expects that I have to step up. At the beginning, everybody was wondering how I was going to play. Right now, I love every minute of it. I don't feel pressure-pressure.
Steve Meaders
What was the biggest on ice adjustment you had to make from playing in Kazakhstan to playing in the NHL?
Evgeni Nabokov
The biggest one was the language. When you go into the locker room and you don't understand what they are telling you, it hurts you on the ice. The other thing is that I didn't play enough games in my first season. I was upset with that too. It has taken me some time to understand the American system and how it works, that you have to go through minor leagues. Those were my two biggest adjustments.
Michael Sundaresan
Evgeni, how have you been dealing with the criticism that your GAA has gone up every month, and that you may be a question mark come playoff time because you have never started in as many games as you have this season?
Evgeni Nabokov
It's an 82 game season. It's a hard season. I think the team didn't know me as well. They tried to make traffic in front of me. But I think if you are going to look at the average, it doesn't jump much up or down. It's hockey. It depends on how low you are going to go.
As for the playoffs, we will see. I feel pretty confident right now. The answer will come after the playoffs.
SharksFan
What bars do you hang out in San Jose?
Evgeni Nabokov
(laughs) I like to hang out with my fiancée. She likes to cook. We have only been to a bar, maybe twice.
dave
If you admire any goalies in the NHL as far as their style of play, what role models to admire among NHL goalies,
Evgeni Nabokov
I never had a role model.
I like watching goaltenders. I'm not trying to look up anybody's style. I play the way I grew up and used to.
Marty
Hello Evgeni, Describe what it will take for the San Jose Sharks to win "The Stanley Cup"?
Evgeni Nabokov
It's going to be hard work, discipline and luck. You can't win any tournaments or any playoffs without luck. Teams must work together. It's the only way you can win the Stanley Cup.
liam032
Are you nervous about the upcoming games against the Kings. What do you feel the team needs to do to win besides play some defense in front of the net?
Evgeni Nabokov
If we keep going, we will get lucky and score some goals. Including myself, you can't stay in the game if you don't make those key saves. Right now, it's like a playoff game.
Thanks for the questions.
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 San Jose's goalie Evgeni Nabokov stops Trevor Linden on a breakaway in the first period.
avi: 856 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Evgeni Nabokov stuffs the Martin Straka penalty shot.
avi: 588 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Sharks' goalie Evgeni Nabokov stops a Shjon Podein blast from the blue line.
avi: 558 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Rookie Evgeni Nabokov makes a spectacular save for his third shutout of the season.
avi: 1030 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Goalie Evgeni Nabokov gets some help from the post on a Rangers 2-on-1.
avi: 783 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Evgeni Nabokov preserves his shutout denying a Roman Hamrlik shot.
avi: 454 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Evgeni Nabokov stops the Columbus shot.
avi: 631 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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