#Yzerman refuses to smile, even on brink of first Stanley Cup#

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By Daren Smith 
Senior Editor 

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings had just routed the
Philadelphia Flyers in Game Three of the Stanley Cup Finals, and
an eager group of reporters wanted to know, why hasn't Steve
Yzerman smiled? 

After all, Yzerman is one win away from his first Stanley Cup,
one win away from ending the Red Wings' 42-year championship
drought.  And he's scored a goal in each game of the Finals. 

"I'm missing some teeth right now," he joked.  "It is exciting.
It is a lot of fun, but it is also nerve racking.  You can't
afford to relax.  You just play the game and take a day off, get
ready for the next game.  I think our team really has done a
good job at getting prepared to play and remaining focused on
playing and keeping our mind on hockey.  So we are enjoying
ourselves." 

They're just not smiling. 

Yzerman has spent his entire 14-year career in Detroit and has
been through the lean years in the 1980s.  He's won individual
honors and suffered through the stunning sweep at the hands of
the New Jersey Devils in the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals.  That may
be where Yzerman and his teammates acquired that singleminded
sense of purpose that has brought them within one win of making
Hockeytown live up to its name. 

"I think the experiences that we have had have kept our feet on
the ground," he said.  "They have helped us to not get carried
away with things and not get too excited when they have gone
well. 

"I am definitely excited.  I guess I am a little nervous,"
Yzerman continued. "I am anxious to play the game.  I think the
hard part is the waiting in between games.  I think you feel
most comfortable once you get on the ice." 

He got a preview of Detroit's Stanley Cup celebration during
pre-game introductions on Thursday.  The appreciative crowd at
Joe Louis Arena greeted the Red Wings' captain with a boisterous
standing ovation even before his familiar number 19 was
annnounced on the public address system. 

"That will definitely get you fired up, (it) gets your
adrenaline going and pumped up to start the game," he said.  "I
didn't really expect it.  I loved it, it was a great experience.
But I really don't know what to say about it other than it was a
great moment." 

It was Detroit's way of thanking Yzerman for his years of
service, not unlike the way Baltimore fans showered Cal Ripken
with adulation when he broke Lou Gehrig's iron man record.  In
many ways, Yzerman is like Ripken.  They entered their
respective leagues around the same time and spent their entire
careers with the same team while achieving a standard of
excellence.  For the good of the team, Ripken this year
reluctantly moved from shortstop to third base.  Two seasons
ago, Yzerman subjugated himself to help the Red Wings win a
Stanley Cup. 

"I guess it would have been during the 1995 season that our
coaching staff made an adjustment to the way we played and
started stressing playing defensively," he recalled.  "I just
had to fit in with the style that we were playing.  And I think
back then I started to play some left wing.  I guess with the
emergence of Sergei (Fedorov) and Keith Primeau at the time, we
were pretty deep at center and it just kind of worked out that
way. 

"I have always considered myself a two-way player," Yzerman
added.  "I guess I never got noticed until I stopped scoring." 

Left wing Brendan Shanahan was acquired in October and led
Detroit in scoring. Known for his leadership, he said make no
mistake, the Red Wings take their cue from Yzerman. 

"We have been feeding off him all year, especially in the
playoffs.  He has done everything a true captain does, he's the
quiet leader of this team," Shanahan said.  "I think that
sometimes because of his offensive numbers people just think of
him as an offensive player.  But I really haven't played with a
better defensive forward.  We have several on our team, but the
commitment that Steve has shown this season, especially in the
playoffs, is remarkable." 

Yzerman has played in more games (1,023) and scored more points
(1,340) than anyone in Red Wings history, except Gordie Howe. On
Saturday, he can add his name to Howe's on the Stanley Cup.
Maybe then Yzerman will smile.