Patrick O’Sullivan WJC Interview
Mississauga and Team USA star Patrick O’Sullivan talks about his career, including his recent World Junior gold-medal experience in Finland.
McKeen's: What did you find different in the international style at the world juniors compared to that of the OHL?
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Patrick O’Sullivan: Well the speed of the game is a lot quicker, the level in general is a step higher. However, there is so much trapping in the international game it can be boring at times when we played the European teams.
McKeen's: How would you rate your performance at the world junior's?
Patrick O’Sullivan: I think I had a pretty good tournament. My line, which consisted of Patrick Eaves and Ryan Kesler, was real good I thought. Most games we played against the other team’s top line and our job was to try and shut them down while we added offense as well. I think being able to play a solid defensive role in a tournament like that at a high level gave me a lot of confidence. The goals weren’t coming easy for me in the round robin, but I guess I came through when in counted offensively.
McKeen's: Did you find the wider rinks in Finland helped or hurt your game?
Patrick O’Sullivan: Ya, I really like the big ice. I think its great for my game, I can use my speed and skating ability to my advantage and it’s great to work the powerplay with more room.
McKeen's: You seem to really enjoy playing the point on the power play, has this helped improve your overall game, particularly defensively?
Patrick O’Sullivan: I really enjoy playing the point. I think in junior, I can control the game when I have the puck and being the guy who runs our powerplay is a lot of fun. I can carry the puck a lot and make plays. Also, I get the odd one-on-one or two-on-one, and that’s something you don’t experience playing forward.
McKeen's: Besides your shooting abilities, what other parts of your game do you consider to be strengths?
Patrick O’Sullivan: Well I think my skating is really something that I will be able to use at the next level. I also think I see the ice well and I can make a quick play, which is also good for the next level because you have very little time to make a play.
McKeen's: Which non-American player impressed you the most at the tournament, why?
Patrick O’Sullivan: Definitely Valterri Flippula from Finland, he’s a good player and I think Detroit got a steal with him in the 4th round. My line went head-to-head with him and Sean Bergenheim as a line, and it was a battle.
McKeen's: Who do you consider the unsung hero of the USA Team and why?
Patrick O’Sullivan: Probably Steve Werner, he goes about his game quietly and gets the job done. Him and Zach Parise were our offensive leaders and they did a great job.
McKeen's: Are there areas of your game that you feel need improvement?
Patrick O’Sullivan: Ya for sure, everyone has areas that need improvement. I’m definitely no different, I think my defensive game has come a long way and, like I said earlier, the more experience I get in certain situations can only help me. I try and get better every time I go on the ice, and I think being mentally ready to play is key as well.
McKeen's: What was it like for yourself leading up to the gold medal game, knowing the Canadians where a big, strong hungry team not wanting to settle for silver for the third year in a row?
Patrick O’Sullivan: Well, personally I know most of the guys on team Canada and I was really excited to get a chance to play against them. We knew they where big and physical but I think we matched everything they threw at us and we waited for our chances to capitalize.
McKeen's: What was the feeling among the team when down 3-1, and who stepped up to boost moral?
Patrick O’Sullivan: Well our leader in every sense of the word was Mark Stuart, who really stepped up and said it like it was. We really hadn’t shown our best up to that point. We knew we could play a lot better and that it was a now-or-never type situation. And this group are so close that we believed in each other and knew we had the guys on our team capable of pulling it out.
McKeen's: Your first goal in the final to start the comeback was absolutely outstanding, how much extra time do you spend working on your shooting mechanics and what areas of your shot are keys to your success?
Patrick O’Sullivan: When I was little, I used to shoot pucks for hours on end. That’s really something I enjoyed when I was little and it helped me a lot. Now I just try and release the puck as quick as I can and try to surprise the goalie.
McKeen's: The feeling at the final buzzer, knowing Team USA had come back to defeat Team Canada and capture the gold for the first time?
Patrick O’Sullivan: It was awesome, something that is hard to put into words. I know I was never happier and I know it’s something I’ll never forget. The way the game played out was so dramatic and emotional, and it was the most intense game I’ve ever played in.
McKeen's: Besides winning gold, what is your most memorable moment from the 2004 world juniors?
Patrick O’Sullivan: The day of the gold medal game was special as well. I’ve never had a feeling like that before a hockey game. It was a sense of being nervous and excited at the same time. My roommate Pat Eaves and I where trying to take a pregame nap but after 10 minutes we both sat up in our beds and started laughing because all we could do was think about the game.
McKeen's: What was the first thing you did when you got home from Finland?
Patrick O’Sullivan: Well, first I made sure my medal was in a safe place in my room and I went over to a buddy’s house to see some guys from the team here in Mississauga. Being gone for a month, I had a lot to catch up on and I certainly had something to brag about to my Canadian teammates.