Prior to the Western Conference Finals, Joe Sakic held a conference call with various NHL media types. Usually we'd write a... aw, hell, you know the drill.

LCS: Thanks for talking to us, Joe. You've always been a personal hero of mine, right up there with ALF, Columbo, and John Shaft. That's some prestigious company, wouldn't you agree?

JOE SAKIC: There is no question about how important goaltending is to hockey teams. Obviously, we feel we have the best in the game especially this time of year. But it is no coincidence that the four best goalies in the game are all in the Finals right now. That is what it takes to win Championships; to win long series is great goaltending, and all four teams have that.

LCS: Speaking of heroes, have you ever seen the Underdog Show?

JOE SAKIC: Obviously it hurt them when Chris Osgood went down. Billy played well especially in the first two games. But, you know, having Osgood come back in Game 5 probably helped them a bit, but you can tell his knee was still bothering him. He couldn't get down and back up, after making the first save he couldn't get back up and into position right away.

LCS: I mean, I like the show and all, Underdog is cool, but do you think it's right for him to derive his powers from a "super energy pill"? It kind of promotes drug use, don't you think?

JOE SAKIC: Actually, it will probably be Modano and Nieuwendyk. I think that is the way they play, their top lines line going against other team's top lines. I know from the season that line is usually up against the Modano line. And I think -- you expect to see offense, but it didn't work out that way. It was always both the top guys -- they-respected one another and just played strong defensively, and it was really a chess match.

LCS: Have you ever seen anyone in a PCP rage?

JOE SAKIC: I don't know who would be the favorite, but we are not here -- we are not focusing on the Finals right now. There is a pretty good team in Dallas that we are playing, being the best team in the League the last two years. This is the only thing we are worried about right now is trying to beat them.

LCS: Then there's Underdog's girl, sweet Polly Purebread. His alter-ego is that of a shoe-shine boy and she's a TV reporter. Think it'll work?

JOE SAKIC: It has been great. Obviously for myself, it has been nice having him here. I got traded for him way back when I got drafted so -- he is just a great leader; great character guy. He will do anything to help your team win. And off the ice, he is a super man, so it is just a pleasure for us to have him here on our team.

LCS: Along the lines of Underdog, I've been working on a cartoon idea of my own. It's about a mild-mannered editor-in- chief that gains super powers after bolting a shot of Jagermeister. What do you think?

JOE SAKIC: I think how intelligent he is with the puck. He sees the game a lot better than I thought; especially when he is in the corner, he hits great passes.

LCS: Aside from Underdog, I always enjoyed myself the Tennessee Tuxedo. Who do you think would win in a fight, Tennessee or his Walrus pal Chumley?

JOE SAKIC: It just seems that in overtime, you want to play defensive; you want to make sure you don't give up too much, but it always seems once somebody gets a flurry, the next team does. For some reason, it opens up more than during the regulation time. So it is probably not what you think or what you are planning on, but it just ends up like that, especially sudden death, you just want to get that goal.

LCS: You know, in real life walruses eat penguins. Yet in the cartoon world they work together as true blue friends. I think that's lovely. Does it fill you with a similar sense of brotherhood?

JOE SAKIC: I think it is going to be different. It is going to be lower scoring. I think they play a great team defensive game. I think it is going to be more of a physical series against them; especially their "D", they have got a physical "D" there. Depth-wise, both teams have great depth.

LCS: Do you remember the episode when Tennessee, Chumley, and some eagle dude started a band?

JOE SAKIC: It has been huge. From the start of the year, they just kept getting better and better. I think it was just huge that we got both of them this year. The last couple of years, we lost some depth and them coming in and playing the way they did all year and right through in the playoffs, it has just added so much depth on our team and really brought some good young legs.

LCS: That show was awesome. They would sing this song called "Change-o, Range-o, Ree" in which they'd choose whatever animal they wanted to be. Which begs the question, if given the choice, what animal would you be?

JOE SAKIC: Well, it could be because I know both teams are planning on trying to play well defensively, and we have got two great goaltenders going at it, so it is going to be a series that you are going to have to be patient. You are not going to -- you can't allow to get yourself frustrated. You just got to take your opportunities when you get them. There is going to be a lot fewer scoring chances than we had in the last couple of series, so you just have to keep plugging away and stay patient.

LCS: I would be a monkey. A monkey, yes! A monkey, yes! That's what I would be. Then I could swing from my tail and still have my hands free. What do you think about that?

JOE SAKIC: I think whether the ice is good or bad, it is really not going to affect the style that both teams are going to try and play. I think both teams respect one another's game and it is going to be a defensive series; whether it is going to be good or bad ice.

LCS: I got another one. An elephant, yes! An elephant, yes! That's what I would be. Then everywhere that I would go I'd have my trunk with me. How about that one?

JOE SAKIC: I think it takes a lot more pressure off everybody when he is playing like that. You just want to make sure you don't give up that many scoring chances. It makes a lot easier knowing that you don't have to score that much to get a win; you are just going to need to contribute one, two or three goals. When he is playing -- when he is on like he has been the last four games, it just makes it so much easier for everybody.

LCS: And, hey, how about whenever Tennessee and Chumley needed help with one of their kooky schemes and went and visited that Phinehas J. Woopee guy? Now he was a character. He had himself one of them magic chalkboards. Have you ever seen one of them magic chalkboards?

JOE SAKIC: I think so. He deserved that reputation; especially this time of year. He is so focused and plays so well. I think it's got to get in other players' heads that you just got to make a perfect shot to score.

LCS: Considering the whole 30-minute presentation, which was the better overall show: Rocky and Bullwinkle or Underdog?

JOE SAKIC: Well, I think we do have a younger team, and you'd like to think so, but I don't think we can rely on that. They have got a lot of character, and they might have an older team, but they use their brains and they are a very smart team. We can't think that just because we are younger, we are going to have an advantage if it does go to a longer series.

LCS: Thanks for the time, Joe.

JOE SAKIC: Thanks for having me.

LCS: No, Joe... thank you. And thank you, Underdog! Wherever you are.

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