The contrast between the two was stark. First, there was Zach Parise, who had led the New Jersey Devils to a dominating second-round win over the Philadelphia Flyers in five games. When it was all over on Tuesday, the Devils' captain sat comfortably in the visitors dressing room in Philly, smiling while answering questions from reporters about the accomplishment. He was talking mostly about just how much he was enjoying it all.
"It's awesome," Parise said. "It's really fun for everybody. We're having a good time doing it. For everyone, the way things went last year, we're happy to be in the situation we're in. We're enjoying this."
It's probably safe to say that Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter didn't enjoy his give-and-take with the media in Nashville on Wednesday nearly as much. What gave it away? Well, he didn't want to do it in the first place. Once he reconsidered, most cameras were gone, and when he spoke, to his credit, he spoke honestly.
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- Senior NHL writer for ESPN The Magazine
- Wrote for Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Wrote for The Sporting News
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Craig Custance
Craig Custance joined ESPN in September 2011 as an NHL reporter for ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Insider and ESPN.com. A graduate of Michigan State University, he lived for nearly a decade in Georgia working for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution where he spent time covering the late Atlanta Thrashers. He was the only Thrashers beat writer to get the team to the playoffs.
From 2008-11 he was the national hockey writer for the Sporting News, writing regularly in print and online. A member of the PHWA, he's a proud voter for the major NHL awards and can occasionally defend his selections.
Like hockey, he left Atlanta to return north where he currently lives in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, with his wife Cassie and their three kids.
Follow Craig on Twitter: @CraigCustance
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