Q: Why is playoff hockey so much fun?

A: It's do or die. It's a whole different level. Just to have a chance to win something. You can prove to people you are a winner. It's something I have not been able to do, personally, with a team since I was a kid. That chance to be able to raise a cup and say you are the best for that year. I won a bronze medal with Canada in the World Juniors ... even a bronze, I felt like I accomplished something. Once you become a winner, people see you as a winner.

Q: You sill have it, I am sure. Where is it?

A: It's at home (Brampton, Ontario). My dad keeps it in a safe. When I get out of there and have my own place (he is 23 years old), I will have it somewhere.

Q: The Albany Devils had a great regular season. Was there ever a point in the season, like late January or into February, where you are starting to think about the playoffs, because you know you are going to be in them?

A: Yeah. Throughout the year, teams say it. We've said it over the course of my career here. Points that you get earlier in the year matter at the end of the year. There was a point of this year when I thought we had a playoff-bound team. To finish second (in the Eastern Conference's North Division) was awesome. It pretty much guaranteed home ice until we ran into Toronto at some point.

Q: Everyone who is here obviously wants to play at the next level (NHL). What is the biggest difference between the two leagues?

A: There are not as many mistakes (in the NHL). And, not to discredit the players down here, the players who are up there deserve to be up there. Playing in front of (New Jersey Devils defensemen) Andy Greene and (Adam) Larsson when I was up there, they were always in position. They were always fronting pucks; they didn't get beat wide. They play their position, and you can trust yourself. If there is a 2-on-1, I trust the guy next to me to make his play, and I will do my job and everything kind of takes care of itself. Down here, the other team will have a guy shoot and fan on it and the D-man tries to make up for it, and I try to make up for it. It hits a skate and it's in the net. And you are like, 'How did that happen?' Up there, guys hit their spots.

Q: You have told the story of your mask before. Let's get it again. You have a likeness of a character from "Seinfeld" (David Puddy, a big Devils fan) on your mask. You are a "Seinfeld" fan. Have you ever met Puddy?

A: (smiles) I have not. I have tweeted with him (Patrick Warburton, the actor who played Puddy) back and forth.

Q: But he likes the idea of his face being on your mask?

A: He does. After I played my first game (for New Jersey, a win over Columbus on March 20), he tweeted out that it looks like this Wedgewood kid looks like he has a good career going for him. I tweeted him back and said thanks, and I hoped he would be able to see a game some time.

Q: And that was it?

A: No. I won my next game, (a shutout over the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road March 26). And he was making nicknames for me. Like Wedge-man, Wedge-aholic, Wedge-a-maniac. He was just making stuff up.

Q: Why him? Why did he make it onto your mask?

A: Well, the episode (on "Seinfeld" during which Puddy shows his allegiance to the Devils by painting his face and wearing a Martin Brodeur jersey). I would say the lines from it all the time. They play it on jumbotrons during the game. If they play it right before the start of the second or third period, I would have to put my head down because I'm laughing! It gets me every time!

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Q: Do the guys get a kick out of it?

A: They do. (Teammate) Paul Thompson will score on me, and he'll say, "Come on, Puddy!" We have some fun with it. It's a good group of guys.

Q: Does that stay on your mask for the rest of your career?

A: As long as I am with the Devils it does. I have to be Puddy. Maybe next year, I'll just have his whole face painted on my mask. I'm creative.

Q: You like to have fun. Are you a prankster?

A: Not really. I am more afraid of what guys would do to me (laughs). I am more of, like, telling jokes and doing the quick insults. I had two older brothers growing up, so I was always defending myself. I am more of a quick-wit guy.

Q: Favorite sports movie.

A: I don't know why, but I really liked "Warrior," that UFC fighting movie. Tom Hardy was in it. I didn't cry or anything like that, but I get so fired up during the fights. And the father with his kid ... I've watched it eight to 10 times.

Q: So you quote movies.

A: I can. Not that one. But movies like "Step Brothers," "Let's Be Cops," "She's Out of My League."

Q: Favorite movie.

A: That's a tough one for me. I am a movie guy. I love "Step Brothers." I could probably do the whole movie on quotes. At least 90 percent of it. I have seen it about 10 or 12 times.

Q: Really. That's a little scary.

A: I know. That's up there. So is "Uncle Buck." Oh my God, that is a great movie. And I like "She's Out of My League."

Q: If there were a movie made about your life, and you could pick the actor to play you, who would it be?

A: Oh boy. I would want to say Puddy! I like Ryan Reynolds in some movies. I would have to give it to (Puddy). He has to be one of my favorite voice-overs.

Q: Ryan Reynolds would be better.

A: Yeah. I like him. I also like Gerard Butler, but he is more of an action star.

Q: We are talking hockey here.

A: That's true. Maybe. I don't know who could play the whole goalie aspect.

Q: You could be your own stunt double.

A: That's true.

Q: As a goaltender, you are seeing pucks coming at you at, what, 90 miles an hour?

A: Depending on who is shooting. There are guys in the NHL that are over 104 (miles per hour) on the shot gun. I would have to give guys down here from like 75 up to 98.

Q: That's still pretty fast. When you see a puck coming at you, can you really see it? Or is it a blur?

A: It's how your eyes track it. You have to see the release. If I read your stick, I know where the puck is going. You are not really beating me with your shot; you are beating me with your release. That's why screens are so hard, because you can't see the puck, obviously. If a guy's stick is tilted up to the inside, you know it is coming in high, glove side. We have to react before the shot is taken. If you see the puck, you can stop it. When I was up, there was a shot from (Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin), (and) it came off so hot. He is not a big windup guy. He didn't drop his shoulder.

Q: Did he score on you?

A: No, he didn't. I had a couple on him. I played Crosby (Sidney, and the Pittsburgh Penguins) before I played Ovechkin, and there was an easy shot where (Crosby) shot one and hit my pad. And two plays later, (Phil) Kessel took a one-timer on the power play. I figured, I stopped Kessel and I stopped Crosby, maybe I could be here for a while.

Q: When you are in an NHL arena, and you are starting for the first time, do your legs turn to rubber?

A: You know what? This is the craziest thing for me. I played in Utica the Saturday before I went up, and I had shaky knees there. When I went up to Columbus, I was ready for it. I told my parents and my agent afterward that I was more ready for my first NHL start than I was in Utica. I like the big stage. There is so much pressure there. A lot of people might curl up. I don't know what my parents did when I was a child, but I live for that. You spent your whole life wanting to be there. I don't like to let opportunities slide.

Q: If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be?

A: I haven't had a chance to sit down with Marty (Brodeur), and I still have questions for him. So he would be one. I will take Puddy. We have to have dinner. And I'll take Nicky Whelan. She's an up-and-comer, an Australian actor.

Q: Pre-game meal.

A: I do chicken, green beans and sweet potato.

Q: You cook?

A: Oh, yeah. I think I would have gone to culinary school if I didn't play hockey.

Q:How far do you think this team can go?

A: I think we can go all the way. This is the best team I have ever played on.