NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WILD v MIGHTY DUCKS

May 11, 2003

Manny Fernandez

MANNY FERNANDEZ: Workouts and stuff like that?

MANNY FERNANDEZ: It's been pretty hectic as of late traveling to Vancouver. I think today was a good day to relax and let the guys unwind a little bit. I don't think we're the kind of group that freaks out after one game or gets really nervous. I thought we worked hard. The whole team felt real good, and just maybe we're missing that little focus around the net, but I don't think anything changes from here on out. Guys are going to keep working hard. Today was a day off, I think well deserved, and we'll go from there tomorrow.

MANNY FERNANDEZ: Well, obviously, when you come out of a certain time when you haven't played, you feel a little sluggish at the beginning, but there is a few that I struggle with. I think I remember the post, and maybe that last shot in the third period that kind of scared everybody in the stadium. I think I regained everything. There was just not a lot of shots to get my confidence under me. I felt as good as I could feel probably, yeah.

MANNY FERNANDEZ: Yeah, it was. We came thinking it was going to be just like the other series, especially the first two games, either you take Vancouver or Colorado, the first two games we were really in trouble in the first period. I think we came out with everything we had in the first period, but just we didn't come out to find out what we were looking for, but we took it to them as much as we could. They hadn't played for a while, I think we figured if we could get a good start and make sure we just bring whatever we had with Vancouver, I think we're going to be in good hands, and that's the way we went. We worked real hard last night, in the first period especially, and I think they felt like we felt in the last two series, where they just were overwhelmed, but Giguere is just -- he's been playing amazing, basically. He's just -- you can tell he's got that confidence and -- but starting next game, I think we're going to have to bear down around the net.

MANNY FERNANDEZ: Well, I was just talking downstairs. You know, a little while ago, I started playing my game instead of playing everybody else's game. The last few years here, it's been both me and Rollie. Last year I had problems with that. I stood there and tried to beat him. It's the same type of situation here. You go out there, and you just -- I mean, there is my game out there that I can play and where I feel good and I do whatever I can and I do whatever is possible out there and I think is within reach where I don't have to think about the guy on the other side or the guy on the bench. I do the best I can. It's kind of been like that since the beginning of the playoffs where, you know, it's been where we don't know who, when or where, and so, I guess you just go out there and do the best you can. It's worked out well so far. I'm not going to change that situation right now.

MANNY FERNANDEZ: Sure, I guess, yeah, you know, playing against -- I mean, in the league, you can find a lot of good goalies and you can find a lot of hot goalies, and if you keep playing against the guy in front of you, I think you're not going to survive. You know, I worry about stopping the puck, and I guess the forwards have to ^worry ^ wore about him and scoring against him.

MANNY FERNANDEZ: We're still patient, especially with what happened in the two first series, where we came back after 3 to 1. Losing the first game, I don't think it's a big scare. Even though we felt like we should have won, but, no, the second game is going to be the same. We're just going to come out and play the same game and see how they feel, you know. We're still at home. We feel great when we play in our building, and so everything is forgotten about, and we pass on to the next game and make sure that one's ours.

MANNY FERNANDEZ: There is no friends in post-season. I tried to talk to him a little bit before the second ^overtime ^ over time. It seems like he's in the mind-set right now. He's really focused. I totally respect him. He's the kind of guy that really works hard, especially over the summer. He deserves what's happening to him. I can't let that affect what's going to happen to me. Obviously, we have had great challenges over the years, and, you know, that's just one of the other ones where I've got to elevate my game a little more and try to go and reach the next level.