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NHL STANLEY CUP FINALS: FLAMES v LIGHTNINGJune 6, 2004Andrew FerenceJarome IginlaTAMPA, FLORIDA: Practice Day Q. Jarome, considering the Playoffs that you personally have had, some of the clutch performances, having sort of an ultimate Game 7 now, is this the most exciting prospect for you personally in your hockey career? JAROME IGINLA: Oh, yeah, this is pretty exciting. It amazing the emotional ups-and-downs of the Playoffs, period. It's been all Playoffs. We have had different opportunities and chances to take command of a series or win a series and that is not the case. That's the way it is. It's amazing how from one night to the next after the game it feels pretty low and for the rest of that night -- you know, last night was a tough night but today you wake up very excited, sun shining, can't wait 'til the game gets going. I think that's the feeling around our room. It was a tough loss. It was a chance to win the Stanley Cup, to be one shot away and but we have been in this position many times and this is definitely very, very exciting. Q. Jarome, you played a bunch in Game 5 and then I think you played nine minutes in the first period of Game 6. Is the long toll starting to get to you at all? Did you feel tired last night? JAROME IGINLA: I didn't play very well in Game 6. It's tough because a lot of our forwards were really flying. They were going and it was a game that it was an overtime again it's one shot, and everybody wants to get that one goal that's going to help the team win, and myself included. And as far as feeling a toll or anything, the whole playoffs are its physically and emotionally demanding, but when game time comes it's very exciting. No, I don't think that was it. I think you know, in the preparation before the game and all day, I was very nervous, very excited. I probably thought about it a little too much. Didn't have my same preparation and unfortunately I wasn't very good. The exciting part is there is another opportunity for our team and myself to try to be better and play in a Game 7 and win this thing. Q. Jarome, how do you explain the success that this team has had on the road during the Playoffs and what can you draw from that that might help you in Game 7? JAROME IGINLA: I think we try to play the same way on the road or at home. We found ways to probably skate a little better on the road. Be a little bit more physical, maybe a little calmer. Probably a little calmer, you know. We are a young group and maybe we get a little overexcited sometimes at home, and because it's an awesome atmosphere there and what a crowd they were this year, and maybe that's part of it. Maybe it's our own fault because we shouldn't have an under-500 road record at home. But the plus side is we have a chance. I wasn't sure if we tied the record and we have a chance to set a record with road wins so that's a positive. It's something that we're going to draw on. It was so exciting to play every game at home this year and especially in the Playoffs, we would have loved to win the Stanley Cup, period, but it would have been awesome to win at home. Now we're going to try and play our best road game of our careers. Q. Jarome, as you went over the game in your mind after last night's game, how badly did you beat yourself up and was there anything Tampa adjusted to, anything Tampa did differently? JAROME IGINLA: I thought it was tough. It was tough to take. First of all, as a group, I mean, that's one shot away. It's overtime. It's one shift, you know. So it was pretty down. But it's the Playoffs, to be honest after every loss in the Playoffs it's hard. You think the other team, you know, they are enjoying it. You hear them whooping it up in the next locker room and we want that to be us. As far as beating myself up, personally you mean? It's sport, I wasn't very good, and it was tough but I am also very excited that there's another opportunity. It's a new day and last night I thought about it and today I am very positive and our group is very optimistic, fortunate to have another chance. We are one shot away and we're still the same distance away from a Stanley Cup. Q. (Inaudible)? JAROME IGINLA: But I really thought if you looked at Olie Saprykin and Chris Clark and Nieminen coming back into our lineup, boy, were they flying. Nilson, unfortunately our line we didn't get a lot of opportunities. We didn't make a lot of opportunities and so that was -- that stung a little bit, just think maybe if we could find something to chip in. Q. Jarome, there's a report out there that Robyn left the Saddle Dome last night with his foot in a cast. What can you tell us about that and if the worst does happen how much of a loss would that be to you guys for tomorrow night's game? JAROME IGINLA: Oh, we think Robyn will be playing and everything like that. I can't really say much as, you know, how well that goes, and whether they call it a charley horse or something, he had, I am not sure. Yeah, I am not allowed -- I wish I could share everything (laughs). Q. Jarome, there's now been a lot -- not been a lot of Game 7s over the years. Do you have any memories about Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final? JAROME IGINLA: I just have recent memories. I have recent memories of -- I don't know if that was Game 7, but a walk-off goal, I guess to end it, in Arnott's goal that might have been Game 6 and Hull's was Game 6 too. It was pretty amazing to watch how one goal ended it and we wanted that to be last night of course. It is great. We all know this is going to be our last game of the year, period. There's going to be nothing left on the table as far as being tired or anything like that. Not a chance. This is what we dream of. This is going to be very intense. I imagine the nerves are going to be going a little bit for everybody. It's about managing those and enjoying it, and playing our best. Q. Any expectation on your part to maybe raise your game another notch? In Game 5 you had a great game then last night it was kind of their stars that kind of took over. Yourself and Craig Conroy, maybe the leaders, kind of the veterans, to maybe take over for you guys in Game 7? JAROME IGINLA: I think, you know, talking about our line, yeah, we want to be better. We feel if we could have chipped in something, maybe it would have been a different game. So, yeah, this is very fortunate to have two days later a chance to chip in. And as far as is there an expectation, yeah, we want to play our best. We want to contribute and it was tough hearing them celebrate at the end of the game and hollering and jumping on the ice. It was supposed to be us. We want it to be us next game. So I think every line has that. If our lines can go the same way and we can help out, it could be a great night. Q. Your record after the team's allowed three goals or more has been perfect in the Playoffs. You haven't lost, come out and play very strong defensively from Mikka on out. What is the reason for that in your minds; is it just that you kind of wake yourself up, give yourself a little slap and say next game we are letter perfect? ANDREW FERENCE: I think you always learn the most from losses. You learn about yourself, about what you didn't do right in the game when you lost and I think that our team is a very mature team that you know, knows how to take what we learned and put it into action. I think that's probably been the biggest thing for us. If you look at the series we just hardly touched on, I think what we feel is our potential and after every loss, you know, there's been a lot of lessons learned. ANDREW FERENCE: I also think that we, like Andrew says, we try to learn from them and think about them a bit then we leave them. We take the good and the next day we wake up and we are positive and we think it's going to be a better day and that's the way we feel right now. Q. What did you learn in Game 7 of that Vancouver series that might hold you in good stead tomorrow night? ANDREW FERENCE: The start, I mean, it's not just because we lost last night or whatever but the start of the games was so important just to get rolling, if you looked at last night, we were nowhere. We are what our team is capable of. You can see the nerves, and the tentativeness in our legs. It is a lesson we have learned a few times. It's not one that you can just kind of snap your fingers and fix. But it goes back to after losses I think it's a lot easier to focus on coming out strong and just being yourself. I think last night we weren't trying to be ourselves; we were just waiting for the win kind of nervously. Q. Did you replay the Saprykin, Gelinas rush and if so, where does that sit with you guys? ANDREW FERENCE: I was right behind it. I kind of was wondering how it didn't go in, but nothing was really called so it was just kind of let it be and you know, you put those situations into the League's hand. That's the job of the video judges. I am sure they were watching last night seeing where the hockey game is going. We just leave it in their hands. It's not our job to complain and get all worked up about it and whatnot. If it went in, then that's real tough luck, but they are not going to change it now. So be it. Q. Andrew, the team looked tired coming off the bus there. Is the team tired right now? ANDREW FERENCE: We look tired to you? What does tired look like? (Laughter). Q. You guys -- you looked tired after the six game series and now seventh game, is the team tired right now? ANDREW FERENCE: I can only speak for myself, but I am definitely not tired. I know that last night in overtime we weren't tired, so I don't see why we would be this morning. I think any time throughout the whole Playoffs that we haven't had good games it hasn't been because of tired legs or guys winded. We play four lines and everybody gets pretty fair ice time which has helped a lot throughout the entire drive here. So I think guys are actually physically very well. You probably just saw a five-hour airplane ride and guys, you know, with a layer of airplane grease on them. Q. Andrew, wondering when Jarome just mentioned -- commented about today is another day, he feels better and looking forward now. Take us through the emotional process from last night. Obviously disappointment and how long it takes to sort of get over that and put the focus on the next game? ANDREW FERENCE: I think last night there was just a lot of grumpy guys obviously because we didn't win. I think the fact that we weren't 100% happy with our game, the way we started, giving up the two power play goals and on mistakes where we could have cleared the puck and little things like that. So I think that it was more disappointment in ourselves for not, you know, playing better and seizing the opportunity. We have been in this situation so it's regroup, such a strong quality of this team is being able to kind of you know, get it done with and move on.
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