NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WILD v MIGHTY DUCKS

May 14, 2003

Mike Babcock

MIKE BABCOCK: Obviously it was a huge save. You hate to give them that breakaway because we won the draw. That's why we pay Giguere the big bucks.

MIKE BABCOCK: I disagree with you totally. I thought his best game in the playoffs was not tonight but the night before. I thought he was outstanding, and I thought he really skated and pushed the pace and was involved. Tonight he didn't get as many minutes when it got to be a clown show.

MIKE BABCOCK: You know, he just does what he does. I mean, you try to score. You're a scorer, you're under big-time scrutiny in the playoffs. Guys are all over you. Then when you get room, you try to bury them. I think tonight was a great example of that. He got a little bit of room and he made them count.

MIKE BABCOCK: Penalty kill was good. Early on, they had a same-side feed going. We didn't adjust to it. We'll do a better job of that next time, and, you know, the bottom line is goaltending is a part of your penalty kill. I thought Giguere did a good job but we weren't as good as we normally are in that part.

MIKE BABCOCK: Not any more. He's played the last three games. He's a big part of our team in or out of the line-up. I really believe that everybody is important. That's one of the things that Brian Murray stresses here. Danny is a very important part of our team.

MIKE BABCOCK: It's so important. Obviously we wouldn't be in this situation if we weren't getting balance. I think it's so important, and, you know, tonight, we got a goal out of our -- I think three lines as well. And Smirnov had a great opportunity if he had gotten one. You have to have balance, scoring and balance attack. To answer the question about Kariya, as much as he and Pete and Oates are the guys who score on this team, the more balance you have, the better off you are.

MIKE BABCOCK: He was just asking about Giguere's shut-out streak, if you didn't hear that. Obviously, he's playing real well and our guys are battling real well in front and hard in front of him. Gaborik walked home-free from their blue line, so that's time and space like no one's gotten in the playoffs against him. And you got time to make a decision and a play. That's a phenomenal save. Normally it's a quick hitter, and he's so good at reading the game if we're organized. Obviously, he's playing real well for us. Every team's got a goalie. That's what you have to do, you got to play together, and he's been great.

MIKE BABCOCK: It's very important if we get it; it's not, if they get it. Giguere is all about living in the present and the next save. That sure was our focus tonight. We get 15 minutes to enjoy this.

MIKE BABCOCK: Steve makes you proud to be his coach. Anybody who competes that hard and battles that hard and leads that much, he's a guy on a mission, and, I mean, it's nice to be his coach. Thank you.