Manny's return special — or not

After six seasons with the Wild, playing at Xcel - "a special place" - was no big deal, Fernandez says.

By BRIAN STENSAAS, Star Tribune

Last update: October 12, 2008 - 7:49 AM

Long before he took the ice Saturday against the Wild as the Bruins starting goaltender, Manny Fernandez was thinking about the matchup. It wasn't all his doing, however. With the dozens of questions thrown his way in Boston's two-day visit here, it was hard to block it out.

But Fernandez, who was traded to the Bruins by Minnesota after the 2006-07 season, insists coming back to Xcel Energy Center was just another 60 minutes in net.

"Not really," he said, when asked if Saturday's game had any special significance after playing six seasons in a Wild uniform. "It's a road game. I know some of those guys. But we [Boston] are still here to get the two points."

No such points were gained. Fernandez gave up four goals on 26 shots in the 4-3 Wild victory. The sellout crowd was less than cordial, as chants of "Man-ny" and "sieve" echoed through the arena after each goal.

While with the Wild, Fernandez endured a little bit of good and bad.

Fernandez had his best season with Minnesota in 2005-06, when he went 30-18 with a 2.29 goals-against average. That season, the Wild also called up Josh Harding from AHL Houston for the first time. He notched a victory in each of his first two NHL appearances.

Harding, now the Wild's full-time backup, singled out Fernandez as someone who helped him along.

"He treated me unbelievable when he was here," Harding said. "Being a younger guy, I've obviously grown up a little bit since, but he took me under his wing and helped me out whenever I was struggling or needed help on the ice or off the ice -- just being a professional."

The beginning of the end for Fernandez in Minnesota came when he injured his left knee in January 2007. He did not have surgery -- something Fernandez refuses to discuss -- and was traded that summer.

He made four appearances for Boston last year before again injuring the medial collateral ligament in his troubled knee. After a comeback attempt, he opted for season-ending surgery.

He suffered a bruised thumb and middle finger on his blocking hand this preseason but is otherwise healthy.

"As the preseason progressed, he got better," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "That was encouraging for us."

Fernandez is ready to get on with his career.

"It's not going to happen overnight," he said. "[But] being able to use both my legs ... is a big plus. I don't have to worry about that anymore."

Saturday's game was Boston's lone trip to Minnesota this season. In the middle of all the questioning about his return, Fernandez did let on a little bit that, even with the salty end to his tenure here, it was good to be back.

"I spent [six] years here," he said. "This rink will always be a special place.

"It was a great part of my career, but it was a good thing to move on, too."

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