Goepfert shines in Rays debut
Posted 09:33 a.m., November 7, 2008
I hope that puts to rest any more discussion about who the Stingrays No. 1 goalie is.
If there was any doubt about who the Stingrays’ top goalie is, then Bobby Goepfert put those doubts to rest last night with a 3-0 shutout of Charlotte.
It wasn’t that Goepfert made a lot of incredibly difficult saves last night, it was the way he made some difficult saves look easy. That’s the mark of a good goal tender. Goepfert’s athleticism and his competitive nature and swagger remind me a little bit of Kirk Daubenspeck.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that Bobby is Kirk, they definitely have vastly different styles, I’m just saying that Bobby’s mentality is a lot like Kirk was when he was here.
I’ve watched Bobby in practice and now in a game and the guy just doesn’t like to get scored on. He takes it personally and that’s what you want from a goalie as well. Did you see every time he made a glove save he tossed the puck back to the face off circle? Yeah, that’s probably a little cocky, but hey, I like that. Kirk was the same way. He had a swagger, a confidence about him that gave everyone else on the ice confidence.
Now, it’s just one start, and he’s going to have bad games, but Bobby’s the kind of goalie that could bring the Rays to the next level.
As a side note, I thought former Rays goalie Maxime Daigneault, was excellent last night. In a strange way, I thought he played better than Bobby. He made a couple of just unbelievable saves, the one on Trent Campbell early in the first period comes to mind. But Daigneault saw a lot more rubber than Goepfert did last night.
Overall, I thought this was the best performance of the season for the Rays that I’ve seen. I didn’t see the game down in Florida, but of the four home games that was their most complete effort.
Besides a five-minute lull in the third period, the Rays were on their game.
Steve Pinizzotto and Trent Campbell both played their best games of the season. I think putting them back on the same line was a good move from Rays coach Jared Bednar.
If the Rays can get that kind of consistency on a consistent basis, they’ll win a lot of hockey games this winter.
See you at The Rink,
APM
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Comments
Posted by hockeyfanatic on November 7 at 9:57 a.m.
I agree with you completely. That was the best hockey game that i've seen this season. Bobby is very quick on his feet and seems to amaze me everytime he drops to make a save and before you know it he's back up and ready to go again. If you blink you'll miss it. I have to give kudos to the team for their awesome performance last night! Keep it up!
Posted by warpathaubbie on November 7 at 10:39 a.m.
I agree. Great game, better yet a great effort. Now a couple of questions; 1. What happens if we release Johnson and he signs with someone and then an AHL team comes calling for Goepfert (my understanding is he can sign with any team) and Neuvirth gets called back up? Am i just crazy or is this a real possibility?
2. Is it me or is Kiser starting to take on a different role this year? He seems to be much calmer on the ice and not playing like Nate. Maybe his previous style of play kept him from being the captain and he is trying to show another side of his game/personality or it could be my imagination.
Posted by hockeyfanatic on November 7 at 10:53 a.m.
That is a very real possibility. They can call up guys anytime so we may be without them again. I wondered the same thing when Bedsy was talking about having to make a move in the next few weeks. Nate is playing a bit calmer. My guess is that since he's a veteran player he's letting the younger guys do the tough work now and taking on more of a "leadership role". That's what I think, but I could be wrong.
Posted by apva2 on November 7 at 11:47 a.m.
Even though Goepfert played well, as long as Neuvirth is in SC he'll be the number one goalie and get the majority of playing time.
Posted by borohockey8 on November 7 at 11:52 a.m.
Kiser was sticking up for teammates last night. Anytime, a Charlotte player got in the face of one of our players, he would be the first person to stroll over to the area and get between the two guys. Nobody wants to fight Kiser anymore either. Goepfert should get the start again on Saturday with Neuvirth getting the start on Sunday in Augusta.
Posted by stingrays01 on November 7 at 4:44 p.m.
Sasha Pokulok is lucky to be alive today. A fire started in the appartment below his as he was sleeping last night. Here's the story on the channel 4 web site. More will be on the news tonight.
West Ashley, SC - A fire tears through a West Ashley apartment complex and leaves four families without homes.
The families that lived in the charred units all escaped without injury, but it was close. The fire spread so quickly, a man living in a second story apartment jumped out his bedroom window to escape the flames.
Around 3 a.m. a quiet complex turned chaotic.
"It was scary, it woke me right up," said Sasha Pokulok. He had only been asleep a couple hours. He plays professional hockey for the Stingrays and had a game earlier in the night."As soon as I woke up I knew something was wrong, it was a thick fog...First thing I thought was get the animals out of there."
Pokulok crawled through his apartment to find his dog and cat, while fire crept toward his front door. He had to toss both pets out the window, then himself.
Peggy Stanley lives behind the burned building.
"It was so nerve racking, I was afraid. I felt really bad because this is your livelihood and if you loose everything what do you do?" said Stanley.
Several of the renters are uninsured. The Red Cross is assisting.
"You've got to kind of stay strong and tell yourself its material and what you want the most is not material. It's obviously the people you care about," said Pokulok. Pokulok, grateful, his pregnant girlfriend happened to be out of town.
Three people were in this apartment when the fire started. They say they tried to put the fire out but it quickly spread out of their control. The fire department says had they not called 911 when they did, the outcome could have been far worse. Residents say the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Several believe it may have been an electrical cause.
To help the victims of this and numerous other local disasters, a financial donation can be made to the Carolina Lowcountry Chapter of the Red Cross by sending a check to the American Red Cross, Carolina Lowcountry Chapter located at 8085 Rivers Ave., Suite F. North Charleston, SC 29406 or by calling (843) 764-2323 ext. 368. Click here to make a secure online donation to the Red Cross.
http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/1108/567904.html
Posted by borohockey8 on November 7 at 9:49 p.m.
Thanks for the info stingrays01. I did not hear about this at all. It puts life into perspective when you hear about these kind of unfortunate incidents. you do not wish this upon anyone, but thank god everyone is alright.
Posted by theballsiam on November 8 at 12:26 p.m.
Wow! I'm assuming Pokulok is probably paying to live in an apartment elsewhere, rather than in the apartments the organization gives the other players.
Posted by HighDef on November 8 at 4:40 p.m.
Sasha is lucky and smart for acting as he did, a bunch of crack heads live over in that apartment complex. I bet they give the team a great deal though.
Posted by stingrays01 on November 8 at 9:33 p.m.
Stingrays 3
Charlotte 2
Final
Trent Campbell with the game winner with less than 5 minutes to go in the 3rd period.
Sounded like Goepfert played another great game.
Now lets go beat Augusta and make it a perfect 3-0 week.
WAY TO GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by borohockey8 on November 9 at 10:04 a.m.
Looks like no Kiser for todays game aganst Augusta. Paper says Pierre scored the goal instead of Campbell
Posted by stingrays01 on November 9 at 11:49 a.m.
I guess they changed the game winner, but they still have Campbell in the boxscore on ECHL.com. It doesn't matter, it's still 2 points.
The Lynx don't have anyone that can stand toe-to-toe with Kiser, so I'm sure they would love to see him out of todays game.
If Kiser is out, I wonder if Romfo is ready to go yet.
Posted by borohockey8 on November 9 at 1:56 p.m.
Augusta has that one guy: Art Femenella who was a suppose tough guy in college hockey. He is 6'7, but has not dropped the gloves yet.
Posted by stingray88 on November 9 at 4:35 p.m.
Yes Sasha is lucky he was not hurt but it was not a life and death situation. He has just moved apartments due to the fact that the team has a contract with the apartments and it is not the teams fault that the fire happened and as someone who used to live there the complex is not that bad of a place and is close to the colesium. And by the way josh sounds pretty good on the radio
Posted by stingrays01 on November 9 at 11:43 p.m.
How about Goepfert and Neuvirth this week...
All they did was come down from Hershey and go 3-0, each with a shutout, and only 2 goals given up over those 3 games.
Out Freaking Standing!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by warpathaubbie on November 10 at 2:04 p.m.
Anyone heard anything about Johnson? Bednar has a monumental decision to make? It's not just a goalie thing either, we have other players that decisions will have to be made on pretty soon. Anyone know what's in the works?
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