Unsung Hero of the NYA

[Dalton Wilcox 85]

With the New York Americans now miraculously sitting in playoff position and currently riding an extremely high win percentage in the last few weeks, a lot of credit goes to the balanced scoring of the forwards and extremely efficient team defence of the defenseman.  However, according to his teammates and coaching staff, most of the credit should be given to goaltender, A Red Guy @.sniffuM  Goalies tend not to be in the news a lot, unless they put up ridiculous numbers or have been lit up by an opposing team.  Most of the glory tends to go to the high scoring fowards, or the flashy offensive defencemen.

 

With a sterling 0.926 save percentage and a spicy 2.2 goals against average, A Red Guy has put up 29 wins for the Americans this season, while splitting the net with Thorvald Gunnarsson.  A Red Guy has also put up 5 shutouts and has played in many shootout games this season. A shootout is a goalie’s ultimate test in a 1 on 1 situation usually against the other team’s best scorers.

 

Teammate Dalton Wilcox was asked about his goaltender’s season thus far: “Hell yeah brother, there’s no doubt he’s our unsung hero, even MVP right now, even above Boris the Forest, Foreskin, Elmebeck and even myself.  Although I have to admit, there’s no surprise he’s getting better and better. Facing a shooter like me (the self proclaimed best shooter in the league) every practice is definitely going to make you improve your game.  His improved game play might also be a product of the pre-game shakes I make him every game (nudge nudge wink wink).

 

A Red Guy is also pretty important to the team off the ice.  He’s a guy you can always rely on to do the things that make the off ice events (parties, outings, etc…) go.  He’ll always be the guy who volunteers to get more drinks (and other things) if we’re running low, provide bouncer services to our teammates if puck bunnies or autograph hounds get too close, or make sure everybody including rookies and vets are having a good time.  He’s the definition of a glue guy, on and off the ice.”

 

Compared to his goaltending counterparts, A Red Guy ranks 6th in wins, 5th in save percentage, 5th in GAA and 5th in shutouts.  Although he is not at the top of any statistical category, the fact that he ranks top five in most of the important ones show just how dominant he’s been during the second half of the season, considering how brutal the start of the season was for NYA.  If awards were handed out for half season numbers, A Red Guy would definitely win in every statistical category.

 

As an S68 draftee, the future is very bright for A Red Guy and whichever team he plays on (hopefully the New York Americans according to Wilcox).  There is no doubt that goaltending awards are in his future as well as numerous all star game appearances. Let’s just hope he stops drinking Wilcox’s “pre-game shakes”.

 

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[Banackock 8,160]

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