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nivek_wahs
01-29-2007, 04:45 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=a0fde0f1-7e4f-4904-bcd1-809954bd43b0


Perricone gives fans reason to cheer

Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Monday, January 29, 2007
MOOSE JAW -- Fans of the Moose Jaw Warriors are on a first-name basis with Joey Perricone.

Chants of "Joey! Joey!" frequently echo inside the Civic Centre, a telling sign that Perricone has arrived as an elite WHL goaltender. He showed why on Saturday night by stopping 38 of 40 shots -- plus all three shootout attempts -- in a 3-2 win over the visiting Regina Pats.

"A lot of that started last year in the playoffs," noted Warriors head coach Steve Young.

Perricone was Moose Jaw's playoff MVP last season, backstopping the team to its first berth in the WHL final. In doing so, Perricone answered the critics who felt goaltending was Moose Jaw's weak link.

Not anymore.

Although his team is struggling to climb out of the East Division basement this season, the 19-year-old typically gives the Warriors a chance to win -- sometimes on nights when they have no business doing so.

"Some of the games have been like that for us this year," said Young. "He has been able to come up with timely saves. There are nights when Joey is in his groove."

Like Saturday.

It was just the second time this season that Moose Jaw has been to a shootout -- the other being a 4-3 win over the host Brandon Wheat Kings on Dec. 10. That night, Perricone stopped all seven shooters, plus two penalty shots in regulation time.

He's now a perfect 10-for-10 on shootout attempts this season.

"I have to knock on wood to say that," Perricone said with a laugh before explaining his success against breakaways. "Last year we had a pretty high-powered team and after every practice (they would have a shootout competition). (Troy) Brouwer and (Blair) Jones and (Dustin) Boyd and (Kenndal) McArdle would all come down and do breakaways. I kind of learned how to play them, I guess."

A lot has changed for Perricone, whose numbers are no longer among the top goalies in the WHL. Playing behind a rebuilding team, he entered Saturday's game with a 3.29 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.

Not that he's complaining.

"It's good for me playing with young guys," he said. "There's no egos at all. They want to make it to the next level so it's fun because I know every night they're going to work hard so I just have do the same for them. I can kind of be their mentor."

The lesson extended to the opposition on Saturday night.

Perricone got the better of an impressive goaltending duel with first-year starter Linden Rowat, who finished with 40 saves and stopped two of three shootout attempts. Perricone made 38 saves, plus all three in the shootout.

"Both of them were the show of the game," offered Pats centre Garrett Festerling. "It was awesome to see that Rowat was up to the challenge."

Even Perricone agreed.

"Linden Rowat is a very good goalie," he said. "He's coming into his own. He's only 17. He plays with tremendous confidence and he's a good young kid. You definitely notice when a goalie is standing on his head. When you're both playing well, it's kind of fun. You don't think about letting in the next one. It's kind of, 'Let's go! Bring it on!' "

The crowd responded accordingly by chanting the names of both goalies -- one with affection, one not. "Joey" rewarded them in the end.

"I enjoy it when it's loud in here," added Perricone. "I usually play pretty well when the Crushed Can is packed."

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007