Goalie Quotes

I just realized that I forgot to post my goalie quotes yesterday because I was caught up dealing with other stuff. The story I wrote can be found here, and here are the quotes:

Kyle Gajewski
I played pro last year, so I kind of have a little bit experience. Hopefully, I bring that experience that I have from last year, I play the puck pretty well, and I work pretty hard.

I’ve been getting better as the week goes on, and I can only hope that I get better as we go.

(In the exhibitions, I need to) just play well, work hard and show the coach that I can do everything that he needs.

Gerry Festa
On the ice, I think I read the play well, and I’m agile, trying to be a faster goalie because I maybe don’t have the size of some other goalies around the league, so I have to play the angles well and anticipate things a little bit better and move faster. I think the game stays the same. The guys are making the transition easy as far as coming to a new team. On the ice, things will happen a bit quicker, obviously, so you have to get up to speed with that. But I worked hard all summer, and I feel like I’m ready to compete at this level. Like I said, the game stays the same, you just have to stay focused.

So far, pretty good. It’s been two-a-days, and you get a little bit tired, but you have to play through it. You have to stay sharp, and I’m looking forward to the exhibition games because it will be good to get in some real game action.

(In the exhibitions,) I’m going to have to be my best, for sure, because I know the other two goalies are very good goalies, and they’re focused and ready, so I have to do the same and make sure I keep the puck out of the net. I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep the puck out and be at my best, and in the end, I know it will be a tough decision for Coach Roscoe, but I’m planning on being there.

Dan Spence
Every summer, you want to end the summer with an NHL camp, so it was very nice to get one this summer. Everything’s been great. The people in the city are awesome and make you feel right at home right away, the setup here is great – great facility, great coaching staff, and everything’s top-notch.

Everywhere you go, it’s a bit of an adjustment. When I went to Calgary’s camp, it took a couple days to get used to the speed there, but you settle in and get used to it. It’s always takes a couple days to get in a groove and dial in out there to find out what works, but I’ve been settling in. The last few ice times, I’ve felt better, but I just want to make sure I’m improving every time I’m out there.

I think consistency. I’m pretty durable, I can play a lot of games, I like to think I’m a winning goaltender. I don’t like to lose, at all, so I’m here to win some games and contribute in any way I can to the team and the community.

(In the exhibitions, I need to) just show that I can play confident, that I’m confident. I like to get out there and handle the puck every now and then and maybe help out my defenseman. Just communication back there, just being solid in our defensive zone helps everybody, and that’s usually what wins games.

Jeff Bes
They’re out there, they’re working really hard, they each bring a different dynamic and a different kind of game. The best test is going to be in the exhibition games. Each of them is going to get a chance to show what they have, and we’re going to go with the best two goalies.

Coach Ruskowski
I’ve just seen a little bit of inconsistency. The big difference between a pretender and a contender is to be consistent. There are times when some goals are going to go in that make you go, ‘Geeze, that should have been stopped.’ We’re all human; we make mistakes. But that’s only once in a while, not on a one- or two-a-game basis. They just make a great save, then they let a shot that I thought I could’ve been saved go in. I’m kind of in the middle here, so I’m waiting for one of these guys to step up to the plate, grab a bat and hit a home run. Like I said, these exhibitions games will be a big factor to see who comes and who goes.

I think their work ethic is really good, and they seem to maintain a lot of composure, which is good. They’re good people, and they’re good goalies; they just have to get down that consistency and move from being a junior player to being a professional player. It’s going to take time, but I have faith that they can do it.

Festa is a little bit smaller, quicker, catches with his right hand. Spence is a little bit bigger, catches with his right hand. Gajowski is good size, and he’s less motion and more square to the shooter, which is good.