"I remember Ciernik scoring between my legs earlier this year, so I kind of thought he was going to do the same thing and reacted to it a little quicker," Jason LaBarbera

""It's (Johnstown) a quiet town, but the people are good. All the people here have been good to me and good to the hockey. Sometimes it doesn't matter what level you play at. What counts is what you give, and what you get in return. A lot of people have given me a lot here, and I'm very thankful." "
Arturs Irbe, after spending part of the 2003-04 season in the ECHL

"Tell Slats I'll leave him two tickets to our first home playoff game."
Garth Snow commenting back to Glen Sather that Snow’s pads are illegally large

"Sometimes you have to stay in it mentally when you’re watching the other guy at the other end making a lot of saves. The team was playing really well but not putting it in. You got to really stay in it mentally."
Titans goalie Andrew Allen

"Bonky (Radek Bonk) turned his back and tried to swipe at it and somehow it went in - I didn't feel anything. Bonky's big ass was in the way."
Senators goaltender Patrick Lalime, after Michael Nylander of the Caps scored on him in a game

"Either God was a goalie or we are all cursed."
Brett Hull on why shots off the post never seem to go in.

Every time (Arturs) Irbe has lost his job he has won it back in the end. So, with that experience behind him, what kind of attitude does he try to adopt now? "A bad attitude," Irbe said, then laughed.

"Aah (expletive)," said Derksen with emphasis in the Rivermen locker room afterward. "Write that. That's about all that needs to be said about this game."
Duane Derksn, after a game in which the home team was booed for their performance.

"When I saw there was something kind of wrong with (Curtis Sanford), you go, 'How'd he get hurt there?,'" Blues coach Joel Quenneville said. "I didn't say anything at all to (Cody Rudkowsky). You don't even want to look at him. He just knows he's got to go. You don't even have a chance to tell him to relax."
after a game that saw the Blues lose yet another goalie to injury; their 4th this seaon (Oct 24, 2002)

I think everybody takes every goalie with a grain of salt because every goalie, for the most part, has something wrong with him, one way or another. I've got my little quirks, but nothing too serious. I just try to stay loose."   John Chain, then with the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies

From the Quad-City Times (author uncredited by paper), regarding two events being booked the same night, including a hockey game: Unless Neil Diamond can play goaltender in tight, heavily sequined pants, there is a conflict at The Mark of the Quad-Cities on Oct. 24.
Ah, the visual that gives

THOSE FIGHTING GOALIES

Six players received fighting majors in a skirmish, which featured a pushing match between goaltenders John Vanbiesbrouck of Philadelphia and Jean-Sebastien Aubin, 21, of Pittsburgh, both of whom were penalized for leaving the crease: ``The guys were 5-on-5, and he went in,'' said Vanbiesbrouck, 36. `He mumbled something in French to me, so I just grabbed his mask, pulled it off, and said, `Get back in your crease.' I didn't want to take advantage of him, he's a young kid. I just wanted to make sure he knew to stay back there.''

Peoria Rivermen goalie Duane Derksen was involved in one of two goaltender fights in a game against the Greensboro Generals. After seeing two Generals against one of his team mates Derksen charged down the ice and jumped - literally - into the fray. "I looked at our bench and no one said anything, so I headed north and wasn't stopping for anything. They had a couple real meat heads on their team and it hurt the whole game. But it's entertaining as hell for the fans and teams have to have games like this once in a while, because it brings you close together."

Ron Hextall on getting the worst of it during a fight with Toronto goaltender Felix Potvin: "Mike Tyson got beat, too. What can I say?"

More from the goalie who wasn't afraid to drop the gloves on occassion:
After Garth Snow had gotten into his second fight in as many years with Sabre enforcers, Hexy comment with a grin: "He's nuts. I've got to teach him to settle down."

PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME, PLEASE

Sergei Naumov, asked for the pronounciation of his name, Nah*mov or New*mov: "It's Sergei". (it's actually pronounced Na*OO*mov)

SHOOTOUTS

Mark Bernard, then with Hampton Roads Admirals: "Have the shootouts before the game. That way, if the game ends in a tie, you'll already know who won."

Scott Stirling, after a Trenton Titans exhibition game went to a shoot-out: "Shootouts are fun for everyone. It is nerve racking, but it is part of the game."

ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GOALTENDING IN THE NHL AND ECHL

Veteran Hurricanes goaltender Arturs Irbe: "The East Coast league is wide open and hard-hitting hockey. It's a little different than the NHL and a lot of pure entertainment. The skill level has really changed, and the gap has narrowed between the leagues to a very minimum, even between the East Coast and the NHL. It all comes down to being able to put your tools in place at the top speed, at the NHL speed where everything happens a little bit faster. The skill level is almost the same, but the ability of these guys to do it under such pressure situations and at such high speeds and with tight room, that's what makes the game different between the minors and the NHL."

EQUIPMENT

Asked by a youngster what kind of pads he wore last year (1998/99 -- not one of his better seasons), Nick Vitucci replied: "The kind that didn't stop pucks."

Mike Lenarduzzi, a goaltender for the Baton Rouge Kingfish, has leg pads that form a large, blue smiley face when he puts them together. According to Kingfish captain Cam Brown: "He's definitely a goalie"

Tampa Bay goaltender Corey Schwab on his leg pads that were measured and found to be a trifle too wide: "Can I control it if my equipment bag is always on the bottom of the truck, getting squished?"

Hartford goalie Sean Burke after surviving a stick and pad measurements: "Hopefully, they're not going to measure my nose. Then I'd be illegal."

Scott Bowman called an equipment company to find the specs of Oiler goaltender Bob Essensa's glove: "I just wanted to see if it was legal because when was with us he couldn't catch a thing."

NHL Director of Hockey Operations Brian Burke and Devils Goaltender Martin Brouder had a conversation on the measuring of goaltenders equipment:
Brodeur: "How will we know when we will be measured?"
Burke: "You won't. It's supposed to be a surprise inspection."
Brodeur: "What if I call your office every game night at 7:25 to see where you are at?"

SITTING ON THE BENCH

Phoenix stopper Bob Esche when called to replaced Bob Essensa in a 5-2 win over Detroit: "All of a sudden he’s hurt and I’ve got to get the popcorn out of my teeth."

Peter Bondra, on what the back-up goalies do: "They eat. Hotdogs, popcorn, they eat all the time."
Jim Carey, supporting what Bondra said: "On the bench, you get hungry, so you do eat a lot, more than if you were playing."
Meanwhile, Sylvain Cote had this idea of the back-up goalie's role: "Their job on the bench is to look good. They get a lot of camera time on the bench. Their hair has to be done just right"
Olaf Kolzig played right along with his team mate: You do have to have a good hair day. You need a good gel or a good hair spray, nothing that shines too much. And you have to make sure you get a clean, close shave."

1999 NHL ALL-STAR GAME

Hurricanes goaltender Arturs Irbe, on giving up goals to Bourque and Gretzky in a 57-second span of the second period: "If I go down in history as giving up the last All-Star goals to those two guys, that would be OK. But I hope not."

Boston’s Byron Dafoe didn’t make either all-star team. He was born in England, grew up in British Columbia, and spends summers in California. "They don’t have me on either side. I’m thinking I could play for Mars, but I can’t play for either (all-star squad.)"

Ottawa Senators goaltender Ron Tugnutt, played in the All-Star Game after Curtis Joseph got injured: "After I chartered home from Boston, I found out that Curtis (Joseph) got hurt. Curtis, if you're watching the game, you're on my Christmas list. I'll take care of you."

PATRICK ROY

How long has Patrick Roy been pronouncing his name "Roo-aw"? According to Avalanche coach Marc Crawford, "Ever since he's been a little boo-aw."

On the octopus throwing craze in Detroit: "I think they bring me luck...I guess I'll have to like seafood now."

On how his late grandmother would feel about him helping the former Quebec Nordiques win the Stanley Cup: "She was the Candadiens' biggest fan. I think she might be - how do you say it - spinning in her grave."

On why his kids are not scared by bad guys in horror movies: "They think they're hockey goalies."

After a 1991 playoff loss: I don't get what I deserve. I play well, I make good moves, I make the proper decisions, but the %*$#puck doesn't hit me!"

Jeremy Roenick after a playoff game in which the Blackhawks claimed that they deserved a penalty shot against Colorado, and goalie Patrick Roy declared that Roenick would not have been able to score anyway: "I wonder where he was in the 3rd game (won 4-3 in overtime by Chicago). He was probably busy adjusting his jock strap when I beat him."
The Avalanche goalie responds:
"I can’t hear what Jeremy says because my ears are blocked with my 2 Stanley Cup rings."

"It’s the first time that I can recall calling a bench minor penalty that really fit the crime."
Devils goalie Martin Broduer on coach Robbie Ftorek’s bench-throwing incident that got him a one-game suspension and a $10,000 fine.