Friday, January 28, 2000
BY JOHN PACKETT
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer
WHEELING, W.Va. -- The 1999-2000 season hasn’t gone as smoothly as Maxime Gingras would have preferred.
Richmond’s goalie last season and the East Coast Hockey League rookie of the year started out backing up veteran Kay Whitmore with the Providence Bruins of the American League. He played in six games, going 3-2-1 with a 2.14 goals-against average.
When Byron Dafoe ended his holdout with the Boston Bruins, Gingras returned briefly to Richmond, where he won two games before being loaned to Houston of the International League. The 5-6 netminder played just once in almost six weeks with the Aeros, losing 2-1 to Michigan.
Three weeks ago, he was recalled to Providence and saw action in one game before coming back to the Renegades.
“Last year, I was moving a lot at the beginning of the season,” said Gingras, who was in three training camps before winding up in Richmond. “This year, I’ve been moving a lot the whole season. Once you get settled somewhere and have the same routine every day, of course that helps.
“But still I’m learning about pro hockey. This is how the life of a hockey player is sometimes, you know.”
For the time being, Gingras will be wearing the Renegades’ teal and purple colors. He’ll be with the team when they play back-to-back games against the Wheeling Nailers tonight and tomorrow, then return to Richmond on Sunday to face Johnstown at the Coliseum.
Gingras is eager to return between the pipes after giving up seven goals in four periods last weekend. The 21-year-old went all the way in a 6-4 win over Johnstown on Friday, then was pulled after giving up three goals in the first period to Peoria on Saturday.
“I probably didn’t do as good as I wanted to,” said Gingras, who refused to use the long layoffs as an excuse for the subpar showing.
“I don’t want to find reasons for playing bad. I just want to get back to my game and play the way I used to. I just have to play big.”
Gingras, who is under contract to Providence, rewrote the ECHL and Richmond record books last season, going 30-13-3 with a 2.26 goals-against average during the regular season and starting every game of the Renegades’ run to the Kelly Cup finals.
Because of that, expectations are high for the native of Loretteville, Quebec, every time he steps on the ice.
“People [in Richmond] are behind me, pushing me,” said Gingras. “They cheer for me and are happy to see me. I don’t think, myself, I have to play very good every time [for that reason]. I’m just happy to be here and happy to see the fans again.”
Gingras said he wouldn’t mind staying with Richmond the rest of the season but would like to play at a higher level if it works out.
“We [Renegades] could go for the championship,” said Gingras. “We came so close last year. But if something happened and some team wanted me and would play me a lot at the next level, then of course, I would have to go with them.”
Despite the movement this season, Gingras hasn’t been discouraged about his ultimate goal -- making an NHL roster some day.
“The average age of goalies getting to the NHL is 26, 27,” he said. “And a lot of guys play until they’re 40. So I feel like I have plenty of time. Of course, I want to get there as soon as possible, but there is much more I have to learn about the game.”
© 2000, Richmond Newspapers Inc.