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Stingers Roundup 

By Ryan Szporer

The usual response in hockey when the question of a goaltending controversy arises is that it’s always better to have two capable goalies than one. The Concordia Stingers men’s team is in excellent shape, carrying no less than three itching-to-start netminders.

Sheldon Baerg, Maxime Joyal and Patrick Lepage have each dressed for games in 2008. Of the three, fourth-year student Lepage has the most experience on the team, having spent the better part of the last two seasons as the No. 1 starter.

Baerg, who last played in a 4-2 loss to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology early January, has been the odd man out recently, scratched in favour of Joyal so that the latter could make his debut with the team after spending time in the East Coast Hockey League earlier in the season. Lepage has been Joyal’s backup for the past five games.

“It’s hard to bring in a guy with pro experience and not play him right away,” said head coach Kevin Figsby of the decision, which has turned out to be a good one.

Following consecutive losses, Joyal won two straight, including an impressive victory over McGill University, before the Stingers fell to the Carleton University Ravens last week.

As for the starts to come, Joyal, now at 2-3, is not concerned who finds himself in front of the Concordia net come each opening whistle. The competition, especially between him and Lepage, drives them to be their best.

“We’re working hard in practice,” he said. “Fortunately, Patty’s a last-year guy and he wants the net, too, for his last year. It’s the coach’s decision.”

Lepage echoed those sentiments, saying all they can do is bring their best effort, work on what they can control, and be ready. Team captain Trevor Blanchard also says it makes little difference, whichever way.

“We’ve got confidence in both goalies,” he said. “Pat’s done the job the past couple years that I’ve been here. He’s played some really good games for us. [Maxime’s] been hot lately, so we’ve been riding him, but if we get Pat in the net next week, the guys will play just as well.”

Figsby said he’ll go with the goalie with the best chance to win.