Scigliano pays his dues to become main man in Riggers net
Over his first five National Lacrosse League seasons, when not between the pipes, Frank Scigliano spent much of his time watching and learning from an old pro.
Now at the ripe old age of 25, he is the guy the Calgary Roughnecks are relying on to keep them in games or steal a few and that makes for a different mindset.
“In years past, I’ve been behind Poulie (Mike Poulin) and he’s a great goaltender, I’ve learned a lot from him,” said Scigliano. “You have to pay your dues in this league to be able to get a roster spot. Now that the spot is mine, I have to seize the opportunity and put quality minutes up for the team. But there’s a youngster I know nipping at my heels for sure, so I have to play well.”
With highly touted 19-year-old Christian Del Bianco in that position of watching and waiting, the Roughnecks consider themselves fortunate in their goaltending future. Poulin, meanwhile, is now with the Georgia Swarm.
“He’s our No. 1 guy,” head coach Curt Malawsky said of Scigliano. “We have a lot of confidence in him and we have a lot of confidence in Christian as well.”
Scigliano, who missed the season opener with a suspension, is 3-1 on the year with an 11.38 goals-against average and a .749 save percentage. He let in 15 goals last weekend against the Rush on 57 shots, but it’s the ones he couldn’t stop that weigh on him.
“Sometimes it’s not going to go your way,” Scigliano, a plumber by trade, said. “We saw that last weekend. If you’re not going to see the shots, you’re not going to be able to save them. Otherwise, the defence in front of me has been playing well and we’re growing each week.”
“I don’t think his last game was his best,” said Malawsky. "That’s one thing about Frank, he’s the first one to put his hand up and say that it wasn’t his best and that’s what we love about him. There’s no facade there, he doesn’t think he’s someone he’s not. When he doesn’t have his best performance, he owns it.
“The three previous games, he was real good.”
The Riggers (3-2) have put that last loss behind them and are now preparing for another stern test in the Toronto Rock Sunday at Scotiabank Saddledome (2 p.m.)
“They’re a very young, athletic team,” Scigliano said. "It looks like they’re pushing the ball very well through the transition. Their goaltending is the best in the league right now and they have some great young players and some steady forces. There’s lots of guys to look out for.
“The name of the game is letting in less than him (Toronto’s Nick Rose) and when it comes down to it, that’s all that matters.”
It was a more svelte, more fitness- conscious Scigliano who came to training camp this season, which signalled the Coquitlam, B.C., product’s pledge to the team.
“That’s one of the first things we noticed: you see Frank walk into camp and he’s 20-some pounds lighter,” said Malawsky. “That tells you commitment. He probably felt if I shed some extra weight, that would help with my fitness and my fatigue and will parlay into wins for my team. That’s Frank’s character. He wanted to make changes, knowing that there was a great opportunity for him this year. It shows that he cares and that goes a long, long way.”
As to Scigliano’s wish this year to be referred to as Frank rather than Frankie, he said: “I think it looks a little crisper. Other than that, I couldn’t care less if they call me Frankie or Frank. It’s not a big deal.”
In other Roughneck news, defender Greg Harnett was moved to the suspended list Friday for five games and rookie Vaughn Harris was added to the active roster. Harnett has been suspended for contact made with Colorado Mammoth forward Jeremy Noble during a game on Jan. 20.
“While we are disappointed in the ruling and will miss Greg from our lineup, we are mindful and respectful of the NLL’s position on this decision,” Calgary general manager Mike Board said in a statement.