Slain goalie was talented, ‘a phenomenal kid’
Rangers goalie coach was a friend and mentor to Ajax teen killed in homicide case
GUELPH — Roy Pejcinovski was a real student of the game.
It’s something Kitchener Rangers goalie coach Kain Tisi will never forget about the 15-year-old netminder, who was killed at his home earlier this month.
“He was beyond his years in terms of maturity and the way he thought about the game,” said Tisi. “He was one of the best kids I’ve ever known.”
Tisi grew close with Pejcinovski while teaching the budding backstopper at a goalie camp run by ex-Rangers crease boss Piero Greco over the past five years.
The teenager was found dead in his Ajax home with his mother Krassimira on March 14. Younger sister Venallia was fatally wounded as well and died
later that night in hospital.
Cory Fenn, who had been in a relationship with Krassimira, has been charged with three counts of second degree murder.
The tragic story has rocked the hockey world.
“He was one of the best kids we’ve had in terms of his enthusiasm and the way he cared about the game,” said Tisi. “He was so thoughtful toward other goalies too at the camp and was always checking on them to make sure they were included.”
Tisi was scouting games at the OHL Cup minor midget showcase when a mother of another goalie that he coached shared the terrible news.
“I was shocked,” said the father of two girls, aged two and six months. “I couldn’t process it right away. I think about his last moments and what he was probably going through and that’s really what upset me the most.
“Going home and seeing my own kids ... that’s when I really broke down and it hit me hard. Just seeing something like that, that can come out of nowhere.
“He’s a kid that deserved the world in terms of opportunities and how much he gave to the sport and just his zest for life. To have something like that happen to him doesn’t make any sense.”
Tisi chooses to focus on the good memories.
Like how Pejcinovski would rush over bursting with excitement to talk about his favourite NHL highlights or how he liked to push himself to be better on the ice at camp.
“He was a younger guy but he was always talking with the older goalies and instructors and challenging them,” said Tisi. “He was always fun to be around. Everybody loved him.”
And Pejcinovski was talented too. He was the crease captain for the Don Mills Flyers Bantam AAA squad and on the radar for next year’s Ontario Hockey League draft.
“His skating was incredible,” said Tisi. “His technical game came along. He was the kind of kid if you told him something one time, he would bring it into his game. Not all kids are like that.”
Tisi smiles as he shows a few photos of Pejcinovski on his phone. One has the youngster in net with his No. 74 Flyers sweater on. Another simply shows a happy looking teen with his whole life seemingly ahead of him.
The goalie coach carries a heavy heart but remains focused on Kitchener’s playoff series with the Guelph Storm. He knows Pejcinovski would want it that way.
“Whenever you lose someone you care about it impacts you tremendously and it humbles everything and puts things into perspective,” said Tisi.
“But at the same time anyone who knew Roy knows how much he cared about hockey and he would want everybody he knew in hockey to continue on and do their best. That’s the kind of guy he was … just a phenomenal kid.”
He’s a kid that deserved the world in terms of opportunities ... RANGERS GOALIE COACH KAIN TISI