Brilliant backstop
Nick Damude dominant between the pipes as Athletics hammer Kitchener-Waterloo
Most junior lacrosse coaches will tell you a goaltender has done his job if he allows six goals or less.
But when a junior A goalie allows two goals in a game, “that’s unheard of,” St. Catharines Athletics general manager and head coach Sean Allen said.
He was describing Nick Damude minutes after the third-year Athletic put on a goaltending clinic, making 45 saves in a 10-2 victory over the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves Wednesday night at Jack Gatecliff Arena.
Damude made 13 saves on 14 shots in the first period, 16 on 17 in the middle stanza and was absolutely perfect on 16 shots in the third.
And that came just over 48 hours after the Pelham native made 51 stops in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Six Nations Arrows.
Ninety-six saves, a.923 save-percentage over two games, and now the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League lead with a 5.13 goals against average and .857 save percentage overall. Simply put, impressive. “I’m just playing my game. The guys let me see all the shots,” said the very quiet and humble Damude who is studying electrical engineering at Mohawk College in Hamilton.
“I’m feeling pretty good, and seeing the ball really well. I’m tracking it, but our defence has really been lights out for me.”
Asked if he’s worked on anything different entering the 2017 season, Damude was quick to answer:
“I think it’s just confidence.” he said.
“We started seeing him come of that cocoon, and have that swagger toward the latter half of last year,” Allen said. “He’s certainly cemented himself as one of the best goaltenders in this league.”
Another sometimes underrated aspect of goaltending comes off the floor and it relates to the goalie’s relationship with his fellow teammate and netminder.
There’s no doubt that it’s good for goaltenders to push each other, but that can also come with a bit of jealously or one-upmanship.
That’s definitely not the case with Damude and Drayden Patey.
“He’s been awesome. We’re really supporting each other, plus we’re a little different being both goalies,“Damude said with a chuckle.
And while Damude was oozing confidence at one end of the floor, the Athletics finally put some consistent offence together at the other. No fewer than 12 players found the score sheet in Wednesday’s win led by Carter Zavitz’s hat trick and two assists, and Jeff Wittig ’s two goals and three helpers.
“Our offence started with Nick and our defence tonight,” Allen said.
The A’s also scored four times on the power play, and were perfect on the penalty-kill denying the Braves on 11 man-advantage opportunities.
St. Catharines visits the Brampton Excelsior Friday night before hosting the Orangeville Northmen next Wednesday. Game time at Jack Gatecliff Arena is 8 p.m.
“We just have to keep this rolling,” Damude said.
A’s Acorns: Alex Simmons, Kealon Pilon, Cree Blakely, Jacob McMillan Jacob Johnson, Brett Erskine a,nd Connor Aquanno did not dress for St. Catharines … The Athletics are presenting the “Buffer of the Game Award” in honour of former Athletic and Lacrosse Hall of Famer Buff McCready internally in their dressing room after every game to the player that is the toughest, grittiest, go-through-a-wall player for their team. The award is the catcher’s mask McCready used to wear while playing goal.