Former UND goalie Jean-Philippe Lamoureux has tied the ECHL record with 12 shutouts including record 8 in the regular season for Alaska Aces
ONTARIO, Calif. - For the Reign, they were just two games out of 73.
For Terry Wheaton, the only player in uniform who didn't play either Friday in Bakersfield or Saturday against Las Vegas, it was a dream come true.
The 42-year-old Corona resident knew it would be, almost as soon as he hung up the phone after telling coach Karl Taylor that prior business commitments would prevent him from serving as the team's emergency backup goaltender for the weekend.
"The more I thought about the opportunity," Wheaton said, "I called back and said, `I will be at practice Thursday morning and will reschedule my business meeting.' "
It sounds like a simple choice. But consider that Wheaton, a full-time oil field manager, had to postpone a trip to Libya just to take a few pucks in the chest before each game, then open and close the gate on the Reign bench for 60 minutes. He knew he wouldn't be allowed to see live game action unless starter Kellen Briggs suffered an injury that prevented him from staying in.
Still, once the puck dropped in Bakersfield, with his wife and two children among the 5,525 in attendance, "I had to pinch myself," Wheaton said.
