RALEIGH, N.C. -- Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward is
getting married on July 22nd and Monday night his guest list grew by
two.
Ward will not only have to find a place for the Stanley Cup he
backstopped the 'Canes to in an unforgettable 2006 Stanley Cup Final, but the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the most valuable player of the
playoffs.
"Haven't put much thought into it," Ward said when asked if he was going to put in for his date with the Stanley Cup on his wedding day. "But it probably would make a nice centerpiece."
Ward, a 22-year-old rookie, finished the 2006 Playoffs with a 15-8
record, 2.14 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage and two
shutouts. He is the fourth rookie to win Stanley Cup MVP honors, joining Montreal Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden (1971), Canadiens goalie Patrick Roy (1986) and Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ron Hextall (1987).
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"Obviously, it's a huge honor," Ward said of winning the Conn Smythe, a trophy that has passed through the hands of some of the game's greats like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Jean Beliveau, Bobby Orr, Mark Messier and Mike Bossy. "I truly feel that you could have given it to anybody on this hockey team. And to tell you the truth, you know, it's completely irrelevant. The Cup ... the trophy that matters the most is that Stanley Cup. Our guys deserved it."
Ward honed his game in the American Hockey League during the locked-out 2004-05 season and that experience helped him become more prepared for his rookie campaign. He was 14-8-0 in 28 regular-season games this year, but became the Hurricanes' main man early in the first round against Montreal.
"I'd like to say I'm a better goaltender today that I was at the
beginning of the season, Ward said. "That's a reflection of the team also. I know it's an old cliche, but you can't do it without your teammates. They showed it tonight. They stepped up and, you know, personally, for myself, I feel good."
"Well, it wasn't a real busy night for him," 'Canes coach Peter
Laviolette said. "He had to make a tough save here and a tough save there and he certainly had to make a tough save with seven minutes to go in the third period (on Edmonton's Fernando Pisani)."
Pisani scored the Oilers' only goal at 1:03 of the third
period, converting the third shot of a scoring sequence by the Oilers.
After making an initial stop on Raffi Torres, Ward also denied a shot by Rem Murray, but kicked the rebound out to a driving Pisani, who scored his 14th goal of the playoffs to make it 2-1.
But with 3:40 remaining, Ward got even, denying Pisani with an
incredible save that preserved the one-goal lead. Ward made an initial stop on Torres, but couldn't control the rebound. As Ward stretched his left leg as far as possible, he was able to get his skate on Pisani's rebound attempt, a save that prompted another thunderous roar from the frenzied crowd.
"You've got to give Edmonton credit," Ward said of the Oilers' late
surge. "They didn't give up and they threw everything at us."
"You know, more than just tonight, he's come in here and he's played
extremely well for a young kid," Laviolette said. "And in his first
playoffs, to handle it and respond the way he did and never crack under the pressure says a lot about Cam. You need goaltending in order to win hockey games. We got it tonight. We have gotten it through the playoffs.
Hurricanes' captain Rod Brind'Amour, another leading candidate for the Conn Smythe, along with winger Cory Stillman, was effusive in his praise of Ward.
"I don't know what else more can be said, to be honest with you,"
Brind'Amour shrugged. "The kid came in when we were down and out, so to
speak, and just brought us life, and goaltending wins you championships. No mistake about it. Everybody knows it. We had the best goalie in the playoffs.
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Ward allowed just a single goal in Game 7, and came up with a remarkable save to maintain Carolina's 2-1 lead in the third period.
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"I got to raise the Cup because of that kid, and there is just ... I am very proud of him," Brind'Amour said. "And he's a good kid. But he just played awesome. You saw it. He never looked like the there was a panic situation. Even empty netters, he was just calm. You don't realize how much confidence that gives a team."
Ward is a very grounded person for one who has experienced so much
success so early in his career.
"People say that it's your rookie season and, you know, chances are it will come again, but you just never know," Ward said. "You can't predict the future. You've got to take care of the present and take advantage of the opportunity. As for Wes (Glen Wesley) and Roddy and all those veteran guys, Whit (Ray Whitney), Dougie (Doug Weight), I couldn't be happier for them. They have put in many hard years and it's just great to see it pay off for them in the end."
Ward is a native of the Edmonton suburb of Sherwood Park, so playing the Oilers in the Final was both exciting and daunting, as the hometown crowd he had once been a part of was going to do nothing to help him win the Cup for an opposing team. But through it all, the rookie played with the skill and composure of a veteran.
"You know, I have been blessed with tremendous support through my family and friends back in Sherwood Park," Ward said. "I know they were a little bit torn before the series, being hard-core Oilers fans, but they stayed loyal and supported me all along and I am excited to go back and share it with them."
Along with the two new friends whom will be coming to the wedding.
