- June 15th, 2006, 9:36 pm
#18259
here is a good read from the canes website on defenseman glen wesley and rookie goalie cam ward talking about their faith in God.
PERSONAL FAITH LEADS TO 'GREAT RIDE' FOR HURRICANES PLAYERS
DAVE POND
RALEIGH, NC (May 17, 2006) - As the Stanley Cup Final field continues to narrow, playoff beards, lucky shirts, and a number of meticulous routines have given NHL players the confidence they believe will lead to on-ice success.
Superstition extends to almost every athletic competition on the planet. Baseball hall-of-famer Wade Boggs ate chicken before every game of his 18-year career, while Michael Jordan never took to the NBA hardwood without his lucky UNC shorts underneath his uniform.
But for a number of players, superstition is superseded by faith in a higher power, something greater than the game itself.
"Guys have different beliefs and different backgrounds, so they're going to rely on different things," Carolina Hurricanes veteran defenseman Glen Wesley said. "When I go out on the ice I have a real sense of peace instead of being uptight or afraid, because I know that whatever happens, we're called to go out there and lay it all on the line.
"For me, it's clearly based on God's word and God's truth," he said. "That's my backbone."
Goaltender Cam Ward has seen his share of ups and downs during a tumultuous 2005-06 rookie season. Ward played so little at one point of the year that he was shipped to the minors for conditioning purposes.
I don't think it's been difficult to keep my faith this year," said Ward, Carolina's first-round pick in 2002. "That's something that's aside from hockey and really comes first.
"In hockey, everyone goes through ups and downs, but it's how you react and respond to those situations that really matters."
And now, the roller-coaster ride is back on the upswing.
In game 2 of the Hurricanes' first-round playoff matchup with Montreal, Ward was called upon to replace a flu-stricken Martin Gerber in net for Carolina. Although the Hurricanes would fall 6-5 in a double-overtime thriller, Ward played well and was rewarded with a Game 3 start at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
The rookie's calm demeanor under pressure has been a key to the Hurricanes' success - not only did Carolina win the next four straight to eliminate the Habs, but took four of five against New Jersey to advance to Saturday's Eastern Conference Final.
"We remain unsure that Cam even possesses a pulse," Hurricanes center Eric Staal said with a laugh. "And he doesn't ever overthink things. We hope that will allow him to continue on this great roll that he is on."
Like many of his teammates, Ward's playoff beard has filled in nicely, thanks to the length of the Hurricanes' postseason run. But it's a pregame prayer session that allows the 22-year-old to stay focused and confident - even after being pulled from Saturday's Game 4, down 4-0 to the Devils.
Ward displays a symbol of his Christian faith each night on the ice - a simple cross located on the right rear of each of his two helmets.
"Before every game I will pray just before I go on the ice," Ward said. "God gave me a special talent, and I will be forever grateful for that. When I say a prayer, it really helps me feel more relaxed and calm."
After Gerber's solid relief performance in Game 4, Ward found himself back in net for Sunday's Game 5. Ward allowed just one goal en route to a 4-1 win that eliminated New Jersey and all-world goaltender Martin Brodeur - Ward's boyhood idol.
"You have to remind yourself to be thankful for the skills and the talents that you've been blessed with," Ward said. "It's just really exciting for me to be a part of such a great hockey club, playing the highest level of hockey in the entire world.
"I think it's very important to enjoy the moment, be thankful for it and make the best of it."
At 37, Wesley is one of the elder statesmen in the Hurricanes' locker room. Through 18 years of ups, downs, injuries and accolades, faith has remained a key component in the life of the veteran blueliner.
"When you look at an injury, a setback or anything else comes your way, you have to look to the truth," Wesley said. "For me, that's going into God's word."
Day in and day out, that truth has become the blueprint upon which Wesley lives out his daily life.
"We're called to lay it on the line," he said. "In reading His word and being able to renew that strength every day, you can follow it up by doing what you are able to do within your own limitations."
Faith is a key component of veteran blueliner Glen Wesley's life, both on and off the ice.
Wesley, a Hurricanes alternate captain, is looked up to by his Hurricanes teammates both on and off the ice.
"At Christmas, Glen invited me and others on the team to join him and his family at their church's annual Christmas play," Ward said. "Being a rookie, it definitely meant a lot to me to have a longtime NHL veteran take on that role and include his teammates in worship."
With 155 postseason games under his belt, Wesley holds the distinction of being the single player who has appeared in the most playoff games without winning a Stanley Cup title. It's not a quest that rules his life, nor would it be a blemish on Wesley's career if he never gets to raise the Cup in victory.
"I always say 'God knows'," Wesley said. "I trust that, and I know that if it's His will, then great - but if not, I've had a great ride. I don't hold that as a priority.
"My eternal salvation is far more important to me - it's more important to have that eternal security and one day be at the feet of the Lord than to be at the foot of the Cup," he said. "Life here on earth is temporary, and Heaven is eternal."
- By Purple Haize
- By ECC29