Page 20 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 2

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The Games are over, The Memories Live On

Bruce Racine: Great Teammates, Great Fun

well. I had a good, fortunate career.”
By Terry Tinkess
Racine finished off his playing career playing in Finland,
which he says was a great experience. “I got to see another
Hockey players all around the world dream of making
part of the world, but it is also a great hockey country.”
it to the top level of their game, whether that means the
Did he ever have to pinch himself to see if this was all
NHL, the Swedish Pro League, the KHL or some other
real? “Growing up in Metcalfe, just outside Ottawa, and
league where the competition is stiff and the rewards are
to realize where I got to, yes, I sometimes had to pinch
great.
myself. To play in every NHL city and meet the people
Is it possible though, to have a good career without
I’ve met, it has been great.”
consistently earning a starting position? According to
So, with all the memories, does Racine think it was
now retired professional goaltender Bruce Racine, it most
better being a starter in the IHL, or a backup in the NHL?
certainly is.
“I love to play. Being a backup in the NHL, you are that
“I always tell people that I am one of the most fortunate
close. I wouldn’t turn that down, but I wouldn’t turn down
players around, even thought I didn’t have an extended
starting in the “I” either.
NHL career up at the high levels,” says Racine, who was
“The first year I played in Muskegon I won 37 games
born in Cornwall.
and I had a blast. They both have their perks, but I wouldn’t
“I played 15 years pro, mostly in the minor leagues, but Fifteen years as a professional goaltender give up the chance to play.”
I had a brief stint with St. Louis, the one year. I also had has left Bruce Racine with more memories If he had the chance, would Racine have done anything
a lot of call-ups with Pittsburgh in the early days, and the than most people could even imagine. different? “I don’t like to look back and say, “Gosh, I wish
reason I say I was really lucky is that I got to play with the I had done this or I wish I had done that.” I think it took me
1991 Penguins team that won the Stanley Cup. That team Photo by Terry Tinkess.
a long time to realize I was good, which is a weird thing
had Mario Lemieux, Mark Recchi, Jagr, Kevin Stevens,
Unfortunately, he was again the third goalie behind to say, but it took me a long time to realize I had talent. I
Ron Francis, and Bryan Trottier. The list goes on, and I got
Felix Potvin and Damien Rhodes. think I just played of instinct and athleticism.
to be around those guys and learn a lot abut what it takes
In St. Louis he got to experience Mike Keenan’s “I think I wish I would have had a bit more belief and
to play at the pro level and stay there. Not only that, but
coaching style and discover that 30- second shifts applied confidence as a young player. I think I gained it being
that team went on to win the Stanley Cup and I was there
to goaltenders as well (Keenan is notorious for repeatedly around all those pro guys, but I think there was always that
for that, and I got a Stanley Cup ring that my dad wears
changing goaltenders in order to affect the flow of the question, “Am I good enough?”
now.”
game.) Today, Racine owns a goalie school in St. Louis and
While it was hard, being the third goalie, the “Black
“It made it challenging, but I can’t say anything bad; he tries to help young goaltenders acquire the skills they need
Ace,” as it were, Racine says it was a great experience.
gave me a chance to be up there, and that was the year they to excel. “I tell the kids all the time at my goalie school to
“I kept getting pounded on. Jagr would be on 45 minutes
traded for Wayne Gretzky. I got to play with Gretzky, Brett have the confidence, obviously the work ethic, the training
after the regular practice and just want to shoot on me. As
Hull, Pronger, Shane Corson. and dream big.
fun as it was, it was still physically demanding.”
“So I got to play with Lemieux and Gretzky, two of the “Have that dream and don’t let anyone say you can’t do
Racine also spent some time as a member of the Toronto
games greatest players, and be coached by Scotty Bowman it, but take it one day at a time. Make a plan, and follow
Maple Leafs, and got to play with Doug Gilmour.
and Mike Keenan, two of the games biggest coaches as your journey day by day.”

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