HockeySpy.com

CRACK THE CODE - January 19, 2007 Hero to Goat Like the quarterback in football, the hockey goaltender is always front and centre in the eyes of the loyal fans. If the team wins these players get too much credit. If the team loses they shoulder too much of the blame. We see Roberto Luongo getting rave reviews in Vancouver as the Canucks hotstreak continues. On the other end of the scale we see Toronto’s Andrew Raycroft getting booed by the hometown fans as his slump continues. There may be light at the end of the tunnel after Raycroft stole two points for the Leafs in Tampa Bay this week. Naturally many positive things were said, but Hockey Spy.com is here to crack the code: "Was he ever good. I'm sure he needed it," Maple Leafs coach Paul Maurice said. "Good for him. Good for us. He was the best player on the ice." Hockey Spy.com translation: “Was he ever good. I’m sure he needed it. But not as much as GM John Ferguson needed it, after trading away the top ranked amateur goalie (Tuukka Rask) for Raycroft. I told Ferguson ‘good for him and good for us.’ Last game he was the worst player on the ice.” "We battled all night. A real good effort," Raycroft said. "It's a great road win." Hockey Spy.com translation: “At home I battle our fans all night. It’s great to win on the road away from those two faced whiners.” "We just couldn't solve Raycroft," Lightning coach John Tortorella said. "He was the difference." Hockey Spy.com translation: “We just couldn’t solve Raycroft. It seems everyone else can. I don’t what the difference was tonight.” "The guys got in a lot of lanes and blocked a lot of shots," he said. "I can't tell you how much it makes a difference for me when I just have to worry about everything in front of me.” Hockey Spy.com translation: “The guys got in a lot of lanes and blocked a lot of shots that I probably would have let in. I can’t tell you how much it makes a difference for me when I don’t have to worry about my own team screening me all the time. The fans are booing me but they’re booing the wrong guy.”

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