Effinger and Festa.
Their names might not have the pizzazz of say, Butch and Sundance or Batman and Robin, but their Superman-like efforts in the net the past three weeks have landed the Missouri Mavericks in the playoffs.
To paraphrase Harry Truman, “The puck stops here.”
“It certainly does – at least, it has with Charlie and Gerry in the net,” Missouri Mavericks coach Scott Hillman said, referring to the Central Hockey League’s hottest goaltending duo of Charlie Effinger and Gerry Festa.
“Goaltending is so important in a short series, and we’re going to start the playoffs with three games against Mississippi and Charlie and Gerry are going to play a very big role for the team in the playoffs, just as they have in the regular season.”
Throughout much of the Mavs’ whirlwind first season, players came and went with the frequency of diners in a fast-food burger joint.
“It was pretty much a revolving door there for a while, around December or so,” said team captain and original Maverick defender Carlyle Lewis. “You could tell what Scott was doing – he was building his team with his kind of players.
“Getting Charlie and Gerry was huge. I mean, they’re two of the best in the league. It’s kind of like, ‘If we score, we feel like we can win,’ and that’s a great feeling to have – especially going into the playoffs.”
The Mavericks signed Festa on Jan. 14 and added Effinger on Feb. 8.
Festa’s signing helped fill the void created by the trade of goalie Doug Groenestege to the Arizona Sundogs to complete an earlier trade for forward Karl Sellan.
Effinger came to the Mavericks from Allen, a team that had an abundance of talent at goaltender and decided to let the Bellville, Ill., native go. Effinger was 8-3-1 with the Americans and is now 17-5-2 overall with a CHL-best 2.41 goals against average and a .920 save percentage after a 9-2-1 start with the Mavericks.
Entering Wednesday’s game, Festa was 5-3-2 with a 2.69 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage. His first shutout came against Allen when Effinger was in the net for the Americans.
“They’re both amazing goaltenders,” veteran player/coach Jeff Christian said. “You can just tell the team has confidence each time we go out to play with either one of them in the net.
“They have been great additions to the team and are a testament to the job Scott and Brent (Thiessen, president and general manager) are doing to give the fans in Eastern Jackson County a team they can be proud of.”
In some cases, the addition of two young goaltenders could create sparks in the locker room. That’s not the case with the Mavericks as Effinger and Festa share a mutual admiration for each other’s considerable talents.
“I have learned so much from watching Charlie,” said Festa, a CHL rookie who came from the University of British Columbia. “He’s got a great instinct in the net. And he’s a great teammate. We’re so lucky to have a goaltender of his caliber.”
Effinger, also a CHL rookie, feels much the same way about Festa.
“Gerry is the type of player who can really spark a team,” Effinger said. “What about his performance the other night against Odessa? Incredible!”
Festa stopped a penalty shot during regulation time, then stopped all four Jackalope shootout attempts in a 4-3 victory on an emotionally charged night when fans honored Christian and his 8-year-old daughter, Ryan, who is battling cancer at St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
“We needed a big game that night, and Gerry gave it to us,” Effinger said. “When I was with Allen and we played here back in January, I was in the net and we lost 3-0.
“I remember the fans chanting, ‘Effinger, Effinger – you suck!’ My parents were here and I was wondering what they thought of that, and my dad said after the game, ‘That was great. They know your name.’
“The fans were amazing. When it looked like things weren’t going to work out in Allen, I asked to be traded here. It’s worked out great.”
Effinger was in the net last Sunday when the Mavericks downed Wichita 5-2 to clinch a playoff berth.
“That was a great feeling, but we didn’t do much celebrating because we know there is a lot of work to be done,” Effinger added. “With Gerry and me, we feel confident going into the playoffs – but it’s the guys who play in front of us who really make a difference.
“A goaltender is only as good as his teammates who play alongside him, and we’ve got a great team. We’re on a roll – 10-3-2 in our last 15 games (entering Wednesday’s game at Allen), against some of the best teams in the league.
“When I said I wanted to be traded here, I never imagined it could be this great. We’re all having the best time of our lives.”
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Effinger and Festa.
Their names might not have the pizzazz of say, Butch and Sundance or Batman and Robin, but their Superman-like efforts in the net the past three weeks have landed the Missouri Mavericks in the playoffs.
To paraphrase Harry Truman, “The puck stops here.”
“It certainly does – at least, it has with Charlie and Gerry in the net,” Missouri Mavericks coach Scott Hillman said, referring to the Central Hockey League’s hottest goaltending duo of Charlie Effinger and Gerry Festa.
“Goaltending is so important in a short series, and we’re going to start the playoffs with three games against Mississippi and Charlie and Gerry are going to play a very big role for the team in the playoffs, just as they have in the regular season.”
Throughout much of the Mavs’ whirlwind first season, players came and went with the frequency of diners in a fast-food burger joint.
“It was pretty much a revolving door there for a while, around December or so,” said team captain and original Maverick defender Carlyle Lewis. “You could tell what Scott was doing – he was building his team with his kind of players.
“Getting Charlie and Gerry was huge. I mean, they’re two of the best in the league. It’s kind of like, ‘If we score, we feel like we can win,’ and that’s a great feeling to have – especially going into the playoffs.”
The Mavericks signed Festa on Jan. 14 and added Effinger on Feb. 8.
Festa’s signing helped fill the void created by the trade of goalie Doug Groenestege to the Arizona Sundogs to complete an earlier trade for forward Karl Sellan.
Effinger came to the Mavericks from Allen, a team that had an abundance of talent at goaltender and decided to let the Bellville, Ill., native go. Effinger was 8-3-1 with the Americans and is now 17-5-2 overall with a CHL-best 2.41 goals against average and a .920 save percentage after a 9-2-1 start with the Mavericks.
Entering Wednesday’s game, Festa was 5-3-2 with a 2.69 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage. His first shutout came against Allen when Effinger was in the net for the Americans.
“They’re both amazing goaltenders,” veteran player/coach Jeff Christian said. “You can just tell the team has confidence each time we go out to play with either one of them in the net.
“They have been great additions to the team and are a testament to the job Scott and Brent (Thiessen, president and general manager) are doing to give the fans in Eastern Jackson County a team they can be proud of.”
In some cases, the addition of two young goaltenders could create sparks in the locker room. That’s not the case with the Mavericks as Effinger and Festa share a mutual admiration for each other’s considerable talents.
“I have learned so much from watching Charlie,” said Festa, a CHL rookie who came from the University of British Columbia. “He’s got a great instinct in the net. And he’s a great teammate. We’re so lucky to have a goaltender of his caliber.”
Effinger, also a CHL rookie, feels much the same way about Festa.
“Gerry is the type of player who can really spark a team,” Effinger said. “What about his performance the other night against Odessa? Incredible!”
Festa stopped a penalty shot during regulation time, then stopped all four Jackalope shootout attempts in a 4-3 victory on an emotionally charged night when fans honored Christian and his 8-year-old daughter, Ryan, who is battling cancer at St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
“We needed a big game that night, and Gerry gave it to us,” Effinger said. “When I was with Allen and we played here back in January, I was in the net and we lost 3-0.
“I remember the fans chanting, ‘Effinger, Effinger – you suck!’ My parents were here and I was wondering what they thought of that, and my dad said after the game, ‘That was great. They know your name.’
“The fans were amazing. When it looked like things weren’t going to work out in Allen, I asked to be traded here. It’s worked out great.”
Effinger was in the net last Sunday when the Mavericks downed Wichita 5-2 to clinch a playoff berth.
“That was a great feeling, but we didn’t do much celebrating because we know there is a lot of work to be done,” Effinger added. “With Gerry and me, we feel confident going into the playoffs – but it’s the guys who play in front of us who really make a difference.
“A goaltender is only as good as his teammates who play alongside him, and we’ve got a great team. We’re on a roll – 10-3-2 in our last 15 games (entering Wednesday’s game at Allen), against some of the best teams in the league.
“When I said I wanted to be traded here, I never imagined it could be this great. We’re all having the best time of our lives.”
