Art by @iRSPe, photo credit to Andy Hall on Unsplash.
Guardians of The Crease is an interview series created by @jahajaha93. The series was inspired by earlier discussions between community members regarding goaltenders getting too little credit for their hard work. The goaltender position is very different to play compared to the other skater positions. Being a successful ECL goaltender requires patience and understanding of the game on a completely different level. This interview series is here to shed some light on the mystical goaltender position and simultaneously bring forth some of the great personalities competing in our league.
Our first guest will be ECL 5 champion @ICappeI, who spent last season with SJK eSports. He is a rather new face in the community, but has quickly become one of the best goaltenders around. In only his 3rd ECL season, Cappe managed to make a successful cup run with Aapon Taikasauva. The team had a very solid goaltending tandem in Cappe and @swagx88, the two sharing the responsibility in the regular season, but Cappe taking control come the playoffs. A solid defensive display paired with Cappes stellar goaltending amounted to 6 playoff shutouts in 18 games, topped off with the Elite championship title. ECL 6 started well in net for SJK, with 5 W's in 6 games and a high save percentage. However, the team went on a bit of a cold streak towards the end, resulting in an 8th seed into the playoffs. SJK surely had the roster in place for a cup run in ECL 6, but consistency proved to be a problem. Cappe played yet another solid season in net, but his team suffered a disappointing first round exit against Dynasty.
ICappeI enjoys flashy, sometimes unorthodox saves like the ones displayed by Dominik Hasek in his prime.
Who?
Name: Casper Lundgren
Age: 24
Nationality: Swedish
Previously represented teams: Free From Rodents, Nordic Lightning, Aapon Taikasauva and SJK eSports.
Casper "ICappeI" Lundgren is a big fan of the Montreal Canadiens.
"A cold Pepsi Max" -ICappeI on his pre-game routine.
What caused you to play the goalie position in EASHL?
I played EASHL with my friend @Phillelindberg only and he was a better forward than me so we decided that it was better for our club that i stayed in the net. After a couple of games we found out that it kind of sucked to only play two players and four bots so we tried to check with people in the swedish NHL group on Facebook. @AndreasNo who plays in Free From Rodents played with us and recruited me to play with their team in ECL. So basically I was too bad to play forward so I ended up in the net instead.
How long have you been playing goalie for?
I started playing EASHL in November 2016 and made my first appearance in ECL in Nov/Dec in ECL 3.
How do you practice? Did you have someone showing you the ropes?
I studied some goalies in the beginning (ECL 3 playoffs) For example: @SpiderRoyal and @FinKonna.
What is your favourite part about playing goalie?
To feel that you make a difference in the games when it matters the most. That you can win games for your team just because you are on your highest level.
We all know goalies are a bit special. Do you have any special routines when playing?
A cold Pepsi Max is the most important pre-game routine that I have. I also listen to music when i play important games, it helps me focus instead of hearing the players talk to each other.
Pick two defenders you'd want playing in front of you. (Not your own)
@nylanderi and @jtorro1233. Best defence I’ve ever played behind. But if I had to choose players that I haven’t played ECL with I’ll go with @Janzuh and @Snapster. I think that those two are so good in both ends of the ice.
One guy you'd hate to face on a breakaway.
@Norpee, no doubt. He’s one of the players I hate playing against, he’s so smart.
Is there a real-life goalie you try to mimic?
Dominik Hasek. I want to dominate in the net as he did.
Any story behind your gear setup?
No, not really. I want the pads to be white, black and have a little bit of the team colour on them.
There isn't a special thought behind this setup, ICappeI likes keeping it simple with a touch of team colour on the pads.
Hot seat
Glove or blocker save?
Glove.
Breakaway or one-timer?
Breakaway
Favourite takeout food?
Pizza, mamma Mia!
Condiments on the side or on top of the dish?
On the side.
Most famous person you ever met?
Good Q, i’ll stick to hockey and say Rasmus Dahlin.
Best thing to do on a day off?
Sleep.
Favourite sport other than hockey?
Football.
In the spirit of the FIFA World Cup, who do you think will win?
Argentina, Messi will be the top scorer.
Thank you for your time Cappe and good luck with the upcoming Summer Cup! It's been nice to learn about the mindset of one of the greatest goaltenders in our scene. The series will continue, so stay tuned for some more stories from our Guardians Of The Crease. If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more similar content, please make sure to show it by liking and sharing. See you guys out on the ice!
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