ANN ARBOR– “I hate playing Cubs,” stated goaltender Rusty Barron following Hopslam’s 6-3 win Tuesday night. “I never know what they’re doing.”
Barron answers questions over GM’s late move to bring him in for Hopslam’s game versus Cubs AC
Despite that, Barron had a solid game in net, stopping 97 of 100 shots for a a gaudy .970 save percentage, and a sore shoulder for his trouble. “My shoulder felt like it was on fire,” he noted after the game.
Barron had help from the team offensively, with goals coming from Mike Leighton, Bob Brock, Luke Bell (2), Chris Sutton, and Gary Witt. “I knew that Rusty would have a stabilizing effect on the team,” noted GM Mark Woods. “That’s why I called him up to play.”
Sources, however, say that Barron was “less than pleased” at the last-minute call to the D1 game. Rumors swirled that Barron would have preferred more time to prepare for the game. “Goalies have rituals they go through,” explained hockey analyst Mike Milbury. “Like grabbing a sip of water, turning your back to the net, skating away for a few minutes… you know, the normal things goalies do.”
Barron admitted that he was “looking away” following a tough goal in the second period, and that he hoped he “wouldn’t get fired.” However, he stated that the whole incident still “irritated” him.