Modest Marc Cheverie accepted the praise from fans after Dundee Stars’ crucial win at Edinburgh Capitals but added: “I’m not alone.”
The Tayside team’s nail-biting penalty shots victory ended a four-game losing streak for Stars against Capitals in the Elite League this term and the confidence-boosting win from 3-1 down also set the Dundee side up for their Forth/Tay double-header this weekend with arch rivals Fife Flyers.
Cheverie produced a string of quality stops to deny Capitals in regular time and kept his cool despite a barrage of pucks during the nail-biting, sudden-death extra period at Murrayfield.
What’s more, he saved all of Edinburgh’s three penalty shots to hand the Elite League bottom-markers a 5-4 win on Tuesday.
It takes Stars to within four points of second-bottom Hull Stingrays and Coventry Blaze and five adrift of Fife.
Laid-back Cheverie remains upbeat about Dundee’s prospects of making the top eight and guaranteeing a slot in the end-of-season play-offs.
The 27-year-old Canadian said: “Things have not gone as we would have hoped and we’ve had some bad bounces. We’ve also had some adversity this season but we’re now starting to play and we’ve proved we can compete in this league.”
Cheverie added: “Saturday’s result at Braehead, who are one of the best clubs right now, proves we can get results against the top clubs.
“Sunday’s home defeat (to Braehead) was disappointing but they came at us with three big lines and we were short-staffed.
“We are, however, getting better as a club and we’re all confident we can make the play-offs.”
Cheverie, a multi-award winner during his career, is expecting a real battle with misfiring Fife, with the first game at Kirkcaldy on Saturday (7.15pm) and the return on Tayside on Sunday (6.30pm).
He added: “This is a team game. A goalkeeper can’t do it all, the rest of the guys have a role to play.
“This weekend is important and it will be tough but we can make a move here if we get the right results.”
Elsewhere, Braehead Clan travel to Belfast Giants on Saturday (7pm) minus forward Matt Haywood and defenceman Ryan Kavanagh. Both have upper body injuries.
Ryan Finnerty, Clan’s head coach, said: “There are only four points between ourselves and Belfast but we’re also just two points behind leaders Sheffield.
“It’s a massive weekend for us and, if we can come away with something from both games, that will put us in a good position heading into the New Year.”
Edinburgh Capitals visit Hull Stingrays on Saturday (6.30pm) looking to bounce back after their home reverse to Dundee on Tuesday.