Hockey

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Steven Pinizzotto's physical play impresses in debut with Vancouver Canucks

By: Joseph Sapienza, The Canadian Press

Friday, Mar. 15, 2013 at 1:09 AM | Comments: 0

VANCOUVER - Vancouver Canucks forward Steven Pinizzotto made his NHL debut on Thursday night and didn't waste much time making an impact.

In just his first shift in the Canucks' 7-4 victory, the 28-year-old winger sent Nashville's Kevin Klein crashing to the ice with a big hit before fighting the Predators' defenceman.

"I just had a ton of built up energy and had to release it somehow," said Pinizzotto, who had been recalled from the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves earlier Thursday. "But yeah you can't really explain stuff like that, you kinda got to live it and it was just a great feeling.

"I'm an energy guy and hopefully you can just boost the team up by that way."

The Mississauga, Ont., native was signed as a free agent by the Canucks in July 2011, but his debut was delayed after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in the 2011-12 pre-season.

That was followed by a groin injury that prevented him from competing for a roster spot before this season.

So it's easy to understand his joy at finally realizing a dream that was close to three decades in the making.

"It was good, exciting, fun, I could say a million things," he said. "You wait a long time, 28 years, and it was good, but most importantly the team won and that's even more exciting."

Pinizzotto received just over 11 minutes of ice time against the Predators and aside from his fighting major, took one shot and dished out a team high four hits.

It was a performance that pleased Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault.

"First game, for what I put him through today, I thought he responded real well," Vigneault said. "I mean I'm not putting that kid in a fair environment — he played last night and travelled all day for his first NHL game. I met him at 5 o'clock, or a little bit past, and just talked to him for five minutes and told him to have fun with it and he went out there and I thought he played real well.

"He got into the game early on, and he was strong along the wall and he made a couple nice plays."

Pinizzotto revealed the coaches didn't give him too many instructions prior to the game.

"They don't really tell you much," he said. "You've just got to know what to expect, like you know how you play and there's a reason why you're here and that's one of my traits, just finish checks and it worked out."

His next goal is to show that he has what it takes to stay in the team.

"I've got to keep improving, keep getting better and stronger," he said. "I just want to fit in and prove to myself that I belong."

Rate this
This article has not yet been rated.

We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.

You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.

Sort by: Newest to Oldest | Oldest to Newest | Most Popular 0 Comments

You can comment on most stories on brandonsun.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

There are no comments at the moment. Be the first to post a comment below.

Post Your Comment

The Brandon Sun does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. Comments are moderated before publication. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.