Capital News Thursday, May 31, 2012
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CAPITAL NEWS
SPORTS ▼ STANLEY CUP
Dillabaugh watched Kings’ goalie ‘evolve’ into Cup contender Warren Henderson STAFF REPORTER
For pretty much every step of the way, Kim Dillabaugh has witnessed— and been part of—Jonathan Quick’s evolution into one of hockey’s top young netminders. Now, the Kelowna Rockets’ assistant coach has the ultimate satisfaction of watching Quick and his Los Angeles Kings play for the Stanley Cup. Dillabaugh, who oversees goaltender development for the NHL team, began working with Quick in 2006 when he was playing for the University of Massachusetts. The two continued their association as Quick made stops in the East Coast Hockey League in Redding, then with Manchester of the American Hockey League. In addition, Dillabaugh works each summer with Quick and other goaltenders in the system leading up to the start of the NHL team’s training
camp. Now completing his fourth full season with the Kings, the Milford, Connecticut native has established himself as one of game’s best stoppers. During the regular season, Quick posted a miniscule 1.95 goals against average and posted a league-high 10 shutouts—not to mention leading the Kings to the Stanley Cup final for the first time in 19 years. “It’s been nice to see him evolve over the years, coming out of university, working his way up through the minors and becoming a No. 1 goaltender in the NHL,” Dillabaugh said of Quick, who was drafted by the Kings in 2005. “He played 44 games in his first full year (2008-09) and hasn’t really looked back. “He has a lot of real good natural ability and tremendous athleticism,” Dillabaugh continued. “He’s constantly working at his game and has gotten progressively better.” While he is hesitant
to take much credit for Quick’s ascension to the top of the game, there is a definite sense of satisfaction when Dillabaugh
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IT’S NICE TO SEE PEOPLE PUT TIME AND EFFORT IN AND GET REWARDED FOR IT. HE DESERVES ALL THE CREDIT. Kim Dillabaugh
sees the 26-year-old goalie stymying big-league opposition shooters. “You feel proud for sure,” said Dillabaugh. “You see a guy who’s put a lot of time and effort into it, and he’s worked through some challenges along the way. It’s nice to see people put time and effort in and get rewarded for it. He deserves all the credit.” Though Dillabaugh’s work with Quick over
MARISSA BAECKER/CONTIBUTOR
KELOWNA ROCKETS assistant coach Kim Dillabaugh (right), who oversees goaltender development for the Los Angeles Kings, has watched Jonathan Quick (left) develop into an elite NHL netminder. his first three seasons in the NHL was limited, the load increased again this season when Daryl Sutter was hired as the Kings’ head coach in December. Sutter requires a goaltending coach to be on hand on a full-time basis,
so when Bill Ranford— the Kings’ main goaltending coach—isn’t available, then Dillabaugh is called in to fill the role. Since December, Dillabaugh has spent about 10 to 12 days a month in L.A. working with Quick
and Kings’ backup Jonathan Bernier. Dillabaugh was most recently in Los Angeles May 3 to 21 working with some of club’s minor league prospects—known as the Black Aces—and the Kings’ first choice in
the 2011 draft, Chicoutimi goaltender Christopher Gibson. During his stay, the 34-year-old Duncan native saw two games of the St. Louis series, then watched the Kings eliminate the Phoenix Coyotes. On Monday, Dillabaugh will head back to L.A. for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final. “It’s exciting for the people in the organization who have worked so hard to make this happen,” said Dillabaugh. “Since the new regime with Dean Lombardi (GM) and Ron Hextall (assistant GM) took over, there’s been some really positive things happening and it’s good to see them having success. They’re a good group of people to be around.” Dillabaugh has worked with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets as an assistant and goaltending coach since 2003, and with the Kings as their overseer of goaltender development since the 2006-07 season. whenderson@kelownacapnews.com
National gold for Okanagan Gymnastics’ Lefevre, Bobyn Adele Lefevre’s switch this season from artistic gymnastics to trampoline and tumbling turned out to be a winning proposition. Lefevre, from the Okanagan Gymnastics Centre, won three medals and a national title last week at the Canadian championships for trampoline and gymnastics in Regina. In her first nationals in trampoline, Lefevre was
crowned Canadian champion in the National Novice 11-14 year old category, and added silver on double mini trampoline and in the tumbling event. Lefevre was joined in the winner’s circle by OGC’s Jill Bobyn who was a winner in trampoline her first Canadian championship. Bobyn took gold in the National Novice 15+ category. Both athletes were
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coached to gold by OGC’s Angelo Despotas. Other results for local athletes at the Canadian championships included: • Samantha Smith earned a silver medal on trampoline in the Women’s Senior category. Smith is the alternate for the 2012 London Olympics and will travel to London with Team Canada. • Trevor Stirling finished with a silver medal on
Jill Bobyn
Adele Lefevre trampoline in the Men’s
Youth category.
• Danielle Gruber finished with a bronze medal on double mini trampoline in the Women’s Youth category and finished with a fourth place on the trampoline. • Emma Tucker finished in fourth on double mini trampoline just behind Gruber. • Stephanie Hill earned a bronze medal in the National Novice 15+ category on the double mini
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trampoline. • Zoe Paquet was also a first time competitor at a Canadian Championships and competed in the Women’s Novice 15+ category. • Makinli Handley, with her coach Sergei Chelest, competed in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Junior event. Handley qualified to vault event finals and finished with a fifth place.
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