A roster he is about to slide down the depth chart on, but it鈥檚 a move he and the entire organization knew was coming with the arrival of Matt Vinc, who was expected in town Thursday night and will suit up tonight against the Coquitlam Adanacs at Bear Mountain Arena.
Asked to venture out to talk to a lone media rep outside the dressing room before practice, Flindell willingly obliged 鈥� as he always does.
鈥淥h, he must want to talk to the other goalie,鈥� he said on his way out 鈥� that wry Flindell smile creeping across his face as he stood to answer questions.
鈥淎ll you can do is prepare yourself to play for every game you鈥檙e expected to play and show them what you鈥檝e got. I think I left a good impression for the first half,鈥� said Flindell, who takes a back seat now to Vinc, a two-time National Lacrosse League champion in Rochester and twice named the league鈥檚 top goaltender.
鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like being a starting pitcher [moving to the bullpen] and now I get to hand the ball over to one of the best goalies 鈥� if not the best goalie 鈥� in the world. It鈥檚 not like I resent him for starting. If it鈥檚 a goalie I think I鈥檓 better than or I know I鈥檓 better than, that would be frustrating,鈥� continued Flindell, who helped the Shamrocks to their 6-2 start.
鈥淚f I know he鈥檚 in there and he鈥檚 going to do the job to help us win, it鈥檚 a lot easier to sit on the bench and cheer and help the boys out as much as I can.鈥�
And Flindell鈥檚 job isn鈥檛 done just yet.
Vinc is expected to play both tonight against Coquitlam (3-5) and on Sunday in Maple Ridge. Wins over both would clinch head-to-head season series for the Shamrocks. He will then return to Ontario where he teaches, before returning in July, missing a start.
鈥淥f course I will be,鈥� Flindell said of remaining ready to play his part. 鈥淒espite the slight hiccup with the injury, I was quite happy with the way I鈥檝e played this year.鈥�
All along Flindell has maintained he would play his nine games to the best of his ability. He missed two games due to the injury, but what he鈥檚 done is post a 5-1 record, tops among netminders in the Western Lacrosse Association. His 8.18 goals-against average and .799 save percentage sit second overall to Langley鈥檚 Brodie MacDonald.
But this isn鈥檛 a tale about controversy, it鈥檚 about the team鈥檚 plan from the outset to chase a WLA championship and, they鈥檙e hoping, a shot at the Mann Cup.
鈥淲e have Matt [Vinc] coming in and he was one of the keys to the puzzle. But I鈥檝e got no problems with how our goaltending has been,鈥� said head coach Bob Heyes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a case of if we want to get where we want to get, then you鈥檙e going to have to have two strong goaltenders. What he [Vinc] brings is more confidence on the back end and his passing ability will set teams apart.鈥�
CLOVER POINTS: Coquitlam鈥檚 Dane Dobbie is back from injury and is on fire with 34 points in six games for the Adanacs, tied for sixth in league scoring with Victoria鈥檚 Scott Ranger and behind Shamrocks snipers Corey Small and Cory Conway in fourth and fifth, respectively.
