Boys hockey: Alex Roy getting his chance in goal for St. Dom’s

St. Dom’s senior goalie Alex Roy defends the net during Thursday’s game against Edward Little High School. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

AUBURN — Just jokingly, then-backup goalie Alex Roy asked for his last name to be pronounced like that of legendary NHL goalie Patrick Roy during the St. Dom’s Christmas Classic tournament a season ago.

A year later and Roy’s play in net for the Saints was no laughing matter at the same tournament.

Roy’s 25-save performance against Edward Little on Thursday was just the latest in an early-season series of the senior standing on his head for St. Dom’s.

“It’s unexpected as well as he’s done,” St. Dom’s coach Dan D’Auteuil said. “He has made a lot of saves and been aggressive out there, and made all the saves to keep us in.”

Even in a loss to Lewiston, Roy made 31 saves and kept the Saints in a game that they could have been out of early on. There were glimpses of the same kind of netminding that propelled St. Dom’s to a regional final victory over the Blue Devils last season, though that came from Roy’s predecessor, Gaston Fuksa.

The Czech exchange student can lay some claim to Roy’s ascension, both the success of it and its delay.

“I mean, it was a struggle (to be a backup earlier in my career), but it was nice watching the older goalies, and especially Gaston, learning from him,” Roy said. “It was a good experience, and I think it got me to where I am today.”

Roy had to sit behind Fuksa for two seasons, and two years ago he had to battle D’Auteuil’s son, Devon, for the No. 2 spot.

“I think his compete level is a lot higher now,” D’Auteuil said. “I think he’s more in the game, he’s competing hard, he’s battling hard, and I think that’s the focus, more of a focus and a desire to want to win and play. And, know you, I can understand when he was the third guy, you know Gaston was playing all the time, and the way that (former coach Bob Parker played the goalies), it’s kind of hard to keep that desire to win, desire to play. And I think this year he knows if he competes and does his job he’ll get that spot. And he’s done it the last two games. Makes my job tough.”

An unsteady St. Dom’s defense has made Roy’s job tough, and his teammates know it.

“Well we just say ‘Attaboy’ and ‘Let’s go get the next one.’ And he kind of motivates us, too, in the locker room. He’s like ‘Just come on boys, help me out, get me something,'” junior forward Lucas Pushard said. “You know, when I look at that it just kind of inspires me to play harder just for him.”

“They’re just motivating me. They keep pushing me harder to keep doing good. But I just wish they wouldn’t lean on me a little too much,” Roy said.

D’Auteuil said Roy’s play has been a “momentum-builder for our team,” which is still trying to find its way a little in D’Auteuil’s first season at the helm after winning the state title last season.

But Roy is showing his teammates the way.

“I don’t take (starting) for granted. I come every night, working my ass off,” he said.

It’s been his mindset since the end of last season “to make sure that I was the No. 1 goalie, and keep working every practice.”

For D’Auteuil, who was an assistant two years ago before taking last year off, it’s fun to see.

“I always like it when a senior gets his moment to shine. That’s their year, and he’s making the most of it right now,” he said. “So yeah, it’s exciting to see that. I think everybody’s excited for him to finally get that opportunity.”

“It feels good,” said Roy, who is one of three goalies on the roster. “You know, St. Dom’s has had this tradition of having a good goalie. I’m just trying to keep that going.”