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Curry Out To Prove He's Ready For NHL

September 30, 2009

By Jonathan Bombulie
Sports Writer
Citizens' Voice

WILKES-BARRE TWP., Pa. - As he prepares for his third season as the No. 1 goalie for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, former Las Vegas Wranglers and Wheeling Nailers goaltender John Curry has almost certainly already proven he has the goods to be Marc-Andre Fleury's backup in Pittsburgh.

As a rookie, he showed he could be a playoff performer, helping the Penguins to the Calder Cup finals.

Last year, he showed he could be an AHL workhorse, setting a club record for wins in a season with 33.

He even excelled in limited NHL duty, going 2-1 when called upon.

But here's the thing. Just showing the decision makers in Pittsburgh that he's capable of spelling Fleury once or twice a month isn't enough.

The finish line is still a few yards beyond that.

"It's not about, 'Can I be the back-up goalie?'" Curry said after practice Tuesday. "They know I can do that. It's what happens if Flower goes down for three months and you get to carry the load. I'm up to that challenge. I think I can step up to that. But that's the question mark. They have to gain that confidence and that only comes with time. That's the hurdle."

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