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When it comes to YouTube sensations, Stephon Williams could make a lot of other goaltenders blush.
Williams, the goalie for the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League and a soon-to-be Minnesota State freshman, made a move recently that he’ll probably never make again.
Certainly new MSU coach Mike Hastings hopes he won’t do over the next four years.
During a USHL playoff game on May 11, Williams lost his catching glove at a most-inopportune time.
The glove had fallen to the ice, leaving Williams with a bare left hand, and there was the USHL’s top goal scorer and soon-to-be-named league Forward of the Year, Kevin Roy, wide open at the top of the crease.
Naturally, the Lincoln Stars’ sniper chose to go top shelf on Williams and tried to pick that upper corner with the point-blank shot.
Williams, who also lost the stick out of his other hand, instinctively flashed his naked hand and somehow got a fingertip or two on the puck and turned it away.
A video of the save made by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier newspaper has been seen online by nearly 90,000 people, and a variety of websites have featured the clip.
The Black Hawks won that game against Lincoln and moved on to the Clark Cup Finals, where they are playing the Green Bay Gamblers.
After splitting the first four games of the championship series, a decisive fifth game will be played on Wednesday in Green Bay, Wis.
By many accounts, Minnesota State fans should be excited about the prospect of Williams. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Fairbanks, Alaska, native is a potential mid- to late-round NHL draft pick this summer.
He is 10-4 so far in the USHL playoffs with a .926 save percentage, a 2.15 goals-against average and one shutout.
During the regular season, he played in 40 games for Waterloo and the Sioux Falls Stampede (he was traded to Waterloo midway through the season), finishing the year 16-15-4 with a .905 save percentage and a 2.74 goals-against average, which ranked seventh in the league.
Minnesota State fans have seen some circus saves before —. Recall Austin Lee’s behind-the-back number at Minnesota in December — and they’d be thrilled to see Williams make a few more when he puts on the Mavericks uniform next fall.
Of course, they’d be even happier if Williams keeps the glove on and simply wins games.
Shane Frederick is a Free Press staff writer. Read his blog at mankatofreepresshockey.blogspot.com, and follow him on Twitter @puckato.
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