THURSDAY
November 21,1996
Keith. Barbato and Stuart
Robertson form one of the
top goaltending duos in the
Pacific-8 Hockey Conference
By Alex Pond
Freelance Sports Reporter
In team sports there is usually one po
sition that is key to that team’s success.
By the nature of the position, that per
son is expected to be the team leader,
the player who more than anyone else
can control the outcome of a game.
With baseball, it’s the Ditcher. In font
0U3
iros
ball, the quarterback.
And in basketball, that
player is the point
guard.
Well, hockey is no
different.
The goaltender can
make or break a team. In order to be suc
cessful, a hockey team must have some
one who can keep the puck out of the
net.
“The goalie is the key player on the
ice,” said Nick Ham, head coach of the
Oregon Club hockey team. “If your
goalie is having a hot night, you can
make all the mistakes in the world and
still win. If your goalie is having a cold
night, you can’t make any mistakes.
That’s kind of what it comes down to.”
Ham’s team has a 7-3-1 season record
and is in the thick of the playoff race in
the Pacific-8 Hockey League, so it’s ob
vious that the goalie, or in this case
goalies, have had more hot nights than
cold ones.
Keith Barbato and Stuart Robertson
have been manning the nets for the
Ducks this season and are one of the
main reasons for the team’s fast start,
which included an eight-game unbeat
en streak that ended last weekend in the
Bay Area.
Barbato, a sophomore from San Ra
mon, Calif., and Robertson, a freshman
from Boulder, Colo., have been equally
splitting the duties so far this season.
People might think there could be
some hard feelings between the two as
they compete for playing time at such a
key position.
Turn to HOCKEY, Page 10 !
ANDREW BRACKENSICK/Emerald
3regon Club hockey goaltender Keith Barbato is part of a dynamic duo in the net for this
season, although this weekend he will be a position player for two exhibition games.
Smoltz inks
new contract
with Atlanta
■ MLB: The Cy Young Award winner
wants to stay with the Braves for his
whole professional career
By Paul Newberry
The Associated Press
ATLANTA — John Smoltz knew all along
that he wanted to stay in Atlanta. When the
Braves offered him a $31 million, four-year
contract — a record deal for a pitcher — the
decision was easy.
The best rotation in baseball will be intact
for at least another season after the NL Cy
Young Award winner re-signed Wednesday
with the Braves.
“This organization has shown me the ul
timate in signing me to this contract,”
Smoltz said during a news conference at At
lanta-Fulton County Stadium. “There were
some teams that obviously made it clear
they wanted my ser
vices. But my main goal
as an athlete has always
been to stay in one orga
nization as long as 1
possibly can. I want to play my entire career
here.”
At least four teams, led by the Cleveland
Indians, showed serious interest in Smoltz.
The Indians reportedly discussed a $30 mil
lion, four-year contract, but there was no
further need for discussion when the Braves
came up with a higher offer.
“We wanted to be patient, but we also
wanted to do the right thing,” Smoltz said.
“This, in my mind, is definitely the right
thing — to carry forth the tradition that we
started here.”
Smoltz, 29, led the majors with 24 wins
and 276 strikeouts, along with a 2.94 ERA.
He added four more wins in the postseason
before the Braves were beaten by the New
York Yankees in the World Series.
His $7.75 million average is second in
baseball behind the $11 million average in
the deal Albert Belle and the White Sox
agreed to Tuesday.
The breakdown for Smoltz’s contract: $7
million in 1997, $7.75 million the next two
years and $8.5 million in 2000. The club
also has an option for 2001 at $8 million.
“He showed last year how very important
he is to the fortunes of our club,” Braves
general manager John Schuerholz said.
Turn to MLB, Page 12
advertisement
University of Oregon
V = Varsity
CsClub
Islntramsral
22
VOLLEYBALL/V
VS. USC
Mac Court,
7:00 PM
HOCKEY/C
Lane County ice
Arena
8:00 PM
23
FOOTBALL/V
CIVIL WAR
at Oregon St., 12:30 PM
volleybail/v
VS. UCLA
Mac Court, 7:00 PM
Rugby/C
ATOSU
Hockey/C
Lane County ice arena, 8. 00 PM
24
Tuesday Night
26
Men's
Basketball/v
vs. San Diego
State
mac court,
7:05 PM
Let your NIKE student rep know the time and location of your events for next month. Reach him at: jarrad.smith@nike.com.
THE
SERVANT
OF TWO
MASTERS
CARLO GOLDONI
Directed by
Kirk Boyd,
Oregon
snaxespeare festival
November 8, 9,14,15,16,
22, 23 8:00 p.m.
Benefit Matinee
Lane County Chapter
American Red Cross
^ November 17, 2:00 p.m.
A Robinson Theatre Production
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
ML
, Accommodations related
I to disabilities available.
u
L'\IVi:KSITY TIII ATRl
r - box on iu
T 346-4191