Between the pipes for the Charlotte Checkers

CHARLOTTE, NC – The two goal minders for the Charlotte Checkers, Justin Peters and Mike Murphy both chose to play between the pipes because the goalie clothing was cool. That was the answer they both gave me when I asked the question, why be a goalie? Justin also told me nobody else wanted to play in goal and Mike said his older brother made him play there.

 
Both players had goaltenders as their heroes, not surprisingly the great Patrick Roy star with the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche, who won the Stanley Cup four times, twice with each team was Justin’s choice. Mike followed the career of Felix Potvin, who played for the Maple Leafs, the Islanders, the Canucks, the Kings and the Bruins.
 
Justin, who shares a condominium in Charlotte with teammate Chris Terry, takes a strong mental approach to the game. He has a coach who has worked with him to focus and to be positive. Mike Murphy, who began skating at three years of age, told me he works hard on visualization of possible game situations.
 
Both players have their pre-game routines, staying quiet and loose, remaining focused when they get on the ice. Both acknowledge that they can be the hero or the villian that is when they need to keep that mental toughness that they have been working on pre-game. They agree you need a thick skin to be a goaltender; both these guys appear to have that.
 
A Blyth, Ontario native, Justin Peters has now spent two seasons in the NHL after starting his hockey career in 2002-3 with junior hockey team St. Michaele’s in the Ontario Hockey League. He played for Plymouth Whalers in 2005-6 before turning professional in 2006-7 and spending most of the season with the Albany River Rats. He went to the Florida Everblades for one game in the ECHL.
 
In 2007-8 he split his year between the River Rats and the Everblades, then in 2008-9 played with the River Rats for the entire season. In July 2010 Peters signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Hurricanes. In 2010-11 he played 12 games for the Hurricanes, with a record of 3-5-1 with a 3.98 goals against average.
 
Another Ontario born player from Kingston, Mike Murphy is waiting for his chance to get to the NHL., He is patient and definitely focused. Like Justin he began his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League winning plaudits playing for the Belleville Bulls. He led them to the OHL play-offs and the Memorial Cup in 2008.
 
Mike signed a three-year entry-level contract with Carolina in March 2009; he is awaiting for his first call-up to the Hurricanes, but this 22 years old has time on his side to reach his dream. He loves Charlotte, the southern weather and the Checkers fans. While Justin enjoys playing ping-pong with Chris Terry, like his fellow goalie Mike Murphy they enjoy keeping out the opposition on the ice.
 
Both of these young men have a terrific future ahead of them; they might be as successful as Patrick Roy and Felix Potvin.
  EddieMitchell@proHockeyNews.com Photos by Tom.Nelson@prohockeynews.com