St. John’s IceCaps cut goalie Peter Mannino

ST. JOHN ’S, Newfoundland and Labrador – The St. John’s IceCaps have

decided three goalies is indeed a crowd and have cut veteran puck stopper Peter Mannino.
 
The IceCaps, the AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, announced on Wednesday, Jan. 4 they have assigned Mannino to the Chicago Express of the ECHL. Mannino had been splitting crease time in St. John’s with David Aebischer and Edward Pasquale since the beginning of the season, creating an unconventional three-goalie system.
 
Mannino’s release comes as somewhat of a surprise to followers of the IceCaps, considering he has arguably been the steadiest of the club’s three net minders. In nine games with St. John’s, Mannino had a record of four wins and five losses with a goals-against-average of 2.86 and a save percentage of .907. He also posted one shutout.
 
Mannino, 26, provided steady goaltending for the IceCaps at the beginning of the 2011-12 campaign, during a time when Aebischer struggled to find his game and Pasquale’s play fluctuated between hot and cold. Mannino was rewarded for his play with a brief call-up to Winnipeg in November, appearing in one game, a 20-minute performance that saw him stop all four shots he faced.
 
However, Aebischer has been the hottest St. John’s goalie in recent weeks, winning six of his last seven starts and compiling a 1.95 goals-against-average and .932 save percentage in the month of December. For now, the 33-year-old former NHL starter and Stanley Cup champion appears to have grabbed the No. 1 job in St. John’s. On the season, he sports a 2.62 GAA and .907 save percentage.
 
That leaves 21-year-old Pasquale as the permanent No. 2 goaltender. Pasquale was a fourth round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets in 2009 and could have a future with the NHL club. He split last season between the AHL and ECHL, and so far this year has seven wins, four losses, a 3.03 GAA and a .892 save percentage in 11 games with St. John’s.  
 
IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge told a local media outlet the decision to assign Mannino to the ECHL was not easy, but will clear up any problems a three-goalie system created.
 
“From a team point of view you had to wonder if you were losing games when a guy was not able to run with the ball when he got his win. It got to a point where a decision had to take place,” McCambridge told Robin Short, sports editor of The Telegram, in a Dec. 31 column. “And we felt as an organization those two guys (Aebischer and Pasquale) were the guys we wanted to run with. Pasquale has showed some real positive signs this season and Aebischer, based on his play of late, made a real strong case for himself. He’s a pro, shows up ready to play and practice every day and maybe he shows a younger guy like Eddie how you need to approach your game … We feel this is the right fit for what we want as an organization.” Notes: The IceCaps have also released rookie forward Shayne Wiebe. The 21-year-old appeared in 12 games for St. John’s, recording four assists. The Brandon, Manitoba native has reportedly accepted an offer to join the University of New Brunswick men’s hockey program … The IceCaps play their first home games of 2012 this weekend when they host the Manchester Monarchs on Jan. 6 and 7. St. John’s has won both previous matchups with Manchester this season, shutting the Monarchs out 1-0 on Oct. 8 and doubling Manchester 4-2 on Dec. 16.
 
Contact Darcy.MacRae@prohockeynews.com