On the bus to Asiago

“Mr. Nice Guy” Cannata comes as a VSV firefighter

Neo-Eagle Joe Cannata saw his new teammates for the first time on Wednesday against Bolzano.

(Bild: Plieschnig)

VSV lost 2-1 on penalties against Bolzano on Wednesday. Neo-goalie Joe Cannata watched the game from the stands. He had already been on the ice with his new colleagues for the first time before the match. The work and playing permit arrived on Thursday, and the length of the contract has also been determined - on Friday, the US boy will be on the bus to Asiago like his goalie colleagues Schmidt and Moser. 

Brought in as a fireman for the injured goalie "JP" Lamoureux! The 34-year-old Joe Cannata has signed a contract with the Eagles until the end of the season. If the US boy is convincing, he will also be an option for next year. Joe has big shoes to fill in the VSV goal. On Wednesday before the Bolzano game, the new Villach goalie was already on the ice with his new colleagues: "It all happened very quickly, I flew here on Monday night. My first impressions are nothing but positive," says Cannata, who played in the DEL in Frankfurt last year and is not yet familiar with the Austrian league.

The family is coming
He is already on the bus to Asiago on Friday, the match and work permit has arrived. "I want to be a nice guy in the dressing room and do everything I can to make sure the guys can rely on me," says Cannata, who lives in Boston with his wife and two children. "They're coming over in December - it would have been way too quick for them otherwise," laughs Joe, who last played five games for Norfolk in the ECHL. "Also because they needed a goalie at short notice," says the "fireman", who is now filling in in Villach. He has played a total of 121 games in the North American AHL in his career and was even called up to the NHL once by the Vancouver Canucks - albeit without playing. 

Kitzbühel picks up Schmidt
The rookie goalie watched Wednesday's 2-1 penalty thriller against Bolzano from the stands, keeping a close eye on interim keeper Ali Schmidt. The latter delivered a really top performance and, like Cannata and Lukas Moser (as third keeper), will travel to Italy. Schmidt was sent off for two games by regular club Kitzbühel, so it can be assumed that he will be used again. "Ali" will then travel with VSV to Feldkirch on Saturday. There he will be picked up by "Kitz" and play with the Tyroleans again in the Alps League away at Bregenzerwald.