"I used to be a pure skill guy," said Phil Di Giuseppe at Vancouver Canucks training camp this year.
Judging from his highlight-reel goal on Tuesday night in Abbotsford, some of that skill still remains.
It seemed like Di Giuseppe had a strong chance to make the Vancouver Canucks during training camp, as he auditioned for the penalty kill and already had experience playing a strong defensive game in the NHL. Instead, he was put on waivers and sent down to Abbotsford, where he's been hard at work proving himself again, putting up 12 points in 15 games.
"I wasn't very happy at the beginning of the year," said Di Giuseppe. "I just put my head down and tried to work it back to where I wanted to be. I see it slowly getting to what I expect out of myself. I still think there's a lot more and I'm eager to see what the work and attention to detail does for me."
Di Giuseppe's latest goal was an absolute beauty that ought to garner him some attention from the big club.
The Abbotsford Canucks were tied 1-1 with the Ontario Reign in the second period when Sheldon Rempal looked up in the defensive zone and Di Giuseppe flying up the ice. Rempal hit him with a perfect stretch pass through two Reign defenders to send Di Giuseppe in on a breakaway. The winger cranked the creativity to 11 and lit the lamp with a gorgeous Marek Malik-style move between his legs.
If there's any goal that deserved the Randy Orton pose in celebration, that was it.
Di Giuseppe's goal is clearly the goal of the year so far for the Canucks' AHL farm team and it could very well be the greatest goal of Di Giuseppe's career.
"It's just something in my arsenal, so I decided to pull it out, I guess," said Di Giuseppe after the game with a self-effacing smile. "I didn't have much time to think just because of how fast that play developed."
Di Giuseppe was quick to downplay his own contribution to the gorgeous goal, putting more shine on the pass from Rempal.
"I had my stick on the ice but I wasn't sure it was going to get to me. Hell of a play," he said. "I think that's honestly the highlight, if you watch it, it's a saucer pass, probably 30 ft. over their two sticks right on my tape."
"Just walked in and didn't think too much. That's the main objective," he added with a grin.
Di Giuseppe's goal gave Abbotsford a 2-1 lead and Rempal extended that lead a few minutes later with a goal on the power play. That goal was necessary, as the Reign got one back in the third period but the Canucks held on to the 3-2 lead for the win.
It was a much-needed win after Abbotsford had lost three straight and seven of their last eight games. The win also gave the Abbotsford fans something to cheer about after some difficult weeks dealing with extensive flooding that also forced the Canucks to reschedule two games.
Many of the Abbotsford Canucks players, including Di Giuseppe, helped out with sandbagging efforts this week as Abbotsford continues to battle flooding in the Sumas Valley.
"We got a text and within an hour, half the team — probably more — and staff as well were all there chipping in," said Di Giuseppe. "It's nice for us to get together and help out and do anything we can."
