Wranglers goalie lives his dream

But Lalande, who was born in Kingston, Ontario, in 1987, fell in love with Roy — and the goaltender position — repeatedly watching a videotape his mother made of Montreal’s Cup-clinching win over Calgary.

"I watched it over and over. My mom said some days I would watch it twice a day," said Lalande, still a huge Canadiens fan. "I don’t even remember this, so it goes to show you how young I was. For some reason, I just liked watching that tape, and something about the goalie equipment really intrigued me.

"Growing up, everything I did and wanted to be was Patrick Roy."

Lalande, 21, has been a netminder since he started playing organized hockey at age 7.

"From a very young age, I liked the responsibility goalies have — how the guys lean on you and you’re a big, deciding factor in the end result of the game," he said. "I just like to be an influence out there more than anything else. At a young age, it hit me that it was an interesting challenge and something I wanted to be doing."

The Flames selected Lalande in the fifth round of the 2005 NHL entry draft, and he signed a contract with Calgary before this season.

He attended training camp with Calgary and started the season with its American Hockey League affiliate, the Quad City Flames.

"It’s a huge step up from juniors, especially for a goalie," Lalande said. "I went from playing with 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds to, a couple months later, playing with guys 35 years old who have already scored goals in the NHL. Everything was so much more intense.

"It was definitely a big step for me and maybe something I wasn’t ready for 100 percent from the get-go."

In two stints and seven games with Quad City this season, Lalande compiled a 2-3-0 record with a 3.34 goals-against average.

He has fared much better with the Wranglers (40-11-12), improving to 14-4-4 with three shutouts after Saturday’s 4-3 win over Utah at the Orleans Arena. Lalande, who tied a career high with 41 saves, entered the night tied for second in the ECHL with a 1.98 GAA and third in the league with a .933 save percentage.

"Vegas has been a great alternative for me and was better for my development, and I’m taking full advantage of that," said Lalande, who was mostly stuck on the bench in Quad City. "Right now, playing is a key factor in my development, and that was something I didn’t get a chance to do in Quad City. (But) just practicing at that level was an experience in itself.

"When you think about it, you’re so close to the NHL. I don’t think I’ve let that sink in yet."

The 6-foot, 180-pound Lalande said he needs to improve his work ethic to move up, and Las Vegas coach Glen Gulutzan agrees.

"He needs to keep working hard daily and push to get back to the AHL. Every day’s a work day when you’re battling four other (Calgary) goalies ahead of you," Gulutzan said. "He’s proved himself so far at this level, but he has two steps ahead of him: to prove himself in the playoffs and prove he can play in the AHL."

Gulutzan said Lalande is a "hybrid-type goaltender" and a "patient goaltender." Lalande might need to bide his time as he tries to climb Calgary’s crowded goalie ladder.

"Goalies take a little longer to develop, and professional hockey is all about being in the right place at the right time," Lalande said. "I could get a break next year, or I could get a break in two years."

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@ reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0254.