Friday, April 27, 2007 | 7:20 a.m.
Wranglers reserve goaltender Kevin Nastiuk has proven as dependable as the rig he steered from Edmonton to New York to Florida and then to playoff success in Las Vegas.
During a whirlwind fall journey over a few weeks, the goalie nicknamed "Nasty" logged 6,400 miles on his black 2005 Toyota 4Runner.
"I had kind of a slow start to my season," he says, "finding a place to play."
Since he settled in Las Vegas, Nastiuk, 21, has earned ECHL goalie of the month honors in February, and won two spot-duty playoff games against Phoenix, when an undisclosed ailment shelved Mike McKenna.
"It's been quite a ride," Nasty says. "Las Vegas is the last place I thought I'd be playing hockey."
He has an NHL contract, with the Carolina Hurricanes, who picked him in the fourth round of the 2003 draft.
He figured the 'Canes were serious about him when, at the end of fall camp, officials told him to fetch his 4Runner at home in Edmonton and drive it 2,489 miles to their American Hockey League affiliate in Albany, N.Y.
"I thought they'd expect me to play," Nastiuk says. "Otherwise, why tell me to get my vehicle?"
That, though, was just the start of his odyssey. A week after reporting to the River Rats, Nastiuk was back on the road, driving 1,406 miles to the team's ECHL affiliate in Fort Myers, Fla.
Less than a week later his nickname should have been changed to Kerouac when Wranglers coach and general manager Glen Gulutzan traded for him. That entailed 2,490 more miles on the road to Las Vegas.
Nasty got very close to his radio and cell phone, and he acknowledged he had long stretches to think.
"Exactly right," the highwayman says. "I was more excited than anything. There are a lot of places on the east coast that I wouldn't be thrilled to go to. I've had a great time here."
Four years ago the game landed him in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, playing for the Canadian Under-18 team and winning goalie of the tourney honors.
An airplane would have been a luxury for him in September and October.
"I was lucky enough to have something comfortable to drive," Nastiuk says of his 4Runner. "It was good that I got it last year. Otherwise, I'd have been in trouble."
His stepfather provided company and shared the driving duties to Albany. The solo drive to Florida wasn't so exciting.
"I was sky high," Nastiuk says of his hopes with the River Rats. "Then I was pretty disappointed. I didn't think I got a fair shake from the start of camp. Then I tried to be positive. Florida's not a bad place to be."
The Everblades, however, were overloaded with goalies. Nastiuk welcomed the October news that Gulutzan had acquired him.
"I tried to get here as soon as possible," he says. "I was tired of driving a lot of hours. I shouldn't have done it by myself, but there was nothing else to do."
He met the team in Salt Lake City, where the Wranglers were playing the Grizzlies. Gulutzan told him to take his time covering the home stretch to Las Vegas.
"There were times I had to wake myself up, crush a few Red Bulls and coffee," Nastiuk says. "I'd stay awake listening to music or calling people I hadn't talked to in a long time."
When the Wranglers season ends, Nastiuk will cap his 8,000-mile circuit with a 1,490-mile trip to Edmonton. With the lure of a day or two, or five, in Las Vegas, he thinks many friends will offer to fly down and help with the drive.
But he hopes that's weeks down the line.
"Hopefully," Nastiuk says, "we have a long postseason here and get the Kelly Cup."
If called on to play, he plans to be as nasty as ever in front of the net.
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