From Friday's Mpls Star Tribune (reprinted without permission)
 
Winning, enjoying it are his goals
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**Since coming from Finland, Denver University's Sinuhe Wallinheimo has
become perhaps the most colorful goaltender at any level of hockey**
 
By John Gilbert, Star Tribune Staff Writer
 
One of hockey's longstanding traditions is that goaltenders remain the perfect
picture of decorum. No matter what manner of high-sticking, cross-checking or
grappling is going on all around them, they are supposed to stand there,
expressionless behind their masks, above it all.
 
And then there is Sinuhe Wallinheimo.
 
Wallinheimo has become perhaps the most colorful goalie at any level of the
game since coming from Finland to save -- literally -- Denver University's
hockey team. He was the only goalie in the WCHA to block more than 90 percent
of the shots he faced last season, finishing with a .904 mark. And he's opened
his senior season with a .921 save percentage in the first six games.
 
Good as he's been, it is his ability to taunt the other team and to interact
with opposing fans that have made "Sin-YOU-hay Wall-in-HIGH-mo" as close to a
household name as that moniker might allow in cities around the league.
 
Wallinheimo taunts opponents with gestures and dekes, maybe running out of the
crease to turn a heavily padded somersault ("Only after a shutout," he said),
or doing a moonwalk across the ice after Denver completes a sweep -- which he
did at Mariucci Arena last season.
 
"I think Minnesota is probably the most fun place in the league for me," he
said by telephone from Denver. "I like to tease the opposing crowd, so it's
much more fun on the road. And there's always somebody on each team who
doesn't like what I do. But I want to drive the players on the other team
nuts, so that they try too hard."
 
Wallinheimo works the crowds into a frenzy, especially at Mariucci Arena. It's
not surprising that he spends his summers as lead singer of "S.W. Heimo and
the Hands" his own five-hockey-player rock 'n' roll band that has recorded a
compact disc in Finland. While he tries to choreograph the chanting of the
fans, or inspire them to start the wave, fans seem to enjoy the interaction
from the opposing goaltender. Last year, some fans with a Gophers jersey
signed by all team members insisted Wallinheimo sign it too.
 
"In most rinks we go into, the fans have a real love-hate relationship with
him," said Denver coach George Gwozdecky. "They want their team to score on
him, but they play to him and he plays to them."
 
Gophers coach Doug Woog recalls first moving into the new arena two seasons
ago, when the place was sterile and quite silent -- until the Pioneers came in
and Wallinheimo did his thing. "I'll always remember him for getting our crowd
going in the new arena for the first time," Woog said. "He injects a little
fun into the game, and he's portrayed as an entertainer, so he can get away
with things that might otherwise look like he's showing you up, although there
is that danger that he might give extra incentive to the other team.
 
"First of all, you've been stopped by the guy, so you've already gotten some
kind of emotion going. If he missed your shot and it went into the net, you
wouldn't care what he did; but it's more like he makes the save and then
thumbs his nose at you too. But I think he's great, and having him here brings
extra anticipation for this weekend."
 
Gwozdecky is a stickler for exacting discipline, so he was startled when he
took over at Denver last season. "When I first saw him, I thought of the final
scene in the movie 'Slapshot', when the guy who didn't want to get into the
brawl skated around doing a striptease," Gwozdecky said. Sinuhe did some
things I thought were outrageous, but he's such a competitor he forces our
guys to compete, even in practice. And ... he brings in a little comic
relief."
 
As an undrafted free agent, Wallinheimo is attracting the interest of pro
scouts. Stopping more than 90 percent of opposing shots creates that
potential.
<end article>
 
All typos are mine. I'm looking forward to the games!
WAL - EN - HEI - MO!! (clap-clap,  clap - clap - clap)
 
-Carol
GO Gophers!!!    Nastier...Bigger...Faster in 95-96!!!
 
Carol S. White           *** PLEASE NOTE NEW ADDRESS BELOW!***
University of Minnesota      internet: [log in to unmask]
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