From Friday's Mpls Star Tribune (reprinted without permission) Winning, enjoying it are his goals ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ **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] Office of the Registrar (612) 625-8517\/\/\/GOPHER HOCKEY...THE FASTEST GAME IN TOWN!!! HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.