Training Camp Spotlight: Vinnie Purpura

Aug 30, 2017

for the Johnstown Tomahawks

Vinnie​ ​Purpura​ ​is​ ​returning​ ​to​ ​Johnstown​ ​for​ ​his​ ​second​ ​season​ ​as​ ​a​ ​Tomahawk.​ ​Last​ ​year,​ ​he was​ ​a​ ​solid​ ​backup​ ​goalie​ ​for​ ​Johnstown,​ ​as​ ​Drew​ ​Hotte​ ​was​ ​the​ ​team’s​ ​go-to​ ​number​ ​one goalie.

After​ ​posting​ ​a​ ​record​ ​of​ ​24-12-1​ ​with​ ​a​ ​save percentage​ ​of​ ​.913%​ ​last​ ​season,​ ​Hotte​ ​committed​ ​to​ ​Boston University​ ​and​ ​will​ ​start​ ​his​ ​college​ ​career​ ​this​ ​season.

Now​ ​the​ ​team​ ​needs​ ​a​ ​new​ ​number​ ​one​ ​and​ ​Purpura​ ​is​ ​the​ ​team’s​ ​best​ ​bet. “That’s​ ​the​ ​role​ ​he’s​ ​put​ ​himself​ ​into​ ​this​ ​year,​ ​by​ ​his​ ​rookie​ ​year​ ​(performance)​ ​last​ ​year,​ ​and how​ ​he​ ​developed”,​ ​said​ ​Tomahawks​ ​head​ ​coach​ ​Mike​ ​Letizia.

In​ ​his​ ​rookie​ ​season,​ ​Purpura​ ​appeared​ ​in​ ​21​ ​games​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Tomahawks.​ ​He​ ​had​ ​a​ ​record​ ​of 12-4-2,​ ​a​ ​save percentage ​of​ ​.902%,​ ​and​ ​one​ ​shutout.

Purpura​ ​found​ ​Hotte​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​great​ ​mentor​ ​during​ ​his​ ​rookie​ ​season.​ ​“I​ ​learned​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​from​ ​him. Like​ ​how​ ​to​ ​prepare​ ​for​ ​games.​ ​Just​ ​how​ ​to​ ​be​ ​ready”,​ ​said​ ​Purpura.

During​ ​the​ ​offseason​ ​Purpura​ ​continued​ ​to​ ​work​ ​on​ ​the​ ​ice​ ​to​ ​improve​ ​his​ ​game​ ​and​ ​make​ ​sure he’s​ ​ready​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​number​ ​one​ ​goalie​ ​for​ ​the​ ​2017-2018​ ​season.​ ​“I​ ​trained​ ​four​ ​times​ ​a​ ​week. Skated.​ ​Worked​ ​out”,​ ​said​ ​Purpura.

“Vinnie​ ​has​ ​worked​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​this​ ​summer​ ​on​ ​his​ ​own.​ ​He’s​ ​(also)​ ​worked​ ​with​ ​our​ ​goalie​ ​coach, Frank​ ​Gribbin,​ ​at​ ​times”​ ​said​ ​Letizia.
All​ ​that​ ​work​ ​looks​ ​to​ ​be​ ​already​ ​paying​ ​off​ ​in​ ​the​ ​first​ ​day​ ​of​ ​camp​ ​for​ ​Purpura​ ​.​

​Vinnie​ ​looked very​ ​sharp​ ​in​ ​every​ ​drill​ ​he​ ​participated​ ​in​ ​and​ ​it​ ​didn’t​ ​go​ ​unnoticed.​ ​“I​ ​think​ ​he​ ​really​ ​set​ ​the​ ​bar high​ ​for​ ​himself​ ​and​ ​(I)​ ​look​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​see​ ​how​ ​he​ ​does​ ​this​ ​year”,​ ​Letizia​ ​said.

“He’s​ ​our​ ​guy​ ​we​ ​want​ ​to​ ​have​ ​in​ ​the​ ​net”,​ ​said​ ​Letizia.

Purpura​ ​is​ ​excited​ ​to​ ​take​ ​the​ ​net​ ​for​ ​Johnstown​ ​this​ ​season,​ ​but​ ​he​ ​knows​ ​he’s​ ​not​ ​just​ ​being given​ ​the​ ​net​ ​because​ ​he’s​ ​a​ ​familiar​ ​face.​ ​

“It’s​ ​pretty​ ​exciting,​ ​but​ ​it’s​ ​not​ ​just​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be handed​ ​to​ ​me.​ ​I​ ​have​ ​to​ ​work​ ​for​ ​it”,​ ​said​ ​Purpura.

He’ll​ ​get​ ​his​ ​first​ ​chance​ ​to​ ​protect​ ​the​ ​net​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Tomahawks​ ​when​ ​the​ ​season​ ​starts​ ​on September​ ​13th,​ ​away,​ ​vs​ ​the​ ​Northeast​ ​Generals.