Former Viper Volpatti Notches First NHL Goal In Second Career Game:

This was in yesterdays Province Newspaper:

Revelstoke native Volpatti notches first NHL goal in second career game

By Gordon McIntyre, The Province December 20, 2010

ST. LOUIS — Aaron Volpatti has played just two games as a Canuck, but you can tell he’s been welcomed into the brotherhood.

As reporters converged to the corner of the dressing room where the Revelstoke native sat between Tanner Glass and Alex Bolduc, he took some good-natured ribbing from his linemates — and Alex Burrows for good measure, too.

“I just went to the net, they found me and I just shot,” the 25-year-old rookie said.

OK, maybe there’s not a future as a colour commentator, but Volpatti made the most of his 8:21 of ice time. The whole fourth line did.

Glass got in on the forecheck on the goal, breaking open a 0-0 game in which it seemed every inch of ice had to be fought over.

Alex Pietrangelo, back after missing three games with a bad shoulder, was crushed by Glass and Bolduc picked up the loose puck then spotted Volpatti all alone in front.

“I don’t have too many goals in the American league, so it’s nice to come up here and get one, break the goose-egg finally.”

After four years at Brown University, Volpatti scored in his first game with the Moose last March (and added a fight).

Since then it had been a dry 34 games, including seven more last season with Manitoba, 26 this season and his Canucks debut against Toronto on Saturday.

“It’s funny how it works, I had my chances down there,” Volpatti said. “I think it was a tribute to our forecheck,. I just went to the net, I couldn’t really see the puck.

“I just kind of swiped at it.”

For Bolduc, it marked his second career point — both assists — in 30 NHL games.

Glass didn’t get credited with an assist, but he should have — and Bolduc set up Volpatti again later from behind the net, but the former Vernon Viper couldn’t find the trigger.

“I’ll take the one [assist] for now,” Bolduc chuckled.

When Mason Raymond returns to the lineup after his thumb heals it’s likely Jannik Hansen will return to the fourth unit, but whoever is on the line this is the time of year with games every second day when Vigneault needs to depend on rolling four lines.

“I thought all three of them played real well tonight,” the coach said. “I got them all a little bit more than eight minutes per player, that enabled us to have a good pace and a good tempo to this game.

“I think everybody was happy for the young man. I mean, it’s the National Hockey League, the best league in the world. For him to come up here and in his second game get his first NHL goal, it’s a real special moment for him.”