Icers' Annexy plays bigger than most

By CARLA MOTKO
Collegian Staff Writer

Anthony Annexy is not your typical little guy.

Annexy, goaltender for the Penn State men's ice hockey team, is by far the smallest player on the team. Standing at 5 feet 4 inches, the senior is often overlooked in the lineup.

When he is in goal, opposing forwards laugh thinking, "Easy goal," until Annexy snaps out his speedy glove hand and denies them. Then it's his turn to laugh.

His saves, no matter how gratifying, don't come easy. Because of his size, Annexy has had to work extra hard to get to the same level as his fellow goalies.

"In order to play when you're my size, you have to be a better skater, be better with the angles, be quicker and more agile than everyone else," Annexy said. "When I go into a butterfly, my head is at the crossbar where other goalies would have their shoulders at the crossbar.

"You get used to playing like that, but there's absolutely no room for error."

In his career at Penn State, the senior has been nearly error free, playing at 91-percent accuracy in net. Annexy's attempts to be atop his game have taken him to several of the top hockey programs in the nation.

Annexy's hockey career started very early when his uncle, Frank Schiavone, encouraged him to give the sport a try. Although he may have been better suited for a forward position because of his size, Annexy went straight for the goalie position because he enjoyed dressing up in the pounds of equipment.

Although playing in net was not easy, Annexy found a way to use the pressure of being the last man back to drive him to be better.

"I feed off of having that weight on my shoulders," he said. "If you channel the energy right you can use it to your advantage in clutch situations."

Annexy played for awhile for a youth team in Florida, then went on to play in the Junior-A United States Hockey League (USHL) in Dubuque, Iowa.

It was the exposure Annexy received while playing for the Fighting Saints that triggered the interest of Penn State coach Joe Battista. While recruiting for the 1995-96 season, Battista saw Annexy play, and despite the goalie's size, was very impressed.

Battista compared Annexy's style with that of NHL goalies John Vanbiesbrouck and Mike Richter.

"He always seems to come up with the big saves," Battista said. "He's quick and he's tough. You can't tell him he's not good."

Annexy said he acquired that attitude from Schiavone who encouraged him to get started in hockey. When Annexy was starting out in hockey, his uncle taught him not to think his height would be a barrier.

"I've always discouraged him from believing what people say is wrong with you is true," Schiavone said. "I taught him that if he put forth the effort, his size wouldn't be an obstacle."

Those teachings stuck with Annexy throughout his hockey career at Penn State. Although he is by far the smallest member of the team, he has proved he is also one of the most valuable.

"I used to walk into hockey rinks and everyone would say, 'Who's that little guy? What does he think he's going to do,' " Annexy said. "Now I walk into rinks and they say, 'Wow, that little guy is good.' "

And that's exactly what he wants them to say.