Also: Listen To Stezka's Play-By-Play While Facing Shane Wright
If only Allen Iverson could have met Coachella Valley Firebirds goalie Ales Stezka.
Back in 2002, the NBA superstar famously responded to a press conference question about his work ethic. "We're in here talking about practice. The game, I go out and die for, and play every game like it's my last. We're talking about practice."
Stezka clearly brings a different attitude to the practice rink.
It doesn't hurt Ales' outlook that the Firebirds - AHL farm club of the Seattle Kraken - sit atop the Western Division, with a gaudy 40-15-9 record.
Coachella Firebirds goalie Ales Stezka, who clearly knows where the camera is.The 27-year-old native of the Czech Republic has done his part. Stezka sports a 15-6-4 record, 2.50 GAA and .913 save percentage.
When the Kraken signed Stezka - 6-foot-5 even without skates- to a one-year contract last May, GM Ron Francis said in a press release, "Ales has good size and is trending in the right direction."
You can only hope to be half as happy at your workplace as Stezka is at his. The Firebirds media team, which knows comedy gold when it stares them in the mask, wired the goalie for sound at a recent practice.
So as not to steal the thunder from their recently-uploaded video, we've excerpted only Stezka's many adorable varieties of giggles.
Now that you've sampled the appetizer, enjoy the full video from the Coachella Valley media department. They can be followed here: @firebirds8176.