Good Sports: Fresno Monsters Hockey led by new coach, local players

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- In life and in sport, you usually don't choose your nickname.

"A puck was coming, dumped down. A goalie came out to play it," said Fresno Monsters head coach Kevin Kaminski. "I was always told to take the body. I ran the goalie over and it was yard sale, a big line brawl and that's how I got the nickname 'Killer.'"

Kaminski earned that nickname in his teenage years and that stuck with him throughout his 11-year professional career that spanned time in both the NHL and AHL.

"Killer has been there. He knows what it takes to get there. Any little advice that he can give me, I do listen to it," said Monsters forward Cody Key.

The Monsters have a handful of local players on this year's rosters and are led by two valley products Cody Key and Andrew Pellegrino.

"It's definitely an awesome feeling, knowing all the fans. Knowing everybody here in town, coming to the rink every day, it's a great feeling," said Monsters forward Andrew Pellegrino.

Players with goals to succeed long after they hang up the skates.

"The main thing with hockey is hard work beats talent any day of the week. That's just what we got to do. It doesn't matter how talented you are, you work harder than that talent you are going to beat them," said Key.

Building champions for life on and off the ice.