Part 2 of our chat with Jay

Carrying on from Part one of our interview with Jay Latulippe heres the concluding Part 2 ( Part one can be found here http://www.the-inferno.co.uk/news/part-1-of-our-chat-with-jay/)

INF -  Do you follow an NHL team? Any idol's you looked up to as a kid?

Jay - Favourite NHL team- My favourite team is the Montreal Canadiens. Most of my family are Habs fans and Montreal is only 3 hours from my house. Love going up there for games. I went a few years back when the Habs were playing the Flyers in the semi-finals and it was amazing. The fans are crazy and have a lot of passion. So much passion they were flipping cars after a 4-1 win.

My hockey idol grow up- when I was young I always wanted to be a goalie. Always wanted to be in the net but my father wouldn't let me. He would yell to stop being lazy and get out of the net haha So I always liked Patrick Roy. He had the best chirp I've ever heard in playoffs years ago when him and Jeremy Ronieck were going back and forth. A reported asked him if he heard what Ronieck said about him and he answered no I couldn’t hear him I had my 2 Stanley cup rings plugging my ears. While Ronieck never won a cup. So I thought that was classic. But my favourite player had to have been Wayne Gretzky. He was just ahead of his time. Made people look silly. I used to watch his highlight tapes before ever game when I was young and try to copy him. And yes it was a VHS haha

INF -  What’s the Best arena you’ve played in for atmosphere and where’s the worst?

Jay - Best atmosphere- wow!! Another tough question. I would say Nottingham playoff weekend when we lost in a shootout against Belfast. It was an amazing atmosphere. You could have cut the tension with a knife. I've never been that nervous before a game. I play better a little nervous but that was a bit different knowing that one game meant so much to so many people. But it was a shame it went to a shoot-out cause it was great hockey for 3 periods. I still lose sleep over that game. A shootout in the finals?? Really?!?

But I've been lucky to experience a lot of great atmospheres like Oklahoma City, Uni New Hampshire, Clarksons Cheel arena, Cornell, Uni of Wisconsin, Denver Uni, BBT, Tilburg the list goes on... The worst atmosphere is really easy haha. Im laughing thinking about it right now. We played in Leuven, Belgium this year in front of a hostile 45 people haha. The rink was from the renaissance era and was -34 with the windchill. The whole rink was lined up with Xmas trees with white Xmas lights. I kept pinching myself all game cause I thought I was having a bad dream haha. We ended losing 2-1 but no one was too upset cause all of our brains were frozen haha Probably my worst hockey experience to date. I don't even want to talk about this anymore haha

INF -  You spent this season in Tillburg, how did you find the league/refs compared to the Elite league?

Jay - Playing in Tilburg was a great experience. The standard of living was phenomenal. It was a great organization up and down. The fans were unreal as well. I've never seen so many full beers thrown at referees after bad calls in my life haha The style of hockey was way different. More emphasis on speed and skill.

I think the overall quality is better in the UK because of the amount of imports. In Tilburg we had like 5 I think. But we had a good team that came to play every night. It's less physical, less fighting and rough stuff. If you fight your out for the rest of the game so you didn't see much of that. The refs were ummmm really really good?? That's all I have to say about them. Haha And for next year I'm headed to Chamonix, France in the Ligue Mangus. I'm really looking forward to it. It's a great league and the team finished 3rd last season 3 points behind 1st. A championship would be nice.

INF-  Are you one for superstitions and rituals pre-game? If you are would you comfortable telling us what they might be?

Jay - Superstitions- I wouldn't call it superstition. I would call it a routine. I don't really do anything crazy. I just like to leave for the rink at the same time. And walk in the same door at the rink and take the same path to the dressing room. After the anthem I usually say a prayer to my late grandfather Lucien who I was very close with. But that’s about it really. I usually just prepare myself for battle and make sure my heads in the right place.

INF- Going a few years back, What attracted you to the UK and did you know much about the league before you first signed here ?

Jay - Coming to the UK- I didn't really know anything about the league. I knew I wanted to head to Europe and a deal fell through in Finland. So I ended up getting a call from Tyson Teplisky. Me- "hello". Tyson- " you need to go to Cardiff " Me- "sold". Then got a call from G and I was on my way. I only heard good things about the place so why not. I remember when I was first picked up by the car service at Heathrow and the driver told me if I was tired take a 'kip' in the back. I was like what did you call me?? I didn’t realize it meant a nap. Probably still my favourite UK word haha. But yeah I did know anything about the place or league besides seeing YouTube clips of Voth being violent and a few bench clears. I thought to myself, maybe I should do some extra push ups this summer before comjng over haha But thinking back it was the best move I've ever made in my life. Met so many great people in Cardiff and had so much fun.

INF - We’ve got to ask.. When you arrived in Cardiff for your first game, what did you think of the Big Blue tent?

Jay - BBT- after I was picked up at the airport I met G at the rink and I thought to myself. What did I get myself into here haha. It looked like a unfinished barn. But the inside wasn't that bad. But the locker room at the time looked like it hasn't seen a vacuum or a mop since the 80s. But then it was game time and when the BBT filled up with fans i knew I was in the right spot. Unbelievable atmosphere with that small ice surface just fits the Cardiff Devils mold.

INF -  What plans do you have when you hang the skates up?

Jay - After hockey- I'm leaving my options open haha. I have a degree from Clarkson University so maybe I should do something with that. I'm gone for 8-9 months a year so I just look forward to being with my family during the holidays and family events.

INF -  Can you tell everyone what you said to Ryan Finnerty in the penalty box or something down the lines of what was said?

Jay - The convo of me and Finner in the box- haha umm... Well, he asked me if I was enjoying Cardiff. And I told him its a beautiful place in the winter season. He agreed. Then I asked him what he got for Xmas. He got a pack of baseball cards and some marbles. Something like that but with a couple F bombs and I hate you's haha. But we played together my second year and he's a great player and guy. I wish him the best in his future of coaching.

We'd like to thank Jay for taking the time to speak to us and for giving us such insightful answers, we'd also wish him all the best for the coming season.