Edmonton, Alberta ? Hockey goalies have always been a rather unusual lot, willingly putting their bodies in front of pucks traveling close to 100 mph while subjecting those around them to all sorts of quirks, idiosyncrasies and superstitions.

Glenn Hall threw up before every game. Gilles Gratton believed he was reincarnated from a soldier killed in the Spanish Inquisition. Patrick Roy talked to the goalposts.

Then there’s Cam Ward.

This guy seems … shall we say it? Ordinary.

“Everybody talks about goalies being different, being weird,” said Glen Wesley, a teammate of Ward’s with the Carolina Hurricanes. “But Cam is about as normal as they come.”

Well, not exactly.

It’s hardly run-of-the-mill for a rookie goaltender to take on a starring role in the Stanley Cup finals. In fact, only two in the last 35 years have led their teams to the NHL title – Ken Dryden in 1971 and Roy in ’86, both with the Montreal Canadiens.

Ward could join that exclusive club with two more wins. The Hurricanes are up 2-0 on the Edmonton Oilers heading to Game 3 Saturday night, and a big chunk of credit goes to this unflappable kid wearing the pads, catching mitt and mask.

Carolina goalie Cam Ward stretches during practice Friday.

Just 22 and a backup most of the season, Ward bailed out Carolina in its opening-round series against Montreal when Martin Gerber struggled. Sensing that he might have the next Dryden or Roy on his hands, Carolina coach Peter Laviolette stuck with the hot hand.

Ward outplayed New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur – a childhood hero – during the second round, and led the Hurricanes to a thrilling seven-game win over Buffalo for the Eastern Conference championship. He hasn’t let up against Edmonton, baling out the Hurricanes with several huge saves after they fell behind 3-0 in the opener, then becoming the first rookie since Roy – there’s that name again – to post a finals shutout with a 5-0 win in Game 2.

Now, Ward is back in his hometown, getting ready to play in the arena where he used to cheer on the Oilers from Section 102.

“I’m extremely excited,” Ward said, though it sure was hard to tell from the dispassionate tone of his voice.