Last Saturday, the Los Angeles Galaxy made the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference a four-team race thanks to a 3-0 victory against Chivas USA. The highlight of the night seemed to be the Galaxy attack, which broke out of a mini-slump to net three goals.
Galaxy 'keeper Kevin Hartman quietly made three saves to preserve the clean sheet for the Green and Gold. What was lost in the intensity of the Super Clasico rivalry, and the Galaxy's last-ditch efforts to make the playoffs, was the fact that with the shutout, Hartman tied Tony Meola for the most career shutouts in MLS history.
It was an accomplishment that happened so quietly that Hartman himself didn't even realize it until after the lights had all been turned off at The Home Depot Center, and he was sitting comfortably at home.
"I didn't even know about it to be honest until I went home and watched the game on TiVo," said Hartman. "It really shows how far we've come as a team. Somehow we've gotten 10 (shutouts) this year. It's something to be proud of. To get 62 (shutouts) and be tied with Meola, it's something we're going to try and get more and more of."
Hartman has been a permanent fixture between the pipes in Los Angeles since his debut in 1997, which fittingly was a shutout. Hartman also is the MLS leader in goalkeeper wins and heading into the '06 season had the all-time lowest goals against average in league history as well.
That kind of veteran leadership behind the back four has helped the transition of many of the younger players on the Galaxy squad.
"It's reassuring. It makes you more comfortable to know you can make a mistake and he'll be right there to back you up," said center back Ugo Ihemelu, in his second year in the league. "It takes a lot of pressure off."
At the start of the season, there was a bit of a goalkeeper controversy in the Southland as Kevin Hartman and backup Steve Cronin were flip-flopping starts for a period of time for coach Steve Sampson. But Frank Yallop arrived, he handed Hartman the reins and he's started every game since.
"Kevin's been in the league a long time. It's not surprising he gets those stats," said Yallop. "He's been there done that in this league. There's not much you can add to a players experience than what he's done."
Hartman is reluctant to focus on individual accolades, especially at this time of the season. However, he does admit that numbers and stats will help to define his career when all is said and done and he's reflecting on his accomplishments in the league.
"In the back of your mind you want to be known as someone who was very good at their craft," said Hartman. "So for me to have records like that, it's really a feather in my cap."
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
