"The goaltender's crease has been a haven for eccentricity since the time of Glenn Hall raising a toilet seat before every game to spill his guts.

Jacques Plante knitted in the locker room. Gary Smith showered between periods. Gilles Gratton once refused to play because the moon was in the wrong part of the sky.

Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason doesn't do quirky.

Mason burns hot, however, and he plays with an outward passion more often associated with forwards and defensemen.

"It's unique for a goaltender to be as demonstrative as Steve," general manager Scott Howson said. "That's the competitor in him."

Mason's latest display occurred in a 4-3 shootout loss Tuesday to the Chicago Blackhawks. During the 11-round shootout, he punctuated several saves by looking to the bench, raising his arms and exhorting teammates to score.

"It's a bit of (my personality) and a bit of being in the moment," Mason replied in a text message. "Going that long in a shootout you want to win and emotions run high."

After Brent Seabrook scored the winning goal, Mason whacked his stick against the wall in front of the Blue Jackets bench three times in frustration.

He stopped nine of 11 shots, including eight straight, but fell to 0-5 in shootouts this season.

"What are you going to do, get mad at a guy because he's competitive?" coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We aren't people who shop at the mall and happen to play hockey. I would rather have it that way than the other way where the guy is docile."

The goaltending position has had its share of fiery characters the likes of Billy Smith and Ron Hextall. But the goaltender isn't usually among the fieriest players on the team."