Impact signs veteran keeper on eve of CCL showdown

• by Ridge Mahoney  @ridgemax, Apr 28, 2015

Kristian Nicht, the first player ever signed by the Indy Eleven who has twice gone on loan to Montreal, is leaving for good this time.

The Impact announced Monday that Nicht, 33, has been signed to an MLS contract and will be available to play Wednesday in the Concacaf Champions League finals against Club America. The teams are tied after the first leg ended, 1-1, last week in Mexico City.

Regular keeper Evan Bush is suspended for the second leg and backup Eric Kronberg is cup-tied from playing for Sporting Kansas City last year in the group phase. No. 3 keeper Maxime Crepeau has been hurt. Canadaian John Smits, on loan from FC Edmonton, served as Bush's backup for the first leg of the CCL final in Mexico City.

Terms of the Nicht deal were not disclosed.

“It is our desire to be a player-friendly club, and we are honoring that by allowing Kristian to join Montreal at this time,” Eleven president and general manager Peter Wilt said in a team statement. “This move will provide an incredible opportunity for Kristian, and everyone at Indy Eleven wishes him the best of luck during this tremendous moment in his career.”

After playing in his native Germany and Norway, Nicht played two seasons in USL Pro with Rochester and earned Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 2012. He was Indy’s team captain last season during which he played 27 NASL league games. Nicht played four games this season with a 1.00 goals-allowed average and was named to the team of the week once.