Hi hockey fans!
It was a great 3-1 win against rival Boston College on Monday in the opener of the Beanpot Tournament at TD Garden. The whole team made my job pretty easy (23 saves) the whole night. I think from start to finish we controlled the game and played a really solid team game; obviously it was an unbelievable experience winning against BC in my first Beanpot game. The team is looking forward to the opportunity of winning our first championship this season on Monday against Harvard.
I think those games where you don't see a lot of shots at the start aren't the easiest to play as a goaltender. But I think that I was mentally trying to stay engaged (after making two saves in the first period and 16 in the second). I had to be ready to go because a team as good as Boston College will get the shots eventually so it was all about just trying to mentally stay sharp and focused because you need to be ready when those shots do come.
I expect it to be a great crowd Monday for the championship game. Both teams are really hungry and going to be playing their best hockey because we both want the Beanpot. I'm really excited. It should be a lot of fun one of the greatest hockey games I've played in my career. I'm pretty sure my dad will make the trip out to be there, so I'm going to try and make it a special one for him.
Finally, I was told NHL Central Scouting released their goalie rankings in January. I really don't try to pay too much attention to that stuff. I'm confident in myself and know my abilities, and I don't judge myself based on a list that someone else puts together. I'm trying to continue to work hard every day, trying to control what I can this season, which is my attitude and work ethic.
Whether you're No. 1 on the list or even not on the list, coming to work every day and trying to get better every day is all you can control. I'm never satisfied but want to continue to get better every game, get more comfortable in the net, and communicate with my defense. It's important to keep getting better with time and experience because there's time to room and grow.
Thanks for reading this month.
