Key
Statistics: Struggled as a sophomore, finishing
12th in Hockey East in both goals-against average (3.73) and
save percentage (.889). Both numbers were off significantly
from his freshman year (2.84, .907).
What
He Does: Last year he was the waiter taking the brunt
of the abuse for a bad meal. Not to say Healey was blameless
for the Warriors’ 1-22-1 Hockey East record, but he’s
a better goalie than the results indicate. His freshman numbers
were good enough to earn him Merrimack’s starting job
down the stretch that season, securing Hockey East All-Rookie
Team honors along the way.
The
Bigger Picture: While new head coach Mark Dennehy
expects competition in goal, he hopes for big things from
Healey because of his track record. A good goaltender can
balance the ice for a team that may be overmatched most nights,
and it begins with his approach. Dennehy has already talked
to Healey about taking one shot at a time instead of what
he might have seen last year: “You’re looking
at a two-goal barrier as something that’s insurmountable,”
Dennehy said, “so you start the game and try to make
50 saves at a time.”
Head coach Mark Dennehy on Healey: “If
we can get him back to the point where he was his freshman
year, that will make a big difference. The fact that he’s
done it says a lot.”
