Key
Statistics: St. Pierre doesn't have gaudy numbers,
but they would be significantly better if he had more support
around him. He finished 7-13-4 with a 3.07 goals-against average
and .905 save percentage for the Falcons last year. His GAA
has improved each of his first three years in Waltham, and
his 2003-04 saves percentage was a career-best. A starter
ever since he stepped on campus, St. Pierre holds the school
records for saves, minutes played and just about every other
aggregate goaltending statistic there is.
What
He Does: St. Pierre succeeds because of his quickness,
which you pretty much have to have as a 5-foot-9 butterfly
goalie. His quick feet launch him from post-to-post in a heartbeat,
and he is nimble enough to spring to his skates in time to
square up to most rebounds. St. Pierre also is a fierce competitor
who likes to see a lot of shots — and make a lot of
saves — every game.
The
Bigger Picture: Quite simply, as coach Ryan Soderquist
says, St. Pierre is "the backbone" of the Falcons.
The team struggled to score last year (2.47 goals per game),
which doomed St. Pierre's win-loss record, but the Falcons
should have a bit more offensive gusto this year. Still, there
will be an incredible amount of pressure on the guy between
the pipes during most games. St. Pierre must be magnificent
for Bentley to contend for the league title, but it wouldn't
surprise many of his teammates or coaches if he were just
that.
Bentley
coach Ryan Soderquist on St. Pierre: "He's absolutely
the difference maker on our team. In college hockey, bottom
line, goaltending is the answer. As well as he can play, he
can take us to the next level. He wanted to come to a team
where he was needed and where he would be depended on to make
a difference. If we can score three or four goals a game this
year, I know Simon can keep the other team to one or two."
