LetsGoDU

DU Goaltenders Step Up This Season

From: DU Clarion Student Newspaper
by Brooks Kirchheimer

(left) Derek Lelonde is in his first year coaching the Pioneer goaltenders arriving from Ferris State University

Athletes have their ups and downs and it is no different for DU hockey goaltenders, senior Glenn Fisher and junior Peter Mannino.

"I think both of them in their early days as Pioneers had a tremendous amount of success and were part of leading this team to league and national titles," said Head Coach George Gwozdecky.

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Their ups and downs have included winning NCAA titles in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 to struggling and ending their 2005-2006 season in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.

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"Like young guys and just like our team did last year, we lost our competitive edge, and we were not as hungry and it understandable after the type of success we had. It is tough to maintain that hunger considering everybody is going to be gunning for you."
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The loss of competitive edge led to Fisher and Mannino compiling the most number of losses in their college career and a career high and low, respectively, for Mannino in goals-against-average and save percentage.
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"I just think things didn't click, didn't go our way. There were definitely some bright things from last year that you can look back on and also negative things that you can learn from," said Mannino.
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Mannino finished with a 12-8-1 record and a 2.71 GAA and .904 save percentage while giving up a career high 56 goals.
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"I think towards the end of the year I struggled and at the beginning of the year I started off well, just kind of went downhill in the second part of the season," said Fisher about last season.
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Fisher finished with a 9-7-2 record while putting together career best's in GAA with 2.72 compared to his freshman's years 3.58 and save percentage .898% compared to .872 percent.
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After a season in which fans were looking for a third straight NCAA championship and got a first round bow out, it was time for Fisher and Mannino to get back on their game."
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We talk about our goaltending program as a program within a program. They know as a whole that they underachieved last year, and they took some onus to that and have made it a point to themselves to make it a better goaltending program," said Derek Lalonde, an assistant coach and goaltending specialist.
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Working hard in the off-season is no stranger to Fisher: "I work hard every off-season. It always translates into the season, and every summer you just want to work harder than the last one and just keep improving."
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It is no different for Michigan native Mannino.
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"I worked pretty hard. I wanted to prepare myself in the off-season to prepare myself in the right way, just worked on things that I saw from last year that I needed to work on this year," said Mannino.
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This season has seen both Mannino and Fisher improve their games and help lead the Pioneers to a constant top-five ranking in the country. Despite missing three weeks of action with a groin injury Mannino has an 8-3-1 record this season while having a career best and third best GAA in the country at 1.83 and second best save percentage at .935 percent.
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"I didn't want to leave off anywhere from when I got hurt and everything is on path," said the goaltender after returning from his injury.
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Edmonton, Alberta native Fisher has also put together career high's so far this season with a 2.29 GAA and .922 percent with a 12-7-1 record and a career best three shutouts.
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"I think it has been mostly mental preparation for me, just staying focused during the game. I have always been there physically, but mentally I have made an improvement."
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A goaltender's success cannot be without solid defense in front of them, and last season's defense struggled at times but has rebounded with solid performances this season.
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"Any time you have successful goaltending it is a direct reflection on our team and our team defense, and as our defense has improved it has definitely helped them [the goaltenders] out," said Lalonde.
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The defense has already helped put together six shutouts this season compared with just two all of last season.
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"I think our team defense this year is our biggest asset and we have had some good defenseman at this school. As a team we are just playing really well in our zone, getting the puck out, blocking shots, everyone is working together," said Fisher.
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This season has seen, at times, one goaltender struggle or become injured and the other step up to the plate and be successful and helped propel the comment from Gwozdecky that the Pioneers have two number one goalies. Two number one goalies that are ready to bring a title back to DU and continue the very successful program.
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"I see nothing but good things for this team. We have been improving since day one. We are just getting better as a team, and the young guys are starting to look more like veterans and I think we are looking good going into the second season coming up here," said Fisher.
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He added, "Just to have fun, we have been working hard all summer here. At this point I am just going to go out there and play my game and be a winner or a loser and hopefully a winner."