The holidays are over, filed away with the tournaments that were played (and others that were, unfortunately, canceled due to COVID protocol issues).
From now until the end of February, conference play is front and center. And to compete for a conference title, one non-negotiable asset a team has to have is strong goaltending.
Who have been New England’s best netminders so far? Eight players, both known quantities and relative newcomers, have impressed the most.
Let’s take a look.
Brad Arvanitis (Holliston, Mass.), gr., Babson
Stats: 3-1-2, 2.52 GAA, .922 save percentage
Last Friday’s anticipated non-conference game against NESCAC power Trinity was postponed, meaning the Beavers (8-1-2) have gone a full month without playing a game.
The 6-foot-2 Arvanitis is in the midst of his third superb season at No. 6 Babson after transferring from UMass, where he was a backup on a Frozen Four team in 2019, and has a talented team in front of him that knows what he can do.
Drennen Atherton, sr., Norwich
Stats: 2-0-4, 1.89 GAA, .929 save percentage
Another D-1 transfer (via Sacred Heart), the 6-foot-1 Florida native flashed a glimpse of his ability in five games last season, and has impressed as the No. 1, giving up some starts to junior Andrew Albano.
His last time out he made 35 saves to help salvage a 2-2 tie at Plattsburgh, though COVID protocols forced the cancellation of the anticipated Northfield Savings Bank Tournament over the weekend that would have seen NESCAC heavies Hamilton and Williams, and a ranked University of New England team, come to town.
Logan Bateman, jr., Albertus Magnus
Stats: 7-2, 1.89 GAA, .937 save percentage
The third-year independent program at the New Haven, Conn., school has been one of the most surprising stories of the first semester after it went 4-18-2 in 2019-20, the program's debut season under head coach and former Vermont assistant Kyle Wallack (West Hartford, Conn.).
Bateman joined the team after a solid freshman season at Elmira and has helped the Falcons (7-4) win seven straight games, including upsets over projected NESCAC contenders Hamilton (4-2) and Trinity (3-1). In none of those games has the Ontario native allowed more than two goals.
Andy Beran, soph., Colby
Stats: 3-2, 2.02 GAA, .902 save percentage
The 5-foot-9 Beran has had the kind of COVID-interrupted college career that’s not uncommon among players in his class year. A Minnesota native who starred at St. Paul’s School, he flashed potential as a freshman, posting a .933 save percentage in five games, and logged his minutes in the NAHL last winter.
His numbers this year have been skewed a little by a 5-4 loss against high-flying Babson, but the Mules (3-2) see themselves as a first-division team in the NESCAC and Beran is a big reason why, playing every minute in net to this point.
Billy Girard IV, soph., University of New England
Stats: 7-1-1, 1.71 GAA, .938 save percentage
The 10th-ranked Nor’easters (8-1-1), riding a six-game win streak, missed out on a couple strong non-conference tests when the Northfield Savings Bank Tournament was canceled. After next Tuesday’s game against Colby they can focus on the great race they’re part of in the Commonwealth Coast.
Girard, a former EHL Goalie of the Year with the Boston Jr. Rangers, has put a claw lock on the starting job after playing in two of UNE's four games last season.
Brian McGrath (Worcester, Mass.), sr., Fitchburg State
Stats: 4-3, 2.43 GAA, .936 save percentage
If Plymouth State is the clear frontrunner in the MASCAC, the Falcons (6-4) are lined up as the No. 1 challenger, thanks in large part to McGrath in net, whom coach Dean Fuller describes as technically sound, highly competitive and “cool as a cucumber.”
He’s also been superbly consistent, posting a save percentage of .933 or higher all four seasons. Fitchburg, which has two COVID pauses already, is scheduled to host Plymouth in a good one on Thursday.
Conor O’Brien, sr., Endicott
Stats: 7-2-1, 1.38 GAA, .951 save percentage
O’Brien has been everything he was touted to be entering the season. He’s collected three conference Goalie of the Week honors, and has No. 9 Endicott (8-2-1) ranked and well-positioned to claim the Commonwealth Coast title it won in 2020.
No goalie in Endicott history has won more games. The Gulls will need him to stay sharp as they head out of conference Tuesday and play at Colby.
Evan Ruschil, jr., Williams
Stats: 3-1, 0.99 GAA, .965 save percentage
You can’t start a season any better than Ruschil did, winning back-to-back 1-0 games at Colby and Bowdoin.
He’s only taken the ice twice more since then but the New York native and Trinity-Pawling alum leads the nation in GAA and has the potential to be a difference-maker for the Ephs (5-3) once NESCAC play resumes, which for Williams is Friday night at Wesleyan.
@MikeZhe603
mzhe@hockeyjournal.com
