No one could have blamed Craig Pantano if he had just given up, played out the string and taken whatever mop-up duty he got.
But, the Bridgewater, Mass., native who played just over 36 minutes in relief of one game during his first two seasons at Merrimack had other ideas.
“I’ve just been waiting for my opportunity. I knew I’d get one at some point. I was just trying to be ready for it when I got it,” said Pantano.
The break Pantano needed came in late October with the Warriors struggling in the opening month of the season. The team was 0-3-2 and the goaltending woes forced Merrimack coach Mark Dennehy to call an audible.
Dennehy gave Pantano his first collegiate start at home against UMass. The junior goaltender rewarded his coach for believing in him. He made 19 saves in a 5-3 Merrimack win.
“I felt I was ready for it. I had a lot of support from all my teammates. They made me feel at ease. They just let me go out there and play so I was ready,” Pantano explained.
There’s been no looking back for the South Shore Kings product. He’s started all but one game since then, compiling a 7-6-2 record and .916 save percentage.
Despite being relegated to door opener as the third string goaltender for his first two years at Merrimack, Pantano was prepared because he stayed focused and never dwelled on his lack of playing time.
“Regular training as if I was playing,” said Pantano on how he kept in game shape. “I was trying to keep a close eye on [former Merrimack goaltender Collin] Delia and pick up on his good habits.”
Merrimack is 5-2-1 over its last eight games entering this weekend’s big Hockey East home-and-home series against Boston University. Winning has lifted the spirits around the Merrimack locker room, but Pantano said neither he nor his teammates would rest on their laurels.
“It’s been a light mood. It’s been fun, but we’re trying to take it game by game and keep the fun coming,” said Pantano whose older brother Joseph was also a goaltender, playing club hockey at Holy Cross. His other older brother, Michael, played Division III hockey at Suffolk.
Further helping Pantano is Merrimack’s attention to detail in the defensive end. Dennehy’s teams are known for bringing a blue-collar mentality and blocking shots.
“It’s everything. The ‘D’ eats pucks. It gives me confidence knowing that if I’m not going to be there, my ‘D’ has my back,” said Pantano.
Pantano and the Warriors will be gunning for their third consecutive win over the vaunted Terriers, a team they swept last season for the first time in program history. Puck drop Friday night is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lawler Rink.
