Parker Ford doesn’t fear the abuse that comes with residing in front of the opposition’s net. The Providence College Friars center savors the rewards that follow the hacks and whacks to his body.
“Most of my goals this season came from within five feet of the net,” Ford, 19, said. “I like to score goals, and that’s usually where I score them. Scoring gives me joy, so I don’t mind getting crosschecks or hit. It’s all worth it for that goal.”
It’s impossible to count how many bruises Ford has sustained in his budding career by standing in the combat zone in and around the crease, but what can be measured are his points. The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder totaled 22 of those, nine goals and 13 assists, in 31 games as a freshman in 2019-20.