Spring Break
Erickson sets save record in defeat
Chris Brodeur
Issue date: 2/2/09 Section: Sports
No one in UConn history has stopped more pucks than Beau Erickson.
The junior goaltender from Hinton, Iowa, set the school's Division I record for career saves in Friday night's matchup with Holy Cross. But at game's end, when the announcer at the Freitas Ice Forum informed the crowd what they had witnessed, it was a moment tarnished by the fresh result on the scoreboard.
The Crusaders capitalized on penalties and were able to turn a 3-0 first period deficit into a 5-3 win, eventually sweeping the weekend series with the Huskies with a 4-1 victory on Saturday night. Erickson's coach, Bruce Marshall, praised his efforts in net but questioned what the record actually reflected about his team.
"I don't know that the all-time saves record is really a good thing," Marshall said.
"That means we're giving him a lot of shots to make saves, but he's kept us in a lot of ball games. I think it's great for him. He's a very dedicated kid, he's very dedicated in practice and he works very hard. It's a feather in his cap, but I think, you know, the old cliché, he would rather have taken the win than one more save."
Marshall was on point with his assessment of what was more important to his player. Erickson was humbled to establish such a mark but is much more concerned with victories.
"It's definitely a great honor," Erickson said. "A lot of great players have come through here, and just to be added to that record list is amazing. I can't do it without the help of my teammates. It's nice to enjoy this but I'd rather have the win any day of the week."
While Erickson was quick to deflect credit in the direction of his team, he could have done without the penalty minutes they racked up to propel Holy Cross to a comeback win on the night he set the record. Both Marshall and Erickson pointed to penalties as the reason for the defense's wearing-down, which gave the Crusaders ample scoring chances.
Erickson stopped the first 23 shots he saw as the Huskies led for nearly the first 30 minutes, but when Holy Cross' Jordan Cyr struck for a goal at the 7:40 mark in the second period, the complexion of the game changed in a hurry. By the end of the second period, the game was tied and all the momentum belonged to the Crusaders. UConn mustered just 15 shots through the first two periods to Holy Cross' 30. The final margin was 42-29, as a pair of third period scores gave the Huskies their 12th conference loss in 18 games.
The hockey team's win-loss record doesn't do Erickson's career justice. His save percentage is routinely near the top among Atlantic Hockey goaltenders, and he's received both in-conference and national recognition for his steady play. Last season, following a weekend series with RIT in which he saved 70 of the 71 shots he faced, Erickson was named Inside College Hockey's National Player of the Week. At season's end, he was honored as a member of the Atlantic Hockey All-Conference second team. He brings a veteran presence to a team that has struggled throughout most of his career, but he believes in what his teammates can do.
"There's a lot of talent in that room, a lot of chemistry," said Erickson.
As long as he's in the net, the Huskies will have the opportunity to turn things around.
The junior goaltender from Hinton, Iowa, set the school's Division I record for career saves in Friday night's matchup with Holy Cross. But at game's end, when the announcer at the Freitas Ice Forum informed the crowd what they had witnessed, it was a moment tarnished by the fresh result on the scoreboard.
The Crusaders capitalized on penalties and were able to turn a 3-0 first period deficit into a 5-3 win, eventually sweeping the weekend series with the Huskies with a 4-1 victory on Saturday night. Erickson's coach, Bruce Marshall, praised his efforts in net but questioned what the record actually reflected about his team.
"I don't know that the all-time saves record is really a good thing," Marshall said.
"That means we're giving him a lot of shots to make saves, but he's kept us in a lot of ball games. I think it's great for him. He's a very dedicated kid, he's very dedicated in practice and he works very hard. It's a feather in his cap, but I think, you know, the old cliché, he would rather have taken the win than one more save."
Marshall was on point with his assessment of what was more important to his player. Erickson was humbled to establish such a mark but is much more concerned with victories.
"It's definitely a great honor," Erickson said. "A lot of great players have come through here, and just to be added to that record list is amazing. I can't do it without the help of my teammates. It's nice to enjoy this but I'd rather have the win any day of the week."
While Erickson was quick to deflect credit in the direction of his team, he could have done without the penalty minutes they racked up to propel Holy Cross to a comeback win on the night he set the record. Both Marshall and Erickson pointed to penalties as the reason for the defense's wearing-down, which gave the Crusaders ample scoring chances.
Erickson stopped the first 23 shots he saw as the Huskies led for nearly the first 30 minutes, but when Holy Cross' Jordan Cyr struck for a goal at the 7:40 mark in the second period, the complexion of the game changed in a hurry. By the end of the second period, the game was tied and all the momentum belonged to the Crusaders. UConn mustered just 15 shots through the first two periods to Holy Cross' 30. The final margin was 42-29, as a pair of third period scores gave the Huskies their 12th conference loss in 18 games.
The hockey team's win-loss record doesn't do Erickson's career justice. His save percentage is routinely near the top among Atlantic Hockey goaltenders, and he's received both in-conference and national recognition for his steady play. Last season, following a weekend series with RIT in which he saved 70 of the 71 shots he faced, Erickson was named Inside College Hockey's National Player of the Week. At season's end, he was honored as a member of the Atlantic Hockey All-Conference second team. He brings a veteran presence to a team that has struggled throughout most of his career, but he believes in what his teammates can do.
"There's a lot of talent in that room, a lot of chemistry," said Erickson.
As long as he's in the net, the Huskies will have the opportunity to turn things around.
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