Photo by: Michael Furman
He was once regarded as the team’s biggest question mark. Now, he is considered one of the greatest goaltenders of the DU hockey program at DU.
Junior Marc Cheverie is among the top 10 goaltenders in the nation, with a 0.928 save percentage and 2.12 goals allowed against average. He has a record this year of 12-3-3.
“I think Marc, coming from where he was in a back up role as a freshman, and playing very few games, to step in as a sophomore with some major questions marks about how good he was going to be able to play in front of us and how we as a team were going to be with Marc in goal, I think he answered all those questions,” said head coach George Gwozdecky.
“Chevy” is considered one of the nation’s top college goaltenders and leads the country in shutouts with five in 19 games this season.
“Things have escalated pretty quickly with my evolvement in the last three years,” he said. “I don’t know how else to explain it, but to just be patient with yourself.”
His efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.
“Talk about terrific development, hard work and determination,” Gwozdecky said of Cheverie.
And Cheverie’s patience and persistence has paid off, not only for himself, but also for his team.
“His outstanding play this year has allowed us to be in the position we are in right now,” Gwozdecky said.
The Pioneers are ranked No. 3 in the major national polls and are tied for the No. 1 spot in the PairWise Rankings.
DU is also just one point behind No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
“Our confidence in him kind of drifts to everyone else,” said senior captain Rhett Rakhshani.
In October, the Nova Scotia native went 223 minutes and 51 seconds with out allowing a goal, breaking former goaltender Peter Mannino’s record for a shutout streak of 2:08:42.
“It was nice, but it was never something that was set out to be a goal, it just sort of happened,” Cheverie said. “It sort of overshadowed the team’s great play at that time and I don’t really like that.”
Following that streak, in the same game against Minnesota State on Oct. 30, Cheverie suffered a deep cut to his left calf from the blade of an opponents skate.
“It was a really humbling experience to see you’re not invincible and you are human,” he said.
Cheverie had never sustained an injury like this, and it was hard for him to sit on the side.
“It just ate me up inside, it was pretty frustrating,” Cheverie said.
Currently, Cheverie is ranked No. 5 in the country for his save percentage.
Cheverie sits just .005 percent, about equivalent of one goal, on the heels of the leading standings.
Cheverie is also nominated for the Hobey Baker award, which is given out annually to college hockey’s top player.
“I think he’s one of the best goalies in the nation and I think he deserves that recognition and I hope that he can be one of the strong candidates at the end because he deserves it and he’s a heck of a goaltender,” Rakhshani said.
Rakhshani is also nominated for the award and considered a top contender by many media associations.
“It’s flattering that people think I could potentially be a candidate,” Cheverie said.
Cheverie and the Pioneers will travel to Grand Forks, N.D. this weekend to take on No. 4-ranked Fighting Sioux.
