Photo by: Andrew Fielding
It’s the last practice before the Pioneers open their exhibition schedule, and junior goaltender Adam Murray and freshman goaltender Juho Olkinuora are the first players on the ice.
Last season, Murray found himself as the early-season starter when head coach George Gwozdecky gave him the nod over freshman Sam Brittain. After inconsistent play from Murray, Brittain took over as the starting goalie.
Brittain’s stellar play in net helped the Pioneers down the stretch as they made it to the WCHA finals and to the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, Brittain suffered a knee injury that was later determined to be a torn ACL.
With Brittain shelved until January, Murray and Olkinuora know they must step up for the highly-ranked Pioneer squad.
“We have an unbelievable team this year,” said Murray. “I need to be competitive and work hard every time I step onto the ice.”
Last season, the Anchorage, Alaska native played in 11 games for the Pioneers. He posted a 6-3 record, with a 3.46 goals against average and a .879 save percentage. In WCHA play, Murray recorded a 4-2 record with a 3.34 goals against average and a .884 save percentage.
Before attending DU, Murray played for the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP), which the Pioneers will host for an exhibition game on Oct. 7. During his time with the USNTDP, Murray posted a 27-13-3 record.
This season, Gwozdecky added long-time friend and collegiate hockey veteran David Lassonde to his coaching staff. Lassonde will primarily focus on goaltending.
“Coach Lassonde has not been here for too long, but so far he has run 30-minute goalie drills every practice,” said Murray. “He will help us with work ethic and competitive battling.”
The Pioneers also welcome Finland native Juho Olkinuora on board to back up Murray. Murray understands the importance of working with his goaltending counterpart as he had the privilege of working with current AHL goaltender Mark Cheverie.
“Cheverie showed me the ropes when I first got here, and I plan to do the same for [Olkinuora],” said Murray. “Whether it be taking him out at night, helping him pick classes, or doing whatever it takes to make him comfortable, is important for the team.”
A major focus of the Pioneers this season will be defensive play. While former Pioneer Matt Donovan headed to the Bridgeport Sound of the AHL and co-captain Anthony Miani graduated, the Pioneers will need to rely on other defensemen to keep opponents away from the net.
“John Lee and Michael Ryder are great defensemen,” said Murray. “They will uphold their job, so it will be my responsibility to uphold mine.”
The Pioneers will also welcome Wade Bennett, Josian Didier. Joey LaLeggia and Scott Mayfield to their blue line.
The Pioneers opened their exhibition season with Murray in net for the first two periods, and Olkinuora playing the third and overtime periods. Murray made 16 saves on 17 shots, while Olkinuora recorded nine saves on 10 shots
DU tied the McGill Redmen 2-2. The Pioneers will begin regular season play with a pair of non-conference road games against Boston College and Boston University on Oct. 14 and 15.
