First-year goaltenders shining at UMaine Howard, Doyle providing 1-2 punch in goal

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ORONO – Jimmy Howard was captivated by the equipment. Frank Doyle simply wanted to play the position.

The University of Maine’s Alfond Arena faithful are grateful Howard and Doyle decided to pursue goaltending careers, for whatever reason.

Howard and Doyle have been two of the reasons Maine is 13-1-2 with a 1.56 goals-against average which is second lowest in the nation.

And both are in just their first seasons with the Black Bears. Howard is a freshman and Doyle is a redshirt junior who sat out last year but did get to practice with the team.

“I’m not sure there has been a better tandem in college hockey in years,” said St. Louis Blues scout Jack Gardiner.

Howard left to join the United States team for the World Junior Championships in Nova Scotia last week. He had a 9-1 record, a 1.58 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage over the first portion of the season.

Doyle is sporting a 4-0-2 record with a 1.54 GAA and a .938 save percentage. He will start the four games while Howard is away.

Howard is tied for the best save percentage in the country and is third in GAA while Doyle is fourth and second, respectively.

“It’s a great feeling being on the bench and knowing you’re going to get a great effort and consistent performance from both goalies,” said Maine second-year coach Tim Whitehead.

“They are both very athletic, they love to compete and they are composed. They are also very good technically,” said Whitehead. “Frank is a little more upright, is very aggressive and covers the angles. Jimmy is more of a butterfly-style goalie who has a great ability to go across the crease as well as anybody I’ve seen.”

The goalies have been surprised by their starts.

“Obviously, I didn’t expect things to go this well,” said Doyle, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound native of Guelph, Ontario. “I’m happy about it. Hopefully, we’ll continue to work hard and keep this going.”

“I didn’t expect this, either. To jump off to a start the way I did is something I’ve never done before,” concurred Howard, a 5-foot-11, 225-pounder from Ogdensburg, N.Y.

They said there is nothing elaborate behind their success.

“We come to the rink every day, work hard and stay focused,” said the 18-year-old Howard.

“Definitely,” agreed the 22-year-old Doyle. “Working hard, staying focused, having fun. That’s a big part of it.”

Doyle didn’t begin his hockey career until he was 9.

“I remember the day we signed up. They asked for your position and I begged my mom [Irene] to put goalie. She said, ‘I don’t know about that’ but I said ‘I want to be a goalie, I want to be a goalie.’ That’s what I’ve been ever since.”

Howard was a forward in road hockey and enjoyed it.

“I liked to score on the goalies,” chuckled Howard. “When I was 6, my hockey coach asked me if I wanted to play in net because no one else wanted to. I just loved the equipment. The pads, blocker and gloves really caught my eye. It was only going to be a one-game thing but I fell in love with it.”

They took different paths to Maine.

Howard went on to star for the U.S. National Development Program’s Under-17 and U-18 teams and led the latter to the gold medal in the World U-18 Championships in Slovakia with a 5-1 record, a 1.17 GAA and .958 save percentage.

Doyle played Junior hockey in Canada and was an all-star for the Cambridge Winter Hawks (2.94 GAA, .907 save percentage) in the Ontario Hockey Association. However, he also played briefly in the Ontario Hockey League and it cost him a year of college eligibility plus two games. Several schools lost interest after that.

“I thought that was the end of the road for me as far as college was concerned,” said Doyle. “But coach [Maine assistant Grant] Standbrook called me. Western Michigan was also interested. But Western Michigan didn’t have a goalie coach so I saw way more opportunity to improve as a goaltender coming here.”

Howard was heavily recruited and had to decide between Maine, Boston College, Boston University, Clarkson and Ohio State.

“But when I visited Maine, I knew this was the spot for me,” said Howard. “Everyone was down to earth. You didn’t have egos like there were everywhere else.”

They have flourished under the tutelage of Standbrook, although the Bears’ recruiting coordinator/goalie coach was away recruiting for much of the first semester.

“I don’t notice a lot of things on my own. But Grant notices everything,” said Doyle. “He always keeps you on your toes and improving.”

“He’s the best coach I’ve ever had,” said Howard.

Both love the challenge presented by the position.

“I like being the last line of defense and knowing they have to go through me to put a score on the board,” said Howard with Doyle in agreement.

Both feel they have improved over the course of the season.

“I’ve improved in numerous areas. I’ve improved my balance because coach Standbrook showed me some new skating techniques,” said Howard, who had a school-record three consecutive shutouts earlier this season. “I’ve learned the mental part of the game and how to play the puck better.”

Doyle said he has learned to “relax” between the pipes.

“Coming in, I thought that might be a problem: playing here with this team in front of this crowd. I thought nervousness would be a factor. But I’ve found, especially lately, that I haven’t been nervous at all,” said Doyle.

The goalies have learned from each other.

“I consider myself fortunate to have him here with me,” said Doyle. “He’s such a great goalie. He makes me want to get better.”

Howard said he tries to emulate the way Doyle plays the puck and stays upright when he faces shots.

“They pick parts from each other and incorporate those into their own games,” said Standbrook. “I particularly see that happening with Frank.”

The goalies are quick to praise their teammates.

“We rarely see second and third shots,” said Howard.

“The defense has been great,” said Doyle.