Nick Smith remembers doing his homework “under a lamp in the back of a van” while riding back to Dover-Foxcroft from the Bangor area with other kids from the area after Penobscot Valley Hockey Conference practices.

“We car-pooled,” said Smith. “We’d go right after school every day and get back late.”

It is approximately 38 miles one way.

The commitment has certainly paid off.

The 21-year-old Smith is a sophomore goaltender at Bowdoin College in Brunswick and has been instrumental in the Polar Bears’ 6-2-3 start. He is 3-1-2 with a 1.78 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.

“He is as athletic a goalie as I’ve ever had,” said 24th-year head coach Terry Meagher. “He’s a great athlete. He has a lot of talent. He’s the type of kid who’s the first one to get to the rink and the last one to leave. He loves to play, he loves to compete.”

Meagher said Smith is also a “quality citizen” who coaches middle school lacrosse and is “very much involved in the community.

“He’s special,” added Meagher.

Colby coach Jim Tortorella concurred.

“He exemplifies a well-rounded student-athlete,” said Tortorella. “He’s a good person and a good student.”

He added Smith is getting “better and better” in goal and his greatest strength is his “athleticism.”

Smith started playing hockey “in my driveway when I was 6 or 7” and put on the goalie pads for the first time when he was 8.

He was hooked immediately.

“I’ve been doing it ever since,” said Smith.

He developed his game while playing for the various PVHC and All-Maine (all-star) teams and decided to leave Dover-Foxcroft to attend North Yarmouth Academy his freshman and sophomore years.

“I wanted to go somewhere where I could play with my friends from the PVHC and the All-Maine teams,” said Smith, who spent his final two years at St. Paul’s prep school (N.H.).

He broke his collarbone his senior year at St. Paul’s and that “closed some doors” to colleges.

But Meagher got into the recruiting picture late and Smith liked Meagher, the great atmosphere at Dayton Arena, the hockey tradition at Bowdoin and the fact “it’s near NYA.

“I have a lot of family and friends in the area,” said Smith, who backed up first-team All-American George Papachristopoulos last year, appearing in four games.

“George really helped me. He showed me the ropes. You learn from watching the best and he was one of them. He was awesome,” said Smith.

Smith spent a portion of the summer working with renowned goaltending instructor and former Boston Bruins goalie coach Brian Daccord.

“He does a lot of unique stuff,” said Smith. “He works on making you stronger on your skates and improving your balance. He feels you need to be calm in net and maintain your positioning.”

Daccord and Bowdoin goalie coach Bill Riley have also impressed upon him that goaltending is all mental.

He has been pleased with his play but says team goals come first.

“I’m happy as long as we’re winning,” said Smith.