LUCAS AT LARGE
Snagging a starter in goal is top priority
BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com
When you have two quarterbacks, you really have none; a time-honored cliché in college football. But that doesn’t necessarily apply to college hockey and goaltenders.
There have been many successful “tag teams’’ at Wisconsin: Wayne Thomas and Bob Vroman. Dick Perkins and Jim Makey. Marc Behrend and Terry Kleisinger. That’s just three examples.
There also have been many “virtuoso soloists’’ — Julian Baretta, Roy Schultz, Dean Anderson, Duane Derksen, Mike Richter, Curtis Joseph, Jim Carey, Kirk Daubenspeck, Graham Melanson, and Brian Elliott.
This does not imply that any of the above have anything in common with any of the following candidates to play goal for the Badgers this season: Mitch Thompson, Landon Peterson or Joel Rumpel.
On the other hand, there is one link. Rumpel is the nephew of Roy Schultz.
When asked about his personal expectations, Rumpel said, “I definitely want to play a majority of the games and I want to take our team to a championship.
“I don’t care if it’s this year, or next year, or all four years.
“I want to win a championship with Wisconsin.’’
Rumpel is a true freshman. So is Peterson, who has a link to the UW football team in that he has played youth hockey with starting defensive tackle Ethan Hemer, a walk-on from Medford, Wis.
When prodded to discuss the on-going competition with Rumpel and Thompson during training camp, Peterson said, “We all push each other, so every day it helps us get better.’’
Thompson, who has spent two years in the program without seeing the ice, was of the same opinion. “We push each other, but we all support each other, too,’’ he said. “We’re all good friends.’’
If it means pushing the other two in practice, Thompson sounds like he’s OK with the role.
“Whatever coach wants me to do, I just want this team to be as good as we can be,’’ he said. “Obviously, I want to be the starter. But the other two goalies are going to say the same thing.’’
Each has their own style and personality in the crease.
“I like to stay pretty calm in the net and bring a calm to the game,’’ Rumpel said. “I don’t like to get too crazy out there like (Dominic) Hasek or anything like that. I like to be a positional goalie.’’
“I’m more of a hybrid,’’ said Peterson. “I’m not a big, tall guy, so I’m not in the butterfly; I’m pretty much getting my body in position — square to the puck — with quick movements.’’
Summarized Thompson, “I’d say Landon is the quickest of the three. Rumps (the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Rumpel) is t he biggest, and I’m kind of a mix of the two.’’
It remains to be seen how this will all play out.
“I’d say I handle pressure pretty well,’’ Peterson volunteered. “I’m not too nervous about it.’’
Good thing, since the focus will be on the goaltending until further notice.
Or until someone takes the job, and holds on to it.
