Tag: Goalie

Things you may not know about Karl Goehring: The View from Syracuse

On By terpaneseIn Hockey, Ice Hockey, Uncategorized, UND1 Comment

Alexandra Ackerman has had many years experience covering the Syracuse Crunch, and over the AHL affiliate’s lifespan one particular goaltender seems to have captured the hearts and minds of Crunch fans, and recently had the chance to return to Syracuse and coach with the Crunch in a paid role where he could . Fighting Hawks fans know this goalie and coach quite well, as he has now come back to Grand Forks as a paid assistant coach. His name of course, is Karl Goehring. I had a chance to get an insight into all that Karl is bringing back to Grand Forks with him from lead Syracuse Crunch writer for the Tampa Bay Lightning SB Nation site, and assitant editor, Ackerman herself. Check out my questions and her thoughts on all things Karl Goehring.

1.What is your favorite memory of Karl’s time in Syracuse?

“Although I’ve been following Karl since 2004, his return in 2007 was the catalyst for a lot of memorable moments that season. At the time, I was still relatively new to the heartbreak that the AHL creates, so the joy I felt with the news that he had been signed to a PTO was pretty strong. I knew the sport more at that point than I did in 2004, so I think I was able to better appreciate the talent he had and the work ethic he was bringing.

At the end of that season, the Crunch went on a run of 15 games in a row, and it all started with a shootout loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the beginning of March. It might be weird to remember Karl for a loss he took, but the point the team earned that night was largely in part to Karl’s shootout prowess, and it is still remembered as the magical start to that run that took the team to the second round of the playoffs. The Crunch had struggled that season, and no one had any real expectations of winning that game. Getting just that point out of that contest seemed to create a turning point for the Crunch, and I think it was also the night that reminded the fans of Karl’s talent, and showed everyone what he was still very much capable of.Karl went on to win Goaltender of the Month for March 2008.”

2. What is his lasting impact from his coaching role with the Crunch?

“Karl truly showed how important the role of a goalie coach is in the minor leagues (and, I’d argue, on most hockey teams). During his two years with the Crunch under the Lightning, he saw the team through quite a bit of goalie drama. He worked with whatever the organization handed him, and helped keep the Crunch’s crease shored up the entire time.

In 2017-18, Karl worked with seven goalies, all in various stages of their careers. Veterans Michael Leighton, Louis Domingue, Eddie Pasquale, and Peter Budaj all passed through Syracuse, sharing the net with youngsters Connor Ingram (a Lightning prospect [since traded to Nashville after this interview]), Olivier Mantha, and Nick Riopel. Whether Karl was helping to keep the vets sharp or assisting the young guys with the pro transition, he was the steadying hand the organization needed him to be.

This past season, Syracuse had a fair bit of goaltending drama. Ingram had an apparent falling out with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, and the rift set off a small goaltending carousel. Veteran Eddie Pasquale was looked to for the bulk of the work, while backups Martin Ouellette and Atte Tolvanen were expected to be sharp whenever Pasquale needed a break. Balancing everything that was going on, while keeping his goalies focused on the game and not on the drama, had to be challenging. Having a dedicated coach helping them was essential.  ”

3.To fans worried that a goalie coach may not be a good fit for the assistant coach role what would you say to them?

“Karl has always been an extremely hard worker. Most are probably aware of the doubts he had to fight during his playing career because of his height. He’s faced adversity almost his entire career, and he’s used those experiences to learn and become a well-rounded person and coach.

Although he’s mainly been a goaltending coach due his playing position, I know UND wouldn’t have been able to find anyone who will work harder at making sure he’s accessible to all players he needs to work with. It also isn’t such a bad thing to have an assistant coach know so much about goaltending, especially at the college level, where money for an actual goaltending coach can be tough to come by (as you all know).

Finally, Karl has gathered so many various experiences during his own playing and coaching career, and he’s worked with athletes at nearly every stage of their hockey careers. He knows how to speak to them, and knows what they need to hear. Assistant coaches have to be good at interpersonal relationships, and from everything I’ve heard, Karl excels in that area. He knows how to take his own experiences and translate them for young athletes.”

4.Karl’s role is not completely defined here, that said what are some things organizationally that the Crunch improved on since he came there that would reassure any nervous UND fans?

“Although I am not really privy to the inner workings of the team, Karl’s time with the Crunch has been sprinkled with quotes from players and from Syracuse head coach Ben Groulx about how much Karl’s video work has improved the team. Players credited Karl’s scouting with knowing how to score on other goalies and knowing the weaknesses in the defense of opposing teams. Karl worked with all of the guys on the Crunch to make sure they understood their positives and their areas of concern. Karl has studied this game for so long, and has clearly worked to understand more than just goalten/ding.”

5.With Karl returning to UND do you see Tampa perhaps looking at more UND players in the future?

“I’d hope so. The Lightning don’t seem afraid to look far and wide for talent, and I don’t foresee that ending anytime soon!”

6.If UND fans would like a player in the Bolts’ system to track as a pupil of Karl’s whom would you recommend and why?

“Connor Ingram is probably the closest to a pupil we can get, although given the rift I previously stated, I am not actually sure how much longer Ingram will be in the organization.” [These words have proven true as previously stated Ingram has been traded to Nashville since this interview was conducted]

 

7.Could you see Karl as a head coach at some level soon?

“I absolutely think he has the drive and the hockey IQ. I am not sure if he has the temperament (and that isn’t a bad thing at all, or a knock on the “traditional” hockey head coach). Karl is just definitely not your traditional grumpy head coach, that’s for sure.”

8.What traits does Goehring have that make you think he will excel in this new role?

“His tenacity is incredible. Karl does not give up when he wants something, and he has the work ethic to back it all up. He loves the sport, and he understands how important fans are to teams.

Also, I feel the need to add that the Lightning organization does not mess around when it comes to prospect development. Yes, Karl was 100% in the right place at the right time to be able to impress Steve Yzerman enough to get himself considered for the job in Syracuse, but if the Lightning had any inkling at all that Karl was not a good fit for that job, he would not have gotten it. Having the confidence of that kind of an organization in you is a very big deal.

I also don’t think that the Lightning would have let Karl go had he not gotten an opportunity like this. Clearly the organization respected his wishes enough to let him go and interview for something like this, knowing that they would lose him if he secured the position. I think that level of respect says a lot.”

9. Add anything else to this about Karl you’d like.

“I’ve been lucky enough to see Karl come back to Syracuse three times since he first left in 2005 – once as a player and twice as an assistant coach. That’s rare in this league (rare in any league, really). Every time he returned, he came back better than ever, something else that’s pretty rare in this world. I know he’ll be happy back with UND, and I wish him nothing but the best. He’s truly one of a kind!”

Questions with UND Goaltending Coach Matt Hrynkiw

On By terpaneseIn Hockey, Ice Hockey, Uncategorized, UND, UNDLeave a comment

(Photo Credit: Kelsey Lee-Violent Turtle Photography)

Since graduating, Matt Hrynkiw has found his way back to UND Hockey as a volunteer goaltending coach. He mentors three goalies this season in sophomore Peter Thome, freshman Adam Scheel, and senior Ryan Anderson. Below are some questions on Hrynkiw’s background and thoughts on his goalies, and more.

1)What inspired you to take the goalie coach job when Karl went to Syracuse?

Honestly, I felt extremely fortunate to even be considered as a successor for Karl.  Karl Goehring is a brilliant hockey mind and had the total respect and admiration of every goalie that he worked with. When Brad approached me about the opportunity it was a no brainier. I jumped on it right away. Can’t say enough about how much a value the role and the chance to be a continuing part of this incredible program at UND.

2) Tell us a little bit about each of the goalies in the room ? What do they bring to the team on and off the ice?

 

Ryan Anderson is great goalie but an even more incredible guy. He brings the best he has each day and strives to improve while being the best possible teammate. We really value Bob for what he brings with leadership and integrity while also keeping the mood light around the guys when appropriate . As a person, he is quiet and humble but the team and coaching staff hold him in an extremely high regard.

Peter Thome is an extremely focused guy who takes a lot of pride in his craft. He likes to compete and is always looking to improve. He welcomes a challenge and pushes himself extremely hard. He’s an interesting character and welcomes heckling as he is known to give it right back to the source.

Adam Scheel is a tireless worker who also has some very impressive natural ability. He has great instincts and fundamentals which make him tough to beat. Off the ice he seems to always have a grin on his face. He never stirs up too much controversy but always has an interesting opinion if you can get him talking.

3) What inspired you to become a goalie?
Upon getting into hockey, I was on a team that lacked defensive depth so i found i had the greatest impact on the game by playing goal. It also didn’t hurt that my dad and grandfather were both  goaltenders and were encouraging me in that direction.
4)How important to NCAA goalkeeping at-large would approval of a third paid assistant coach be?
It’s obviously very difficult to speculate, but I will say I believe the NCAA already consistently produces some extremely strong goaltending prospects.
5)What is the biggest improvement in Peter Thome’s game from year one?
Peter has worked hard at this flexibility as well as his foot work in demanding situations. I feel he has made significant strides in both.
6)How has UND helped you in your career?
UND has helped me academically and professionally. I was fairly driven person prior to arriving but my time at UND molded me into a professional. Its amazing how much you can learn in 4 years and i am extremely grateful to be associated with the hockey team and the greater community of Grand Forks.
7)What should prospective athletes in any sport know about UND that they may not?
Prospective student athletes should know that this university values great people and I would encourage any prospective athlete to come here and meet the coaches, staff, advisors, and fellow athletes. Its something that’s hard to quantify but I feel you can get a pretty solid feel of the character and values of a people upon face to face meeting.
8)What inspired the staff to look at Adam Scheel?
Adam Scheel has a very good foundation and has excelled at every level. His character and work ethic complement his skills and made it so a number of college teams were rightfully interested in him.
9)What are your professional goals in hockey?
At this point my goal is to keep UND as an elite goaltender producing program in college hockey. Bringing this program another national title also is our greatest focus as a team and staff as well.

 

Union Uses Two Goal First Period to Soar Past UND 4-1 Plus a Look Ahead to Tonight’s Finale

On By terpaneseIn Ice Hockey, Uncategorized, UNDLeave a comment

(Photo Credit: Kelsey Lee for Violent Turtle Photography)

In front of 11,087 fans at the Ralph Engelstad Arena, The University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks came up short last night against the Union College Dutchmen by a 4-1 margin.

Last year,  Union College Head Coach Rick Bennett was upset at the lack of physical play his Dutchmen showed against UND. The Fighting Hawks controlled the pace of that game and won 3-1. On Friday, the roles were reversed, as Union came out gave the Fighting Hawks a completely different game.

The University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks fielded a different lineup heading into game one of its two game series against the Union Dutchmen. Josh Rieger moved from defense to play forward on the fourth line as Joel Janatuinen did not play.

In the first period, Union controlled the first ten minutes of play. The Dutchmen were able to control the early part of the game and set the pace.  Tonight, that was not the case. 10:03 into the first period, Ryan Walker fired a strong shot past UND netminder Peter Thome and through traffic into the back of the net.

The Dutchmen continued their strong play as a few minutes later, at the 14:16 mark of the first period, Peter Thome wandered out to play the puck. Sebastian Vidmar used some help from Luc Brown and Brett Supinski to stake Union to a 2-0 lead after the first period.

The Fighting Hawks would build some momentum off a late power play to make the shots on net a bit closer. UND generated a few more chances as the period concluded to end the shots on net battle down only one (9-8 Union) after the first.

 

The second period featured the most consistent play for UND. The Fighting Hawks generated multiple chances and shored up their own end but could not bury anything.

Christian Wolanin would get UND on the board 3:27 into the third period but 52 seconds later, Vas Kolias capitalized on a UND turnover and scored a breakaway. Brendan Taylor would ice the game for the Dutchmen with an empty net marker.

Thoughts for Tonight 

UND has to do a better job screening the goalie. Josh Rieger did a good job when his line was on the ice, and provided the screen on the initial shot that lead to Wolanin’s tally. I did not see UND get a lot of net-front presence during the game which made Jake Kupsky’s task easier.

The Fighting Hawks need to improve their starts, as the coach Brad Berry noted after last night’s game. In the first period, UND had a mere eight shots on net, and none of them were from high chance areas. Look for the Fighting Hawks to make some adjustments tonight to mitigate Union’s ability to clog the middle lanes, and open up some chances for their shooters. If UND can limit Union’s chances and utilize its speed like it did in the second period, then the result could be a different one for the Fighting Hawks tonight.

 

 

 

Hockey Media Day- Ryan “Bob” Anderson

On By Kelsey LeeIn Hockey, Ice Hockey, Uncategorized, UND, UNDLeave a comment

I got the chance to meetup with Ryan Anderson, known to the team as Bob. Now a sophomore has made waves.He made the team as a walk on last season and earned spots on both the Dean’s list (Fall 15) and then the President’s Honor Roll (Spring 16). He also received the Tom Hoghaug Memorial Scholarship, which is given to freshman who shows initiative, character and responsibility.

After playing in juniors for 2014-2015 season, he was ready to “Hang up the skates”. Anderson won the same amount of games Tomek did in the 14-15 season. Bob had been in contact with  UND’s coaches and the week before school started got a phone call about an opportunity to walk on because of an injury to Tomek.

Before coming to UND, Anderson had played in the NAHL for the Wilderness, he said that playing there gave him a lot of experience because he had the opportunity to play a lot of games.

Ryan is majoring in Clinical Lab Science and was inspired by some friends he knew working in the Roseau hospital lab, where he grew up. He also wanted to be able to finish in four years.

Anderson takes inspiration from a few past University of North Dakota goaltenders, such as Jean-Philippe Lamoureux and Aaron Dell. This year he would like to practice hard and be ready at any time, should he need to step into the net. Ryan thought that Brock Boeser has the most accurate shot, while Tucker Poolman has the hardest shot.

Hyrnkiw or Tomek?

On By terpaneseIn Hockey, Ice Hockey, Uncategorized, UND, UNDLeave a comment

This past season, UND hockey had a highly touted goalie recruit come in. His name is Matej Tomek. The Slovakian netminder was supposed to challenge Cam Johnson for playing time and take over the starting role at some point. Most UND fans had seen very little of Johnson including his poor first start against Lake Superior State the year before. The third string goalie in the 2014-2015 season was Matt Hrynkiw. The former Humboldt Bronco had an outstanding junior hockey career but did not see any regular season action for his first two seasons.

Plans quickly changed for the Fighting Hawks. Tomek came into the season injured and was not fully healthy until about halfway into the season. By that point Cam Johnson had done enough to secure the starting role and Matt Hrynkiw had secured an impressive ten wins spelling Johnson as Cam recovered from his injury. During a late January game against Colorado College,Hrynkiw came in off the bench in the game and did enough to secure a tie against the Tigers where a loss would have had dramatic implications on UND’s postseason seeding.

So what does this all mean heading into next season? Well, to me it means that until take away, Matt Hrynkiw has to start out as the backup goalie. While many UND fans point to Tomek’s draft position (late third round,2015 NHL draft) as an indicator of his talent,Hrynkiw earned the position with his play last year.

Tomek will be the starting netminder for UND in time, but first has to earn the backup role. That decision will be left to the Fighting Hawks’ coaching staff.

If Matej has a strong offseason, we would encourage a competition for the backup job. We think Matt will get it because of his play,and contrasting style to Cam Johnson. Hrynkiw plays a very analytic game. Matt is studying to be a mechanical engineer and he plays like one in net. Whenever Hrynkiw played last season, he took good angles to stop 91 percent of the shots that came his way.

Matt will make a lot of saves look easy and tends to use his athleticism to make a lot of key saves from deep inside the blue paint. Cam on the other hand uses his 6’1″ frame to cut down the angle from the top of his crease. The contrasting style between the two goalies gives UND a chance in games where both need to play. Teams have to adjust for Matt’s style more so then they would for Tomek’s. From watching highlights of Matej’s time in the NAHL with Topeka, it becomes clear that Tomek plays a similar style of game similar to Johnson.

Finally, we believe that Matt Hrynkiw has set the bar for the attitude all UND hockey players need to have. The Humboldt Bronco alum earned every thing he gained this season, and off the ice is a great student as well. Hrynkiw’s hard work,attitude,and determination are things that should weigh in this decision.

Tomek will get a chance at the next level some day,and another year of learning for him under the tutelage of Matt Hrynkiw, goalie coach Karl Goehring, and the rest of the Fighting Hawks can only benefit him. Tomek will start the majority of games at some point, how soon is up to the UND coaching staff.

We expect Tomek to play a few games this season as the third string goalie,thus preparing him to take over the goaltending duties full time next season. Even Mike Richter Award winner Zane McIntyre split time with Clarke Saunders before taking over the job. We think Tomek and Hrynkiw will get an equal amount of games early in the season behind Cam Johnson.

Both Matej and Matt are outstanding goalies with bright futures, and both need to be ready at all times this season. Hrynkiw’s track record, and off the ice leadership will give him first chance to secure the backup job once again.

Outside links used:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=216832

http://collegehockeystats.net/1516/teamstats/ndkm

Gameday Final: CC 5, UND 5, Tie

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=64816