One key factor to a young men’s hockey team this season has been freshman goalie Shane Joyce. The Business major has been a bright spot in an otherwise tough year of men’s hockey.

Joyce has been playing hockey since he was two years old, but did not play goalie until he was twelve. Number 30 for the Hawks, Joyce knew he wanted to play hockey because his father played professionally. Joyce credits the “unique experience” of hanging around hockey rinks with his father’s team for shaping his hockey life.

Before reaching Saint Anselm, Joyce had played for many teams. His hockey career includes playing for the Baystate Breakers, Pembroke High School, Tabor Academy, Bismarck Bobcats, Portland Pirates, Lone Star Brahmas, and the PAL Islanders. Joyce highlights an MCL injury in high school and a three-month bout with Mono his last year of junior hockey as being the toughest periods of his career.

The amount of work put into each and every game is incredible. Joyce described the grueling process of individual workouts and hours of practice spent each and every week to prepare for every game. Joyce stated, “bringing all that you can offer to the team every time [he] steps on the ice is incredibly demanding.” The level of focus a goalie has to have is unparalleled. While other players switch on and off the ice to keep their legs fresh and minds sharp, a goalie has to spend every second of every game on the ice. The goalie has a myriad of responsibilities that no other player has.

Joyce’s greatest hockey memory is winning a breast cancer awareness game his junior year at Tabor Academy in overtime. Joyce explains the special meaning behind the victory because his grandmother had breast cancer. He felt that “playing for something so much more important than a game” was the most amazing experience he has ever had.

As a first year contender, Joyce had to beat out fellow goalies Brad Rocheville and Brenden Cain for the starting spot at the beginning of the season. Joyce has started in eighteen and played in nineteen of the schools twenty-two games so far this season, racking up over a thousand minutes of action already. Joyce has an impressive 453 saves this season, averaging only 2.85 goals against per game. This total includes seven games where he saved 30 plus goals. Shane has already been a three-time Northeast-10 Goaltender of the Week (December 16^th, January 13^th, and February 1^st), as well as two Northeast-10 Rookie of the Week Awards (December 16^th and January 20^th).

Be sure to check out Shane Joyce and all of the Hawk’s hockey players in Sullivan Arena their next home game. Go Hawks!