In the Spotlight
Jan. 31, 2001
By P.J. Slinger
Graham Melanson likes the way he looks in goalie equipment. That may sound egotistical, but the way he says it comes across as more of a general statement. The fact is, Melanson, the four-year starting goalie for the University of Wisconsin, likes the way most goalies look.
"I hate putting the equipment on, but I like looking at it," he said. "I like the way it looks. I like tinkering with it, playing around with different straps, trying to make yourself look cool. If you talk to other goalies, it's all about how cool you look in the equipment. That's kind of a juvenile attitude, an immature attitude, but to this day I like to look at pictures of myself in the equipment."
And as anyone who's been to a Badger game can testify, Melanson is a master at tinkering with his equipment. He's constantly adjusting his various pads, even halting games so he can get a quick skate-sharpening job on the bench.
"I'd bet 1,000 times out of a 1,000 that my teammates think it's because I'm superstitious," Melanson said. "But it's not. It may be that I have an edge (on the skate) that I don't like so I get that done. I know the outcome of a game doesn't depend on my equipment, except maybe for my skates."
But it's more than just equipment that Melanson is a stickler for. He'll never hesitate to tell the referee of a chip in the ice in or near the crease.
"It would be really unfortunate if you tripped," he said, matter-of-factly. "If there's a gouge in the ice, I'll do my best out there to control the negative effects that can happen."
And it seems he goes through water like he's planning to run a marathon in the Sahara, constantly getting new water bottles from the bench. He's frequently seen taking a quick drink, then spraying his face (and equipment) with the water.
"They don't fill 'em up all the way," Melanson said. "Every time I ask for a bottle they're always searching for one and it's usually a third or quarter full or less. I wouldn't go through as many if they were full. I spray it, take a little sip. But the refs take drinks, too. And I like my equipment damp. It's softer, forms to your body a little better. To each his own I guess."
Goalies are known to be a quirky lot, and Wisconsin coach Jeff Sauer said Melanson is no exception.
"He's a goaltender, let's put it that way," Sauer said. "He's not a bad kid in any way. He's a good student, he's worked hard. But he's got that edge to him that makes him go into the category of goaltender."
And Sauer knows goaltenders. From Mike Richter to Curtis Joseph to Duane Derksen to Kirk Daubenspeck, Sauer has coached his share of great goaltenders.
And Melanson would have to be up there, too. He ranks second in Badger history in saves (3,425), victories (73), minutes (7,328), shutouts (8) and third in goals-against average (2.77) and save percentage (.910).
He will set new marks, barring injury or illness, in saves, minutes and games played, probably within the next two weekends. Others Wisconsin records are reachable, although not givens. He is one shutout away from tying Terry Kleisinger's career mark of nine and seven victories from tying Derksen's mark of 80.
"I really wanted something for our defensemen to enjoy because they are just as big a part of it, too," he said. "But my expectations were not to break records. If I do great, if not, that's unfortunate. But even if I do, some punk will come along and break them anyway. It's not about that. I just want to walk away with a good feeling."
Melanson said that won't be difficult.
"I wouldn't change a thing," he said. "If we go on the road and get swept, I'm still happy because I get to come back here (to Madison). It's a great school and I love everything about it here. I'm having the time of my life. There could not be a better fit for me in this whole country."
It's worked out well for the coaching staff, too. Sauer and goalie coach Bill Howard got a four-year starter, a rarity in college hockey.
"He's bought into Bill's system," Sauer said. "By the end of freshman year he had beaten Mike Valley out of the position. He's taken it to the next level. He's really adapted well to the style."
"My goal was just to play and for me coming in it would be a mountain to climb," Melanson said. "But coach Howard had a huge part to play in that. He's such a great goalie coach. He can take anybody and make him a great goalie. I believe that. It took some time to learn his system, but if you buy into it and work at it, it's obviously paid off for me. I owe it all to him. I've been lucky to have had great coaches."
He includes his step-father as one of those coaches. Ivan Melanson played goalie for Toldeo in the International League.
"I just wanted to be like my step-father," he said. "But I didn't get involved until age 10. I never skated before that. He shot tennis balls at me in the basement for a year and then I learned how to skate and finally joined hockey. I knew how to stop pucks before I ever played the game."
And he'd have to practice every day.
"I'd get home from school and throw my backpack down and want to watch TV and he'd get home from work and say 'get the gear' and he'd shoot at me in the basement. I didn't like it -- it was work. But he always said 'You can't just say you want to be a goalie.'"
But Melanson, who grew up in Nova Scotia, learned to enjoy it.
"We had a trampoline and my dad tipped it on its side and taught me how to throw a ball at the trampoline in such a way that I had to make a skate save to the left or a skate save to the right," he said.
It worked.
"That first year (of organized hockey) I got 16 shutouts. I remember that because if I had 15 my sister would buy me a Happy Meal at McDonald's. It was that sort of thing. Those are the memories I have from that."
Now he's making memories in Madison.
"I knew this would be the toughest road for a goalie," he said. "Coach
Howard is demanding and will get the most out of you. But I knew the
hardest road would pay the biggest dividends. It's all a matter of luck
and timing. Anybody that's playing at this level knows that."
|
|
 |
