AMHERST MA- Kevin Moore has experienced both the high and lows of playing for the Massachusetts hockey team; last fall he was demoted to be the fourth-string goalie at the seasons start, but still managed to climb back up despite all the odds stacked against him.

He came in as a nobody, but when others faltered, he did not, as he remains on the roster. 

 

“Kevin has made dramatic improvement athletically,” said UMass head coach Don Cahoon. “He was not projected to be able to play at this level. He had a good junior career, but it wasn’t Division I for sure typer of career.”

 

Moore simply lucked out that Matt Gedman who was the third goalie three years ago decided to drop hockey for baseball after the fall 2008 semester. This opened up a spot on the UMass roster for a goalie, and Cahoon took a chance on Moore. Moore came in for the spring semester in 2009 on a try-out with the team. Moore knew that he could be cut at anytime. 

 

When the season started last fall, freshmen Randy Wolcott, was added to the roster to compete with Moore for the third spot on the goalie depth chart, since Moore had struggled in practices the year before. Wolcott took over the third spot in the early part of the season.

“I came in the next year, and they said (like last year) we can cut you at anytime, this is still a tryout,” said Moore.

 

Wolcott received the goalie equipment from UMass, while Moore was not given anything and he had to buy his own. He did not get anything from UMass until they finally got him a stick later in the season. 

 

Moore got a lot of confidence from his first practice, maybe a little too much as his success did not continue. Moore “brain locked” as he called it because he was simply scared to get cut.

 

 “He works so hard it would be impossible to cut a kid like that because of his demeanor, his attitude, and just again, how hard he works,” said UMass goalie coach Mike Buckley. “He is always the first person on the ice and the last guy off.”

 

Moore, has used every resource possible to try and improve his game from Buckley, to current starter and captain Paul Dainton and former UMass goalie Dan Myers before he graduated. Moore was adamant about how much Dainton and Myers helped him, even calling them his brothers. 

 

Moore said he noticed his play picking up around January, but Cahoon actually noticed it a little earlier in December. It was evident that Moore was no longer the the fourth goalie and had become the third. Moore replaced Wolcott on road trips, and his reps in practice increase while Wolcotts decreased. 

 

He still did not dress for any games last year, but taking over the third spot solidified his spot on the roster for this season. Not dressing in any games though gave Moore red-shirt eligibility so instead of being a Junior he is a Sophomore in the NCAA playing field.  At the end of last season Moore was told, he was going to be the third goalie while the team was going to part their ways with Wolcott. 

 

“It was just a question of who was more dependable, and Kevin was a kid who would put in endless hours to help the team do whatever they were doing,” said Cahoon. “If I had extra shooters come to the rink, or needed a pre-practice goalie or goalie after practice I didn’t even have to ask him he was always there.”

 

After sitting on the bench his freshmen year, and not even dressing last year Moore got his chance vs. the Sweden U-20 national team to make his mark. He only got into the final few minutes but “he was like a kid on Christmas Morning,” said Dainton.

 

Moore had finally gotten into a game, which took him almost two years to do since arriving at UMass. He faced two shots, and stopped both which included a kick save from point blank range at the top of the face off circle. 

 

“It was pretty awesome, I really wasn’t nervous because I was prepared the whole game,” said Moore about getting into his first game. “The biggest concern was that I had been sitting for so long was trying to find the right balance on my skates, which I ended up finding and after that you’re just playing hockey.”

 

Moore’s parents were at the game that he debuted in vs. Sweden, and they also make several trips during the season to visit and watch the games.

 

“My parents come out about four times a year, and they try to go to the Providence games because my brother goes to URI (University of Rhode Island),” said Moore. “Before the season started they targeted this weekend as a weekend I could potentially play.”

 

Dainton graduates at the end of the season, which should give Moore the second spot on the roster. It will be his position to lose at least said Dainton. Jeff Teglia has the second spot behind Dainton, so it would be assumed he would take over the reins next season, but of course Moore will still try and compete for the job.

 

“He is not comfortable just being the back-up goalie he wants to play games, and he is going to keep pushing himself until he does,” said Buckley about Moore’s compete level.