DURHAM – Adam Clark made his first start in goal for the University of New Hampshire hockey team in more than a year last Friday against Boston University.
Based on that performance, in which the senior stopped 35 of 38 shots in a 3-2 loss, he could get another shot somewhere down the line, maybe even this weekend when the Wildcats travel north for a two-game series at arch-rival Maine as they try to turn around a season that is heading south.
It didn’t take Clark long to get loose against the Terriers, who peppered him early and often, outshooting UNH in the first period 16-7. The Wildcats were fortunate the game was tied 1-1 after one.
“It had definitely been a while for me, but it was kind of a breath of fresh air,” Clark said. “It was really exhilarating to kind of get back in between the pipes. There was a little bit of nerves in the first period there, but I kind of shook the rust off and really felt like I settled in. I was really excited about it.”
While the annual road trip to Orono is a straight shot up the Maine Turnpike, Clark’s career at UNH hasn’t followed a linear path. As a freshman he was unexpectedly thrust into starter’s role when incumbent Casey DeSmith was dismissed from the program.
After making 20 starts in the 2014-15 season, Clark eventually lost his job to freshman Danny Tirone, who was brought in a semester early to fill a goaltending vacancy. Clark fractured a finger on his blocker hand in a win over Maine which hastened Tirone’s arrival.
Clark won his first two starts the following year, but injured a shoulder that caused him to miss the rest of his sophomore season. By the time he returned for the start of his junior year, Tirone was firmly entrenched as the Wildcats’ No. 1 goalie, and it was his job to lose.
“It’s been a bit of a rocky road with injuries and stuff like that,” Clark said. “But I think just having that mentality that I want to play and make everyone around me better has helped me be a good teammate, and whatever role I’m in I want to excel. If I’m playing I want to be the best goalie I can be and if I’m not playing I want to be the best teammate I can be for everyone around me.”
Bothered by a sore knee last season, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Clark made three appearances, including two starts. Since then he’s been mostly a spectator during games until last Friday when he led the team onto the ice before facing UNH's longtime nemesis BU for his second appearance of the season and first start.
“He’s definitely one of our leaders,” Tirone said. “His attitude is the best. Everyone will tell you he’s one of the best teammates they’ve ever had. For me, he’s certainly been that way. He’s the best partner I’ve ever had. He’s been with me every step of the way. It’s still a tough situation, but he’s been so supportive.
“If the roles were reversed I don’t think I’d be as good of a teammate as he is,” Tirone added. “That goes to show how difficult the situation is and how well he’s handled it. The relationship we’ve built, we’ll be friends for life. That’s pretty special considering the circumstances and how hard we do compete on the ice every day.”
When you’re not playing, practices become your games. Clark found out the day before the BU game he was starting.
“I never stop preparing (to start),” Clark said. “I don’t think that anyone on our team stops preparing for games. You always have to be ready to play and have that mentality that you’re going to be in the net. … I’ve been working hard. You’re always mentally ready to go if you prepare to play every weekend.”
He also saw mop-up duty in a 4-0 loss to the Terriers on Nov. 11.
Clark, of Sherwood Park, Alberta, is 6-17-2 in 28 career games with a GAA of 3.11 and a .893 save percentage. He has started 25 of those 28 games, but only five over the last three years, making it difficult to stay sharp.
“He’s been great,” said coach Dick Umile. “He’s one of the leaders in the locker room. He’s very, very positive.”
The Wildcats have four goalies on the roster, including freshman Mike Robinson, of Bedford, and sophomore Joe Lazzaro, of Hampstead.
Clark applied for and received a medical redshirt after missing most of his sophomore season, but hasn’t decided whether he’ll return next season for his final year of eligbility.
“Obviously it’s tough,” said Clark, a business major. “Everyone comes to a school like UNH with aspirations to play and to be the guy that everyone relies on, but at the same time I didn’t have an easy road here playing junior hockey or youth hockey. Sometimes you’re not the starting guy and you learn to adapt. It just comes back to who you are as a person I think and rely on some of those values I’ve learned along the road.”
Despite the adversity, Clark never considered transferring.
“Sometimes I think it could easily be me in that situation,” Tirone said. “Could I handle it as well as him? I don’t know. It’s hard to do. So I really admire Clarkie. I look up to him.”
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UNH (9-11-2, 4-7-1 Hockey East) and Maine (12-9-2, 6-6-1 HE) meet Friday night (7) and Saturday night (7:30) as the Black Bears celebrate the 40th anniversary of Alfond Arena where the Wildcats are 17-36-4 all-time.
UNH is winless in its last seven games (0-6-1). The Wildcats have won six straight against Maine. The Black Bears have dropped two of their last three following a nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2).