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Thursday, March 11, 2004
They're two of a kind as aces
By KEVIN THOMAS, Portland Press Herald Writer
Copyright 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
MAINE'S BEST GOALIES
Associated Press Photo by Michael York Odd couple? Well, in some ways. But there's nothing odd about the way UMaine goalies Jimmy Howard, left, and Frank Doyle have dominated opponents. It takes talent. Lots of it.
MAINE'S BEST GOALIES
MAINE'S BEST GOALIES
GOALS-AGAINST AVERAGE
Season
Jimmy Howard (03-04) 1.18
Frank Doyle (03-04) 1.83
Garth Snow (92-93) 2.08
Career
Jimmy Howard (02-present) 1.80
Frank Doyle (02-present) 1.90
Mike Morrison (98-02) 2.19
Garth Snow (88-93) 2.55
Matt Yeats (99-01) 2.63
Mike Dunham (90-93) 2.72
Blair Marsh (93-96) 2.78
Alfie Michaud (96-99) 2.82
Blair Allison (93-96) 2.98
Matt DelGuidice (88-90) 3.03
SAVE PERCENTAGE
Season
Jimmy Howard (03-04) .952
Frank Doyle (03-04) .924
Mike Morrison (01-02) .921
Career
Jimmy Howard (02-present) .930
Frank Doyle (02-present) .919
Mike Morrison (98-02) .915
Matt Yeats (99-02) .901
Matt DelGuiduce (88-90) .892
Mike Dunham (90-93) .892
Scott King (86-90) .890
Alfie Michaud (96-99) .891
Garth Snow (88-93) .889
Jeff Nord (77-81) .887
SHUTOUTS
Season
Jimmy Howard (03-present) 5
Frank Doyle (03-present) 5
Alfie Michaud (98-99) 3
Career
Jimmy Howard (02-04) 8
Frank Doyle (02-04) 7
Alfie Michaud (96-99) 6
Garth Snow (88-93) 5
UMAINE HOCKEY
Who: Merrimack (11-17-6) vs. Maine (26-7-3)
What: Best-of-three Hockey East quarterfinals
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and, if necessary, Sunday
Where: Alfond Arena, Orono
ORONO -- They walk into Alfond Arena, separately. Frank Doyle, dressed neatly, moves in a measured pace, looking always in control.
Jimmy Howard saunters through, relaxed, his cap on backwards and a necklace of shells across his throat.
There is an Oscar Madison/Felix Ungar look to them, referring to "The Odd Couple," Neil Simon's play about roommates who are extreme opposites.
But University of Maine hockey fans don't care. Forget Madison and Ungar. Doyle and Howard bring back memories of Yeats and Morrison, Snow and Dunham, or King and DelGuidice.
Maine is known for its great goalie tandems, and Howard and Doyle may be the best yet. At least the numbers say so.
Heading into the Hockey East playoffs this weekend, Howard and Doyle rank 1-2 among all Maine goalies. This year alone they have combined for 10 shutouts, doubling the record they set last year.
"They've earned a lot of respect in a very short time," Maine Coach Tim Whitehead said.
Howard, 19, a sophomore, leads the nation in goals-against average (1.18) and save percentage (.952). Doyle, 23, a senior, is fifth (1.83) and eighth (.924).
They have enjoyed some games against weaker competition, but six of their 10 shutouts came in Hockey East games and another was against Minnesota, the national champion.
Howard, who shut out Minnesota, as well as powers Boston College and New Hampshire, is especially hot.
He missed a month with a sprained knee and returned Jan. 17. Since then he hasn't allowed an even-strength goal in eight games. The six goals he allowed have come on power plays.
"When I watch him play, especially the last couple of months, I'm thinking, 'No one is going to score on this guy,' " said Doyle. "I see him out there doing so well, doing so much to help the team. I just want to do the same for the guys.
"It makes me work harder. He just makes me better."
Howard, 6-foot-1, 217 pounds, attracted NHL scouts to every game last year and was drafted in the second round last June by Detroit.
"I know I'll be sitting in my living room in five or six years, watching Jimmy on TV," Doyle said.
But scouts still appear at Maine games to watch the goalie. Doyle, 6-1, 181, is an undrafted free agent and can go to the highest bidder after the season.
"Frank is going to make himself some money," said Maine assistant coach Grant Standbrook, who tutors the goalies. "He's got a lot of guys interested in him."
Doyle finds that hard to believe. He came to Maine with the thought of playing a little hockey, getting his degree (he's a double major, in accounting and management information services) and jumping into the business world.
"I thought I'd go right to work," Doyle said, "but it depends on what happens and what opportunities present themselves."
In January, Doyle was named a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award, given to college hockey's top player. Howard's knee injury prevented him from getting on the list.
"I don't know what to say about that," Doyle said. "I don't think I'm that good. I know I'm not that good."
Whitehead said Doyle's honesty "is one reason why he's so successful. He doesn't have (inflated) impressions of himself.
"But," Whitehead quickly adds, "he's better than he thinks he is."
Doyle has been in the shadows. He came to Orono in September 2001 and had to sit out a year because he played two exhibitions with a major junior hockey team.
Doyle would only have two years of eligibility left because he attended the University of Guelph (Ontario) for two years in his hometown.
While Matt Yeats and Mike Morrison were leading the Black Bears to the national title game that season, Doyle was turning heads at Alfond Arena.
Teammates were calling Doyle the best of the three goaltenders in practice. Morrison and Yeats are now pros, Morrison with the Edmonton organization and Yeats with the Portland Pirates.
At the start of last season, when Doyle became eligible, the publicity went to Howard, a sure-bet prospect from Ogdensburg, N.Y., near the Canadian border.
Doyle and Howard both played in 21 games last season. It appeared Howard might take over the No. 1 spot in February of last year when he started both games against New Hampshire. Doyle issued no complaints.
"Jimmy was playing great," Doyle said.
But Howard slipped down the stretch, partly because of fatigue from the end of his first college season, which included time with the U.S. team in the world junior championships.
When it came time for the NCAA playoffs, Doyle was named the starter.
"I had my chances and didn't take advantage of them," Howard said. "Frankie deserved it."
Maine lost that NCAA first-round game to Michigan, 2-1.
The tandem came in this season improved by a year of game experience and a year with Standbrook. Both goalies say Standbrook was a major reason they came to Maine.
"Grant is one of the top guys in college hockey," Howard said. "How many goalies has he sent to the NHL?"
Standbrook has coached several who have gone pro, including Garth Snow (now with the Islanders) and Mike Dunham (Rangers), probably the most famous Maine tandem, after they led the Black Bears to the 1993 national title.
Standbrook, in his 16th season at Maine, won't pick favorites.
"I like them all," Standbrook said of his goalies.
Maine hasn't always used tandems. The 1995 national finalist relied on All-American Blair Allison (although Standbrook insists that backup goalie Blair Marsh was just as good).
And in 1998-99, when Yeats wasn't eligible yet and Morrison was an untested freshman, Alfie Michaud led Maine to its second national title.
Now come Doyle and Howard, the odd couple who get along well, especially when they room together on road trips.
"He's a blast on the road," Howard said. "He's quiet but once you open him up, he's a riot."
Whitehead called the two "a great combo. They are like a husband and wife (who appear to be opposites). You wonder how they ended up together.
"But they actually have more in common than you think. From the outside they may appear different, but they're both fierce competitors. Both are extremely hard workers."
While Doyle said Howard's play inspired him, Howard said Doyle helped him with the mental part of the game.
"I hung onto too much last year," Howard said of constantly replaying previous games in his head. "I learned from Frank to let things go."
Doyle is normally helpful. Besides being a Hobey Baker nominee, he also was nominated for the Humanitarian Award, given to college hockey's best citizen.
Doyle was cited for his service in the community (Toys for Tots, youth clinics) on campus (teacher's assistant, student-athlete advisory board, various honor societies) and in the classroom (3.85 grade-point average).
Doyle recently received the Dean Smith Award as Maine's top male scholar athlete.
Howard, who carries a B average, joked that "Frank sets the bar too high."
Doyle will graduate in May. Howard has two more years at Maine and despite being a pro prospect, said he's committed to staying and getting his degree.
"I love it here," Howard said. "These have been the best two years of my life. I'm in no rush (to go pro)."
Howard is more of a butterfly goalie than Doyle - "He covers so much of the net," Doyle said. And while he's definitely on a roll, Howard won't analyze it.
"I don't want to jinx myself," Howard said. "Things are going extremely well right now."
The way Howard is playing, Whitehead might be tempted to start him in every playoff game, but isn't thinking that way.
"We have both goaltenders helping us win games and I don't see any reason to change that at this point," Whitehead said.
"If something changes, after this weekend or whenever, we can make some adjustments. But right now we're very pleased with both guys."
Howard shut out Boston College 3-0 last Friday and Doyle gave up three goals against the Eagles in a 4-3 overtime victory the next night.
But they were different games. Maine limited BC to 21 shots in the shutout and few were quality chances. On Saturday, the Eagles bombarded Doyle with 42 shots. Doyle did well to keep the Black Bears in the game.
"We have full confidence in both of them," Whitehead said this week after skating off the ice following practice.
On the ice, Howard and Doyle remained, fine-tuning their game. They both wore their goalie garb, both stopping shots and then smothering rebounds, again and again.
For the Black Bears, there was nothing odd about it.
Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at: [log in to unmask]
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