All about the Numbers: IN THE CREASE

SRJC’s Top 10 statistics of the 2015-16 season: No. 4 — Goaltenders

Hi, we’re the SRJC Hockey team and we’re goalie hoarders. And proud of it!

This season we housed four goalies — we tried to have five but Dominic Jones decided to play out on the lines instead. But four seemed to be our lucky number, and it gave head coach Blake Johnson quite an arsenal to choose from. 

Chris Tomaszewski and Jacob Pavsek spent most of the time in net, clocking more than 1,425 minutes combined. Both guys have several seasons under their belts, providing much needed experience to the team's defensive core.

"Even with the experience Chis and I have, we can still learn from each other and improve ourself from each other's knowledge," Pavsek said. "Plus it is always reassuring to the team that it has not just one, but two goalies who have experience playing in this league. So if one goes down, the other will be able to come in with ease."

Tomaszewski returned to the Polar Bears this year after taking last season off. He guarded the pipes in 17 games for a 9-6 record with a 3.63 goals against average and 403 saves. While SRJC doesn't typically designate its goaltenders overall as starting or backup, Tomaszewski started most games against Division II competition.

That being said, we aren't taking anything away from Pavsek, who dominated nearly every game he started. He is after all the goalie who took down UC Davis en route to SRJC's fourth-straight Pacific Collegiate Hockey Association Championship title. Without him, who knows where we'd be.

Pavsek ended the year with a 5-2 record in nine games, with a 3.46 goals against average and 157 saves. His most dominate game came against Cal State Fullerton Jan. 16 when Pavsek shutout the Titans for two periods before they cracked under pressure. No doubt Pavsek would have came out with the full game shutout; we've never seen him so on top of his game as he was that night.

"My key to success was communication. As long as the D communicated well, I could always track the puck and be ready to anticipate the shot," Pavsek said of what's worked for him all season. "What propels me the most for next season is that knowing it's going to be my last. I have to give my everything out there and be as successful as I can to make my last season the best season."

With Pavsek's final year coming up, the Polar Bears' freshman goaltenders get more opportunities to prove their worth. They were limited to only one full game, and a few periods this season.

But rookie Lachlan Irvine gave it all he had in the chance he got. He started one game in the first half before taking the second half off to concentrate on school. He shutdown San Francisco State University Dec. 11 in the Polar Bears' 13-0 victory. That was SRJC's  only full game, regulation shutout. 

The Polar Bears' tendys had several shining moments this season, and we can't wait to see how they come out next year.

"This season had its speed bumps, but that's always gonna happen with a group of fresh guys and a new coach. Once we got the hang of our systems and found our identity, we finished the year very well by coming out as four-time PCHA champions," Pavsek reflected. "The big picture is Regionals and unfortunately we didn't make it. But we'll learn from our mistakes and come back next year ready to win it. But I would say it was a good season all around."

Tune in Monday, March 21 to see what No. 3 is on SRJC’s Top 10 Statistics of the 2015-16 season.