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Heading into the hockey season, questions were thrown around about who was capable of starting in net for the University of Maine men’s hockey team. A team with plenty of veterans and firepower on both lines appeared thin between the pipes.
Enter freshman Dan Sullivan. The Pennsylvania native has been nothing short of fantastic through the first portion of the season. After a loss in his first collegiate game against Michigan State, Sullivan went the next six contests unbeaten, including a weekend sweep over then second-ranked University of North Dakota.
Sullivan hit a bit of a stumbling block against Boston College, losing two straight to the defending National Champions and looking out of position at times on the big stage.
“The speed of the game has increased,” Sullivan said. “The players are all exponentially smarter with what they do with the shots — they’re fairly harder. They shoot with a purpose.”
Despite the recent stumble, Sullivan still provides the Black Bears with a sufficient pipe-mender and seems motivated no matter where he plays.
While Sullivan explained where he has played in the past, it was hard to keep track. Since just over the age of two, Sullivan was interested in hockey.
“When I was two and a half, one of my dad’s coworkers had a couple sons. One of the older ones was playing,” Sullivan said. “We went to one of the games and I was ecstatic. Ever since then, I really liked it.”
Sullivan picked up a stick to go along with the skates around 4, when he originally tried to put shots in — not keep them out.
“Originally, I was a forward and then I transitioned to defense. I played wherever they needed me,” Sullivan said.
It wasn’t until around 7 that Sullivan dabbled with the pads, making the switch entirely at 9 when he joined his hometown travel team.
After playing for the York Devils in Pennsylvania, Sullivan joined the Junior Flyers program and played on their U-16 and U-18 teams until he finished high school.
From high school, Sullivan traveled to New York, Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan and Texas all before enrolling at the UMaine.
“I thought they were really up front and expressed their interest,” Sullivan said of UMaine. “I knew the track record for goaltending here is second to none. It was a chance to actually play.”
Sullivan hopes that his time spent in the crease throughout the season will prove valuable toward seasons end, when the pressure and stakes are raised. Although inexperienced himself, Sullivan attributes the team’s veterans as ideal for his growth in meaningful situations.
“One thing that will help us is the amount of veterans on this team and the fact that they’ve been there before,” Sullivan said. “The team as a whole has the poise that a championship team needs in order to stay calm when the heat is on. I know these guys want to win and are willing to put the effort in, on and off the ice. It’s very contagious.”
When confronted with the thought of a Frozen Four, Sullivan was quick to snipe back that the team could, and should, be there.
“I think so,” Sullivan said, on whether or not they’ll be playing in the Frozen Four. “I think we will, but at the same time we shouldn’t be focused on that goal — we should be focused on every day getting better. If we keep our sights set on the next day and the next game, it’s going to come. As long as we stay focused it will all come into place.”
Bangor Daily News