Eli back-up goalie takes center stage this week

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Men's ice hockey up-and-coming back-up goalie, Dan Lombard, SM '02.

As a student at the Belmont Hill School in suburban Boston, Dan Lombard, SM '02, used to keep a journal. He didn't ramble for pages about the trials and tribulations of adolescence, the academic rigors of an elite prep school, or even the stress of the college application process. Instead, the entries were specific and brief--descriptions of all the goals he had allowed as netminder for the Belmont Hill hockey team.

"Danny was a real student of the game and of the position," Ken Martin, Lombard's high-school coach, said. "He used to record every goal that was scored against him so he could prevent them in the future. We sat down and went over each goal to make sure that no pattern was developing." Lombard would also study tapes of upcoming opponents religiously, in order to familiarize himself with their offensive and power play schemes. "He was always very knowledgeable about what the other team was going to try to do," Martin said.

This off-the-ice dedication, combined with quick reflexes, strong skating ability, and overall athleticism, earned Lombard lofty praise, numerous honors, and Hasek-like stats while at Belmont Hill. As a senior a year ago, he compiled an impressive 2.19 goals against average, a lofty .913 save percentage, and recorded three shutouts in 27 games. The team captain and co-MVP, he was an all-league performer and a New England Prep School senior all-star. He was also awarded the 1998 Bertagna Goaltending Scholarship as the best high-school netminder in eastern Massachusetts. The man for whom the award is named--Hockey East Commissioner and Boston Bruins goaltender coach Joe Bertagna--placed Lombard in a category with the New York Rangers' great Mike Richter.

Boasting such stellar credentials, Lombard seemed destined for Division I hockey. "Ever since I was young I wanted to go Ivy," he said. Growing up in Boston, my dream was to play hockey at Harvard." Unfortunately for them, however, the Crimson were not recruiting a goalie last season, and Lombard chose to focus on his more aggressive suitors. "It came down to Yale, Princeton and Cornell," he said. "I took my first visit to Yale and really liked the place. I felt so comfortable with the people. On my recruiting visit I stayed with Alex Westlund, SM '99, and had a really great time. After that, I came home and canceled my visits to the other schools."

That Westlund, a second-team All-American and conference goaltender of the year last season, helped attract Lombard to Yale may seem surprising. After all, the presence of Westlund and able backup Trevor Hanger, SY '00, virtually guaranteed that Lombard would see little, if any, ice time this season. "I knew coming in that I probably wouldn't get much playing time this year," Lombard said. "But Alex is the type of goalie who can teach you a lot. I can't say enough about what Trevor and Alex have done for me already. They've really taken me under their wing and guided my development this season. I am trying to pick their brains and learn as much as I can."

According to Westlund, Lombard has made the most of the upperclassmen's positive influence. "His greatest asset is that he works really hard," Westlund said of his apprentice. "Some goalies would look at his situation and think of this season as just a year or two off. He hasn't done that. He's taking advantage of opportunities to gain experience."

At no time has such experience been at a higher premium than this week, as Lombard prepares to make his first collegiate start when the Bulldogs battle Army (11-10-1) on Sat., Jan. 23. "I feel very fortunate to get this opportunity," Lombard said. "It's sort of a foreign feeling, your first start. It's a little weird, but I'm trying not to get overwhelmed."

If his only previous collegiate performance is any indication, he won't be. In Yale's Fri., Nov. 27 loss at Merrimack, Lombard entered the game late in the second period to spell the struggling starter. In just over 24 minutes of action, he saved all 12 shots he faced. "Merrimack was all over us that game," forward Spencer Rodgers, CC '02, said. "They had seven or eight quality chances. He stopped them all. Everyone was really impressed with him."

Coaches were so impressed that they decided to start him a season earlier than he ever expected when he chose Yale. On Saturday, he'll finally get to experience what he's missed out on by coming to New Haven--extended ice time. "It's sometimes hard to see freshman goalies at Princeton and Cornell starting every game," Lombard said. "But I know I made the right decision in the long run. There are certain moments I think how lucky I am to be playing hockey at Yale. I know my time will come."

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