Earlier this season, an inquiring mind at a post-game press conference asked Badger hockey head coach Mike Eaves whether his goalie was taken for granted.
He didn't think so.
But on some level, Brian Elliott must be. He's been the one constant on the team, the given, the clichAcd ""player who always gives you a chance to win.""
It came as no surprise this week when Elliott won his second straight Western Collegiate Hockey Association goaltending title, becoming only the 11th player in the conference's history to accomplish that feat.
It did come as a disappointment, though, that Elliott won't be in the running for the Hobey Baker Award—bestowed on college hockey's top player. The Badgers' mediocre season effectively put a check on those plans.
And that's a shame, considering how talented this guy really is. In league games this year, he allowed a mere 1.94 goals per game, which, under ordinary circumstances, would allow a team to win the vast majority of its games.
The players in front of him, unfortunately, proved to be offensively challenged most nights, meaning the pressure was often on Elliott to play the savior's role.
Nothing changes as the Badgers enter postseason play this weekend. A season's worth of observation of this team gives one the impression that there's little to no chance UW will be leaving Mile High with reservations for the Final Five in St. Paul.
Then you remember how good a netminder Elliott was in the postseason last year en route to a national championship. Three straight shutouts in playoff action is nothing short of sensational.
To the extent that the Badgers have been an exercise in frustration to watch this season, Elliott's numbers are notable. He's No. 10 in the conference in winning percentage, yet he still tops all in save percentage (93 percent) and goals-against average. You can find his name on national rankings as well.
Still, it goes without saying that winning trumps all statistics. Because the Badgers played themselves into seventh-place in the WCHA, Elliott may not make first-team All-WCHA. Last year, that honor went to Bobby Goepfert of St. Cloud State. It should be noted here that Elliott this season was 1-0-1 against Goepfert, whom Badger fans know all too well.
Even as Elliott prepares for his stretch run as a Badger, UW fans can take solace in the fact that his understudy is following in his footsteps. Sophomore Shane Connelly has improved leaps and bounds this year, with three shutouts in five starts.
In fact, when the Badgers reached the low of lows this year, I was close to using this space to advocate pulling the No. 1 man—who had lost his last four starts—and giving the nod to the backup.
Then Elliott reeled off a four-game unbeaten streak, and I was reminded that he, as Eaves rightfully referred to him earlier this week, ""is the man"" on this team, as it heads into a postseason in which the goalie provides this team its only ounce of hope.
To contact Jon, e-mail him at bortin@wisc.edu.
