Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn
For topic of discussion... An anyone can answer... Who are your top 5 goalies over the past 20 years?
If I stretch it to 25 years, here are the candidates, IMHO:
Cashman
McKersie
Herlofsky
Larocque
Fields
Curry
Millan
For all the hype around DiPietro, he played one year, including splitting time with Jason Tapp (!) for the first half of the season. And his stats weren't that great. Noble helped us win a title, but I don't think he belongs in the group.
Some tough calls here, but here are my thoughts:
5. JP McKersie / Derek Herlofsky - I am copping out and putting them together. Both came in from out west the same season (McKersie from Wisconsin, Herlofsky from Minnesota). One year, one made second team All-HE while the other was 2nd team All-American. That is how hard it was to pick between them. I think McKersie was on his way to being the better goalie when he had his career ending (for practical purposes, I know he did make a comeback) bike accident.
4. Sean Fields - strong career, I think he held most of the records for wins, saves, etc. before Millan, or maybe Curry took them first. Had some great games.
3. Kieran Millan - while he never quite matched his gaudy freshman numbers (including a record of 29-2!), and had a poor Sophomore season, he was the rock for the team for 4 years. And winning an NCAA title doesn't hurt.
2. Michel Larocque - helped lead the team to the '97 title game. Stole at least one Beanpot for us. Just a very skilled goalie who helped us win a lot of games
1. John Curry - HE POY as a senior after finishing second both of the years prior. Improved as his career went on. A bright light on some offensively weak teams. He knew if he gave up more than 2 goals, our chances of winning were very slim. The fact that he was a recruited walk-on makes the story even a little better.
Tough to leave Scott Cashman off given how he rescued us from the lean years (Bryan LaFort anyone?) that preceded him (though John Bradley came on strong as as Senior). HE Rookie of the year over teammate Tony Amonte. Only three time winner of the Eberly trophy (or at least was at one point), even though one was sort of by default since there were no other goalies that played in both games that year. Had a vision issue that dogged him in his later seasons. And tragically, died a few years ago. If I wasn't so tired of typing, I might move him up from defacto 6th - he was, after all, the goalie that kept Michigan State at bay in that magical 1989-90 playoff run.