Feature: Union Frosh has Makings of a Standout Goaltender

The following feature article on Union goaltender Corey Milan appeared in the November 8 issue of The Schenctady Gazette.

By Ken Schott
The Schenectady Gazette

Union has had many outstanding goalies throughout its NCAA Division I history. From Trevor Koenig, to Brandon Snee to Kris Mayotte, there has never been any question about their talent to prevent pucks from going into the net. 

But one thing Dutchmen goalies have lacked is the ability to stickhandle the puck. No one can forget, for example, Mayotte's travails against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Game 2 of the first round of the 2003 ECAC Hockey tournament when, not once, but twice, he wandered out of his net to play pucks, only to mishandle them. He could only watch helplessly as Ben Barr scored two short-handed goals in lifting the Engineers to a 3-2 victory that eliminated the Dutchmen from the postseason. 

Now, in their 17th year at Division I, the Dutchmen have found a goalie who can stickhandle the puck without a problem. Freshman Corey Milan is giving the Dutchmen (0-0-2 ECACH, 2-2-2 overall), who face Dartmouth (1-1, 2-1) tonight at 7 in Hanover, N.H., a playing dimension they have never known.

"He provides a different element," Union coach Nate Leaman said. "It's because he's a good skater, he's quick, he can get out of the net and stop a lot of pucks."

Milan got an assist on Jason Walters' first-period goal in last Saturday's 3-3 tie against Yale. It was the first assist for a Union goalie since Mayotte got one, ironically, against Yale in Game 1 of the first round of the 2006 ECACH tournament.

Before becoming a goalie, Milan played defense when he was a freshman in high school. He has studied NHL goalies Martin Brodeur, Rick DiPietro and Marty Turco to see how they handle the puck. 

"I've had a lot of experience handling the puck, and on the backhand and stuff like that," said Milan, who made 20 saves against Yale in his first league start, and had 12 saves in relief of starter Justin Mrazek in a 2-2 tie against Brown the night before. "I'm comfortable with it. I like to use it to my ability, and to our defensemen's ability and I do it as much as possible to lessen the pressure on the defensemen. It's a good skill to have." 

And it's one that the defensemen appreciate. 

"It helps a lot," senior defenseman Michael Beynon said. "It helps us in our transition. It keeps us from getting hit."

It can also help draw a penalty against the opposition.

Late in the second period against Yale, Milan caught the Bulldogs in a line change after the puck was dumped into the Union zone. Milan quickly shot it in the direction of Yale's bench, catching them with too many men on the ice and giving Union a power play.

"He's certainly plugged into the game enough, and smart enough to catch other teams in line changes," Leaman said. "That's just a real big plus for our program."

While Milan can handle the puck, he isn't committing himself to try and score a goal into an open net when the opposition pulls its goalie for an extra attacker late in a game. 

"It's always a thought," Milan said. "It's a big risk, and I don't want to take that risk. I don't know if there would be a right situation."