BOWLING GREEN – Freshman goaltender Cole Moore stands head and shoulders above his teammates and coaches – literally.
The 20-year-old Toronto, Ontario native is the tallest and Falcon hockey player, by a lot.
Moore’s height proves to be one of his, and the team’s, biggest assets. Standing at 6-feet-6-inches, he offers a unique advantage to the team.
“If you look at players that are drafted or players that are playing in the NHL. The number of goaltenders now in the NHL that are under 6-feet tall is a small number,” said head coach Ty Eigner.
According to GoodDeedSeats.com, the average NHL goalie stands 6-feet-3-inches tall. This brings Moore significantly above the average.
Moore said, he was “a big [Toronto Maple] Leaf fan growing up.” He especially looks up to one of their goalies, Joseph Woll, because “he’s made a big step for that organization, and it’s one of the younger goalies I look up to in the NHL.”
Woll is the NHL average of 6-foot-3, which may also account for Moore’s admiration. Being tall makes the typical equipment fitting process unique. Moore’s equipment was custom-made to fit him, as goalie gear often is, but Eigner said Moore’s are the “largest pads that the manufacturer has ever made.”
Moore’s height, accompanied by speed and control, is hard to come by in goalies, according to Eigner, who said while those traits generated initial interest in Moore, his abilities had to go beyond blocking the net.
His height and physical skills are important but Eigner emphasized that Moore has proven to care about his grades, family and being a good teammate.
“He is even-keel, whether he’s having a really good game or a not-so-good game. He seems to be in the same place mentally,” said Eigner.
Moore said he strives to maintain a can-do attitude for himself and his team. He made a point to explain his desire to attend practice and games with a good attitude, which Eigner confirmed.
After playing one season in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) for the Aberdeen Wings, Moore transitioned to student-athlete life at BGSU.
“It’s a big jump from not being in school for the last two years. It makes me feel productive, so I like it,” said Moore.
Not only has Moore been introduced to a brand-new team, but also the responsibility of schoolwork. His success has not gone unnoticed.
“Cole got thrown into the deep end of the pool and he did a really nice job of getting comfortable. And now I think he has a very good everyday routine,” Eigner said.
Moore’s pursuits in the net are also notable.
According to Eigner, Moore has sought-after physicality and athleticism that allow him to shut the door on pucks.
Moore is racking up some impressive statistics that are solidifying his value to the team. He has put in 937 minutes of tending throughout 20 games- just more than 15 hours of stopping pucks. By comparison – teammate Christian Stoever has clocked 476 minutes in the net, just a little over half of Moore’s playing time.
When it comes to blocking shots, Moore has already made 482 saves midway through the season, with his current collegiate high being 43 saves in a game at Bemidji State in December.
While Eigner explained Moore is excelling, both Moore and his coaches still recognize the room for improvement in his goaltending skills.
Moore and the team will compete next at Ferris State on Feb. 2 and 3.
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