BG hockey goalie Andrew Hammond appears to have avoided serious injury to his elbow.
According to coach Chris Bergeron, Hammond hyperextended his elbow during the first shift of Friday’s game when he attempted to dive back into the crease, but got his stick caught in the net.
He had an MRI on his elbow, which came up clean. Bergeron said Hammond’s elbow is still swollen, and his status for this weekend’s series against Ohio State depends on his pain tolerance.
“It’s not [a matter of] months, but it could be days,” Bergeron said. “Whether he skates [Wednesday], that is still up in the air.”
“It looked bad at the time … but he had all of the tests done, and it turns out that we’ll base when he can be back out there pretty much on how he can handle his stick. How he can grip his stick is going to be the key on when he can get back out there.”
Hammond didn’t practice Tuesday, and Bergeron said his ability to practice Wednesday would be a key-determining factor on whether or not he would be able to play this weekend against Ohio State.
“We’re not ruling him out for Ohio State, but [Wednesday] is going to be a big day,” Bergeron said. “If you don’t skate Tuesday and Wednesday, then you’re getting real close to Friday. But I think day-to-day is fair, but we’re not sure how realistic [his playing] is.”
Hammond was relieved in Friday’s game by freshman Tommy Burke, who proceeded to stop 24 of 25 shots. He picked up the win, the first of his collegiate career.
Saturday’s game didn’t go as smoothly. While he gave up four goals — stopping 23 of 27 shots — three of those came in a short span in the first period when Burke was often left out on an island.
“We put him in a tough spot a few times, the first period in particular,” Bergeron said. “Those are goals that didn’t go in because Tommy Burke was in net, they went in because we put him in a tough spot.”
Bergeron wouldn’t say who would start Friday’s game in goal. Not just in terms of Hammond’s availability, but also in the competition between Burke and Scott Zacharias.
However, after seeing someone else get a start in goal during Saturday’s game for the first time in 55 games, the team has confidence in whomever they throw in net.
“I think it’s a big confidence boost for us knowing that Tommy is a kid that we can rely on in the net,” said forward Dan DeSalvo. “He proved that on Friday and Saturday. He played very well this weekend. It’s a big confidence boost for us knowing that we can play our game when he’s back there.”
Special teams play
The Falcons finally had success on the penalty kill against Colgate, going a perfect 8-for-8 in the two games.
Bergeron said the key to the team’s success this weekend was being better at clearing the puck.
“I thought against Union, we did a good job of getting the puck, but didn’t do well once we got it,” he said. “I think to some regard we got that little chip on our shoulder back, and I want to continue with that mindset with our penalty kill. When we go out there, it is absolutely not acceptable to not kill it.”
On the flip side, the Falcons struggled on the power play, failing to score a goal in nine opportunities against Colgate.
“I think it’s kind of a lack of confidence right now,” DeSalvo said. “Obviously we didn’t have a very good weekend. It’s a matter of working things out between the two power play groups, finding that swagger we should have together.”
