University of Massachusets Athletics
Getting Used to Being No. 1
January 17, 2002 | Hockey
by Julie Robenhymer
The Maroon & White
Mike Johnson learned much more about himself last season than he had anticipated. Now, as the senior goaltender takes on the unfamiliar role of starter, he's putting all the knowledge to good use.
In his third year as back up to Markus Helanan, Johnson experienced a change in his attitude toward the game.
"I went through about a month where I didn't play at all, and I was really upset and frustrated because I didn't understand why," he said.
When Johnson finally got the nod, he decided to start anew and threw his superstitious habits out the window. He realized that his performance did not depend on the order he laced his skates, or how he put on his equipment, but rather on his mental and physical preparation for the game.
"I just had to go out and prove myself. I went in with a clearer head. Instead of making sure everything was in line superstitiously, I focused more on having fun and doing my job," Johnson said about the weekend of Feb. 23-24, against eventual national champion Boston College.
His new found focus showed on the ice as he was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week for his performance that weekend. He also realized statistics were not the only measure of his skill.
"They're just numbers," he explained having earned the league honor despite a tie and a loss.
This year, his mentality has not changed.
"I just want to play as well as I can everyday. That means being mentally and physically ready no matter what comes my way," said Johnson.
To prepare for his new role in the UMass net, his summer training schedule was completely overhauled.
"I worked as hard as I've ever worked for anything in my life this summer just to be ready to take on a larger role," he said. "I ran every day, and I hate running. I lifted weights every single day, and I'm just not used to that type of workout routine. But, it's showing that it can help more than I ever imagined."
Johnson cites pride-in himself, his team and the hockey program-as his motivating force.
"I didn't want to come into this year, after sitting three seasons and learning how to play the position at this level, and not succeed. It would have been a complete letdown for myself and my teammates," he said. "I have a lot of friends on this team, a lot of guys I really respect, that I know work really hard, and that's something I wanted to match."
Johnson also thinks it's time for this program to become a dominate force in college hockey and would like to play a big part in that.
"With a great school like this and the facilities and all the good players we have here, there's no reason why this team and this program shouldn't turn around and I want to be able to say I was a part of that," he explained.
After returning to Amherst from his home in Excelsior, Minn., he was well prepared to show head coach Don "Toot" Cahoon that he was ready to handle the job. Cahoon had no doubt as to who his number one goalie would be.
"We knew at the start of the season that Mike would be our go-to guy, regardless of how well [freshman goaltender] Tim [Warner] was playing. During crunch time, Mike would be the guy we would call upon because he's the most ready emotionally and physically," Cahoon said.
It's not even half way through the season and already Johnson has proven himself to be one of the best goalies in Hockey East. In late November, he earned the honor of Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week after a pair of shutouts against Vermont and Dartmouth. It was the first time a UMass goalie recorded back-to-back shutouts since 1931.
"He's having one of the best seasons any goalie's having in Hockey East. The wins might not be there, but if you come to the games, you can see how well he's playing," said freshman goaltender Tim Warner.
Cahoon agrees: "If we play more consistent and a little bit better in front of him, it would certainly give people a better sense of what a good goalie he really is."
Johnson had another goal for himself this year-to be a role model, particularly to Warner. He knew he could not fill the role of "big brother" since Tim already had one on the team, sophomore forward Mike Warner, but he wanted to be more of a mentor and friend. He remembered what it felt like being a freshman trying to prove that you're good enough to be a Division I goalie and he wanted to help Tim through it.
"I've never, ever been a back up in my entire life, so it's kind of hard to take, but I can't be mad about my playing time. I understand he's a senior and I understand I'm gonning to have three years after this to become a number one," said Warner. "He knows what I'm going through. I'm lucky to have him here."
As far as their relationship off the ice, both agree that it's nothing like they've ever experienced. It all started during Warner's visit to UMass.
"When they were recruiting him, I did not know what to expect out of him. I knew his brother and thought he'd be just like him. The only problem is, they're completely different," Johnson said.
"I was nervous about staying with him, but he took me in like one of his buddies and we had a good time," said Warner.
That friendship has grown throughout the season and the two have a strong relationship.
"Usually there'd be a lot of competition, which there certainly is between us, but we're more friends than enemies. That's different from any goaltending tandem I've ever been a part of," Warner said.
"Timmy and I sit next to each other every day and we talk about everything. We're real good friends and I never really expected that out of our relationship," said Johnson. "I guess as close as a 22-year-old and an 18-year-old can be, that's Timmy and I right now."
On the ice, Johnson hopes his teammates will do everything they can to win on every single night and not count themselves out before the puck is even dropped.
"That's all we can ask for as a team. I want us to be the best we can with what we have. We may not be the most talented team in the league, but talent can be overcome so easily by the effort you put into a game," Johnson said. "The outcome makes no difference as long as we try as hard as we can."
Now that his time at UMass is coming to a close, Johnson looks back and sees how much he's grown and just how much UMass, his teammates and this hockey program has meant to him.
"I wouldn't change this experience for anything. It's gone by so fast," said Johnson. "I remember vividly my first week in the dorm and meeting all the new guys and I remember how home sick I was. And now, I'm not sure I'm ready to move back home yet."
The Maroon & White
Mike Johnson learned much more about himself last season than he had anticipated. Now, as the senior goaltender takes on the unfamiliar role of starter, he's putting all the knowledge to good use.
In his third year as back up to Markus Helanan, Johnson experienced a change in his attitude toward the game.
"I went through about a month where I didn't play at all, and I was really upset and frustrated because I didn't understand why," he said.
When Johnson finally got the nod, he decided to start anew and threw his superstitious habits out the window. He realized that his performance did not depend on the order he laced his skates, or how he put on his equipment, but rather on his mental and physical preparation for the game.
"I just had to go out and prove myself. I went in with a clearer head. Instead of making sure everything was in line superstitiously, I focused more on having fun and doing my job," Johnson said about the weekend of Feb. 23-24, against eventual national champion Boston College.
His new found focus showed on the ice as he was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week for his performance that weekend. He also realized statistics were not the only measure of his skill.
"They're just numbers," he explained having earned the league honor despite a tie and a loss.
This year, his mentality has not changed.
"I just want to play as well as I can everyday. That means being mentally and physically ready no matter what comes my way," said Johnson.
To prepare for his new role in the UMass net, his summer training schedule was completely overhauled.
"I worked as hard as I've ever worked for anything in my life this summer just to be ready to take on a larger role," he said. "I ran every day, and I hate running. I lifted weights every single day, and I'm just not used to that type of workout routine. But, it's showing that it can help more than I ever imagined."
Johnson cites pride-in himself, his team and the hockey program-as his motivating force.
"I didn't want to come into this year, after sitting three seasons and learning how to play the position at this level, and not succeed. It would have been a complete letdown for myself and my teammates," he said. "I have a lot of friends on this team, a lot of guys I really respect, that I know work really hard, and that's something I wanted to match."
Johnson also thinks it's time for this program to become a dominate force in college hockey and would like to play a big part in that.
"With a great school like this and the facilities and all the good players we have here, there's no reason why this team and this program shouldn't turn around and I want to be able to say I was a part of that," he explained.
After returning to Amherst from his home in Excelsior, Minn., he was well prepared to show head coach Don "Toot" Cahoon that he was ready to handle the job. Cahoon had no doubt as to who his number one goalie would be.
"We knew at the start of the season that Mike would be our go-to guy, regardless of how well [freshman goaltender] Tim [Warner] was playing. During crunch time, Mike would be the guy we would call upon because he's the most ready emotionally and physically," Cahoon said.
It's not even half way through the season and already Johnson has proven himself to be one of the best goalies in Hockey East. In late November, he earned the honor of Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week after a pair of shutouts against Vermont and Dartmouth. It was the first time a UMass goalie recorded back-to-back shutouts since 1931.
"He's having one of the best seasons any goalie's having in Hockey East. The wins might not be there, but if you come to the games, you can see how well he's playing," said freshman goaltender Tim Warner.
Cahoon agrees: "If we play more consistent and a little bit better in front of him, it would certainly give people a better sense of what a good goalie he really is."
Johnson had another goal for himself this year-to be a role model, particularly to Warner. He knew he could not fill the role of "big brother" since Tim already had one on the team, sophomore forward Mike Warner, but he wanted to be more of a mentor and friend. He remembered what it felt like being a freshman trying to prove that you're good enough to be a Division I goalie and he wanted to help Tim through it.
"I've never, ever been a back up in my entire life, so it's kind of hard to take, but I can't be mad about my playing time. I understand he's a senior and I understand I'm gonning to have three years after this to become a number one," said Warner. "He knows what I'm going through. I'm lucky to have him here."
As far as their relationship off the ice, both agree that it's nothing like they've ever experienced. It all started during Warner's visit to UMass.
"When they were recruiting him, I did not know what to expect out of him. I knew his brother and thought he'd be just like him. The only problem is, they're completely different," Johnson said.
"I was nervous about staying with him, but he took me in like one of his buddies and we had a good time," said Warner.
That friendship has grown throughout the season and the two have a strong relationship.
"Usually there'd be a lot of competition, which there certainly is between us, but we're more friends than enemies. That's different from any goaltending tandem I've ever been a part of," Warner said.
"Timmy and I sit next to each other every day and we talk about everything. We're real good friends and I never really expected that out of our relationship," said Johnson. "I guess as close as a 22-year-old and an 18-year-old can be, that's Timmy and I right now."
On the ice, Johnson hopes his teammates will do everything they can to win on every single night and not count themselves out before the puck is even dropped.
"That's all we can ask for as a team. I want us to be the best we can with what we have. We may not be the most talented team in the league, but talent can be overcome so easily by the effort you put into a game," Johnson said. "The outcome makes no difference as long as we try as hard as we can."
Now that his time at UMass is coming to a close, Johnson looks back and sees how much he's grown and just how much UMass, his teammates and this hockey program has meant to him.
"I wouldn't change this experience for anything. It's gone by so fast," said Johnson. "I remember vividly my first week in the dorm and meeting all the new guys and I remember how home sick I was. And now, I'm not sure I'm ready to move back home yet."
Wednesday, June 17
Monday, June 15
Friday, May 08
Tuesday, May 05