Falcons goalie saves day
Owen Savory has St. Catharines in the hunt for the Sutherland Cup; has scholarship with an NCAA Division 1 program
Hockey players love their nicknames. It’s not complicated. It usually involves shortening a name and adding a “y” or an “s.”
For instance, on the Toronto Maple Leafs Patrick Marleau is known as Patty. Mitch Marner is Marns. Jake Gardiner goes by Gards. You get the idea.
St. Catharines Falcons goalie Owen Savory might just have the best nickname going — Saves. It works on a bunch of different levels.
Savory leads the entire 28-team Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League in wins, saves and save percentage.
His save percentage of .937 is offthe-chart good for junior B. Ryan Dugas of the Ancaster Avalanche is second at .927. Dershahan Stewart of Lasalle Vipers is third at .923.
Savory’s hard work has paid dividends both on and off the ice.
He made a verbal commitment to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in New York state. It’s a Division 1 school in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Savory will sign his official NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) letter of intent after the season ends.
“It’s what I have been working for in junior hockey,” the 20-yearold Cambridge, Ont., native said. “It takes some pressure off. I know where I am headed next year.”
St. Catharines Falcons GM Rick Girhiny is all smiles when asked about Savory, who is in his second year with the club after spending two seasons with the Cambridge Winterhawks of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Midwest Division.
“Owen is so focused,” Girhiny said. “What you see is what you get. He knows his angles. He understands how the play the puck. When there is pressure, he blocks pucks over the glass and out of play. He competes very hard.
“What fans don’t see is how he approaches the game in practice. He is a true pro. What I mean by that is he comes to the rink, and he is prepared to give everything he has mentally and physically. It is no coincidence he is going to play at the next level.”
RPI is in Troy, N.Y., near the state capital of Albany. The university has an enrolment of about 5,000 undergrads and a rich hockey tradition. The Engineers captured NCAA hockey titles in 1954 and 1985.
The team plays in an on-campus arena, the Houston Field House, which holds 4,780 spectators for hockey. It was opened in 1949 but underwent extensive renovations in 2007. It is the largest arena in the ECAC and reputed to be one of the loudest in college hockey.
“Dave Smith, the head coach at RPI, has said Owen is one of the best junior goalies in Canada in Tier 2 or junior B,” Girhiny said. “The entire situation has worked out well for Owen since coming here. He is headed to a high-profile ECAC program with a strong tradition both on and off the ice.
“Larry Landon played there. So did Joey Juneau and Mike McPhee. He will get to play against other ECAC schools like Harvard and Princeton and Dartmouth. It is an Ivy League setting, and the educational opportunity for him is second to none.”
Savory stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 170 pounds. He isn’t built like a prototypical modern goalie.
“He isn’t the typical 6-foot-3 or 6-foot-4 goalie, but it doesn’t matter; he is so good on his skates,” Girhiny said. “He comes out and challenges shooters and then has the speed to get back into position. He is quick east to west. From his hips down, he is incredibly strong. That gives him a lot of power and speed, and it makes up for anything he gives up in height.
“He has an excellent span with his pads, and his legs are incredibly strong and quick. His height isn’t an issue at all in junior B — and it won’t be at the next level either.”
Savory took the road less travelled in earning his scholarship. He was drafted out of Cambridge Hawks AAA program by the Guelph Storm but was cut in training camp. That prompted some soulsearching.
“I knew I was small and likely wasn’t going to get a good opportunity in the OHL, but I decided to stick with it and set getting an NCAA scholarship as my goal,” he said. “I went the junior B route and kept working on my skills. I also matured as a person. That was a big thing for me. Coaches want good people in goal. They want players they can depend on.”
After two junior B seasons with the Cambridge Winterhawks, an opportunity opened up with the Falcons two years ago and Savory jumped at it. The Falcons have a reputation for producing players for the NCAA and Canada’s university leagues, he said.
“I can’t say enough about the Falcons,” Savory added. “The entire organization has been great. Last year I billeted with a family, and they treated me like gold. I can’t say enough about my billet family. This year I am sharing living with (Tanner) Main and his family. I can’t say enough about them.
“There is a tradition here with the Falcons. I think of all the people who have played here over the years. You want to live up to it and make the coaches and fans proud of you. Coming here was a perfect fit for me — and my hockey career.” bsawchuk@postmedia.com