Overcoming a subpar first season at UMass Lowell, Owen Savory has taken his place in the lengthy line of excellent goalies who have played for Norm Bazin.
The 24-year-old Savory arrived at Tsongas Arena just before Christmas in 2020. He’d established himself as a top goalie in the ECAC during two years at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute but decided to move on after that school opted out of last season.
“With what happened (at RPI), I was in touch with Coach (Norm) Bazin. I had a lot of great talks with (former assistant Juliano Pagliero) and Coach Bazin. Something that Coach Norm emphasized to me was that he really values the goalie position, he’s always strived to have great goalies, and made me feel that I would be one of those for him, so it definitely played into my decision to come here,’’ said Savory, who is from Cambridge, Ontario.
After seasons at RPI in which he posted save percentages of .926 and .932 and goals-against averages of 2.46 and 2.06, Savory dipped to .846 and 3.35 in eight games at Lowell.
Moving to a new school and new team while Covid was running rampant made for a difficult adjustment.
“I think the transition was a big phase for me, obviously with school and my hockey career, but also in life in general. Covid was obviously a huge thing that played into our team last year,’’ he said.
“I came here and about two weeks later we got shut down for two weeks because Covid ran through our team. Then we came back and it’s kind of hard to get your legs back under you after you’ve been off like that.
“For me it was more of just an adjustment phase. I was maybe trying to do a little bit too much than where I can usually find success. It was a new environment and I wanted to be the best that I could be, but I think I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. I think that played into me not being my usual self.’’
But Savory has returned to form this season. His numbers are among the best in the country.
His record is 12-1-2 and he’s allowed just 23 goals in 15 games. His .940 save percentage is third in the country, behind only Northeastern’s Devon Levi (.955) and Quinnipiac’s Yaniv Perets (.952), and his 1.52 goals-against average is fifth.
The River Hawks are surging with a 13-3-3 record heading into a pair of games against Merrimack this weekend. They are in first place in Hockey East and are ranked No. 9 and No. 10 in the national polls.
As always under Bazin, Lowell plays a buttoned-down defensive style that limits scoring chances.
“The best thing about our team this year is the ability everybody’s had to buy into our system. We play the same system against every team. We worry about what we’re doing and not what the opponent is doing. We don’t change our game no matter who we’re playing,’’ Savory said.
The River Hawks took some losses in the transfer portal last summer and were picked for seventh place in the preseason coaches poll. But year in and year out, Bazin gets the best out of his team and this season is no exception.
“Coach Norm holds us to a high standard. Especially this year, with the players we lost last year. It was unfortunate, but they chose to do what they thought was best for them. This year with our seniors and our leadership group and our captains, from day one they’ve done an excellent job,’’ said Savory.
“This is our team and we might never get the credit that we might think that we deserve, but that’s what makes us who we are. That’s a reflection of how Norm preaches certain things to us that make Lowell hockey what it is.’’
Savory was drawn to the net at a young age.
“When I was little back in Ontario, playing minor hockey, the first couple of years everybody had to rotate in net. I got my turn and just fell in love with it. It’s just something I wanted to do. I loved the position and I love it more each day,’’ he said.
If he’d been bigger at an earlier age, Savory might have ended up in major junior instead of college.
“Your draft year in Ontario for the OHL is when you’re 15. When I was 15, I was about five-foot-three, so I kind of understood that there was probably not a big chance that I’m going to get picked. I do enjoy school and I’ve always enjoyed it. After the draft year passed by, I turned my focus to trying to achieve a scholarship and I’m fortunate enough to be here,’’ he said.
At six feet, 185 pounds, Savory doesn’t have prototypical pro size.
He’s tried to learn from watching NHL netminders such as Braden Holtby, Jusi Saros and Jack Campbell, “guys that have found success in the way they play. It might not be how everybody else plays in the NHL, but I think just watching those guys I’ve been able to try to translate things into my game and just be who I am in the net.’’
The decision to transfer to Lowell is paying off.
“Coming here has been so refreshing and the coaching staff here has really helped me develop as a player and as a person, too. That’s the best thing. Our team is full of great people. That’s why we’ve been able to have success,’’ he said.
“This being my senior year I’m just trying to give my team the best chance to win a conference championship and a national championship. That’s what I think about. After, I want to play pro hockey, I want to play in the NHL. Now I just try to focus on the day-to-day.’’
FREE-AGENT WATCH
Lucas Condotta, Lowell
Condotta doesn’t fill the net – he has 4-7-11 in 17 games -- but he’s physical at 6-2, 210 and he competes on every faceoff like it’s his last. Should be a lock for an ECHL deal with the possibility of moving up.
Kohen Olischefski, Providence College
A grad student at PC after four seasons at Denver, including a year as captain, Olischefski does a lot of the little things that help teams win. An AHL/ECHL deal should be within his reach.
