Oswego State men’s ice hockey goaltender David Richer has made the most of his first season as a Laker.

After the departure of the two starting goaltenders from last season David Jacobson and Matt Zawadzki, Richer went to competition with fellow classmate and close friend Cedric Hansen and won the full-time job around mid-season. In 16 starts this season, Richer is 13-1-2 and has allowed 1.49 goals per game with a .939 save percentage.

Growing up as a goaltender, it was a given decision, one he fell in love with during his childhood when he would play hockey with his friends.

“No one wanted to be the goalie,” Richer said. “I always wanted to be goalie and the one I rather play on the ice.”

Richer had modeled his skills after and looked up to watching professional goaltenders from his home country in the likes of long-time Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jósé Theodore and current Canadiens goaltender Carey Price.

“When Carey Price came in [2005], I always was looking at Carey Price,” Richer said. “Even today, I’m looking to play a little like him.”

Out of high school, Richer was looking for a “great hockey experience” that matched with what he found at Oswego State. After considering playing locally in Mirabel, Quebec, he felt Oswego State was the right fit.

“It’s not the same hockey experience [playing near home], the arena and the fans,” Richer said. “It really was the facility and the fans that made it awesome and why I wanted to go [to Oswego State].”

After being ruled ineligible due to the major junior hockey forcing him to redshirt last season, Richer was stuck watching the Lakers from the outside.

“I’m not [going] to lie, it was the hardest year of my life,” Richer said. “It was really hard. But looking back today, I guess it was worth it. I remember last year, I was watching the Whiteout game and I said, ‘I’m going to be there next year. I’m going to be playing at that game next year.’”

Richer was motivated from the intensity of last year’s Whiteout Weekend to train hard and improve during the offseason and compete to be the team’s starting goalie. Competing alongside who he refers to as his “best friend,” in Hansen helped bring the best of him, as they provide each other with mutual respect and support.

“I knew I still had to earn the starting spot,” Richer said. “It was just a great competition between the two of us. [Hansen] pushes me every day, I push him every day, and I think that’s why we’re successful.”

It was in no way an easy decision for head coach Ed Gosek and assistant coach Mark Digby to pick their main goaltender.

“I think we’re actually pretty confident in both of them,” Digby said. “It’s nice that the two of them get along as well as they do, push each other the way they do. I think that just really helped reinforce the whole team mentality that really drives who we are as a team.”

In the last two weeks, Richer was named SUNYAC Goalie of the Week, the only goaltender to be named to that honor twice this season.

“I’m not trying to think too much,” Richer said. “I know it’s always fun to hear you won those honors. I’m always trying not to think about it and just play the game.”

During that span, Richer collected a career-high 36 saves in their 5-0 win over SUNY Fredonia on Feb. 3. Against one of the conference’s best offenses in SUNY Geneseo on Feb. 9, Richer held them in check with 21 saves in a 4-2 victory that officially clinched the regular season title for Oswego State. The next night, Richer tallied a 34-save performance in the Laker’s 4-1 victory over the College at Brockport.

“It’s nice to have [Richer] playing the way he is this time of the year,” Digby said. “It’s also extremely nice he doesn’t care about getting goalie of the week. All he’s focused right on right now is wins.”

Beyond Whiteout Weekend, the Lakers and Richer are in the driver’s seat for playing in some big games ahead.

With the regular season all clinched and wrapped up, Richer is still looking forward to playing his first Whiteout game and win the seniors their first one.

“Pretty excited actually,” Richer said on playing in the Whiteout game. “I remember last year I had the goosebumps because I was like, ‘Wow. This is so crazy.’ I’m really looking forward to this game.”

Photo: Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian