ORONO, Maine — Watching your son or daughter trying to stop frozen pucks as a hockey goalie can be both nerve-wracking and worrisome.
But that isn’t the case for University of Maine freshman goalie Mathis Rousseau.
In fact, his mother, Julie, suggested that he became a goalie when he was playing youth hockey.
“I was taking too many penalties as a defenseman. She said it was better for me to get shots on me rather than bumping kids around or slashing,” said Rousseau. “She made a good decision.”
Rousseau has emerged as the Black Bears’ No. 1 goalie.
Junior Albin Boija, a second team All-American a year ago and a finalist for the Mike Richter Award which goes to the nation’s best Division I goalie, has struggled this season. And that opened the door for Rousseau.
He has started in the Black Bears’ last four games, all wins, and he has posted a 1.75 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. He has allowed just two goals over his last eight periods, stopping 58 of 60 shots.
He has now allowed two goals or less in regulation time in five of his last six starts,
“I’m trying to stay more calm. I’m taking my time and being more patient on my feet the last few games,” Rousseau said. “I’ve tried to adapt a little bit more. I have the ability to move both ways instead of being stuck on the ice. That has really helped me the last few games.”
By maintaining his upright positioning, he is able to move side to side and make multiple saves during a flurry if need be.
He also picked up his first assist in Friday’s 4-0 win over Northeastern in Portland with a long pass to the far blue line that created a 2-on-0 break involving Josh Nadeau and Miguel Marques on a Black Bear power play. Nadeau scored.
“I always try to do that,” said Rousseau, who spends time working on his puck-moving skills. “I have the vision in a way and I like playing the puck so I don’t have a problem going back and getting it.”
And his teammates appreciate those skills.
“His confidence playing the puck helps our defensemen on the breakout and helps us transition quickly,” said UMaine junior right wing Charlie Russell.
Rousseau said gaining familiarity with the league has been beneficial and he has spent more time in practice working on the small details.
“I try to go with the mentality that every shot matters. And over the last few weeks, I’ve really taken that to heart,” said the 5-foot-11, 174-pound Rousseau. “It has helped.”
And it has earned the confidence of his coach. UMaine head coach Ben Barr said the freshman “has been pretty solid for us” in net recently.
“Mathis has been making the first save and has been making the game a little bit easier on himself by not leaving a lot of rebounds around,” said UMaine head coach Ben Barr. “Usually, when a goalie is playing well, he is holding onto the puck in his chest or his glove or whatever. Or he is putting them in the corner.”
Rebound control has been another point of emphasis for Rousseau, who compensates for his lack of size with his quickness, athleticism and positioning.
“If you give up a rebound, you don’t know what it is going to turn into,” said Rousseau. “It could turn into a goal or someone winds up taking a penalty for reaching. Controlling rebounds calms the game down.”
Rousseau, a native of Boisbriand, Quebec, made 25 saves in a 4-0 shutout win over Northeastern in Portland last Friday night and stopped 23 of 25 in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over the Huskies in Lowell, Massachusetts. He had 13 third-period stops on Saturday to preserve the victory.
“He has been playing great,” said UMaine junior center Sully Scholle. “He’s a great goalie for us. He works his butt off every day and he is one of those guys who does extra so you have a ton of respect for guys like that. I’m happy he’s playing well right now and a lot of guys back there love him.”
He was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Week for his recent play.
“We have been looking for one of the two goalies to grab the reins all year and (Rousseau) has obviously done a good job the last few weekends,” said UMaine junior defenseman and assistant captain Frank Djurasevic. “He’s playing really well.”
Djurasevic emphasized the importance of Friday’s shutout win.
“Shutouts are always a team effort but it is always up to the goalie to make a few huge saves and he did that. Saturday he had to weather some storms,” Djurasevic said. “We didn’t play a perfect game and he made the saves he needed to make. It worked out and we’re happy to see it.”
It is the first time this season he has started four consecutive games.
He admitted that when you are used to playing regularly like he did in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, it is hard to sit out.
But now he wants to build on the momentum he and the team have created.
Rousseau played in 170 games during his extensive QMJHL career and posted a 104-47-11 regular season record with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. During the playoffs, he posted a 24-14-2 mark with a 2.74 GAA and a .914 save percentage.
He was also the starting goalie for Canada in the World Junior Championships in Sweden in 2023-24 and was 3-2 with a 2.00 GAA and a .912 save percentage.
“There were great players there. It was a different type of pressure,” Rousseau said. “Representing your country is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
He said playing at that level provides you with a wealth of experience which you bring back with you and apply to your game.
Rousseau loves playing at the energetic Alfond Arena and he and his teammates will be looking to lock up a top-five finish with a win at Vermont on Saturday night in the last regular season game before the Hockey East playoffs.
He said with 13 newcomers on the team this season, it took a while for the team to mesh.
“But now we’re settling in and everybody is playing their best,” said Rousseau, who will take an 8-5 record, a 2.45 GAA and a .901 save percentage into Saturday night’s game.
