ANCHOR IN GOAL FOR MULHERN, IT'S ALL ABOUT KEEPING TEAM IN THE GAME.Byline: Sean Ceglinsky Staff Writer SAUGUS - As Chris Mulhern peers beyond the sweat through his facemask face·mask n. A protective or disguising cover for the face, often enveloping the entire head: wore a facemask while diving; a skier's facemask; armed robbers who wore facemasks. , the Saugus High senior remains focused on the task at hand: keeping the puck out of his own net. After surveying the ice, he backpedals through the crease crease (kres) a line or slight linear depression. flexion crease , palmar crease , moving into position. Then, in an instant, he drops to a knee, kicks his right pad out, lowers his stick and lunges to his left to make a glove glove, hand covering with a separate sheath for each finger. The earliest gloves, relics of the cave dwellers, closely resembled bags. Reaching to the elbow, they were most probably worn solely for protection and warmth. save. All in a day's work (Naut.) the account or reckoning of a ship's course for twenty-four hours, from noon to noon. See also: Day . Or, in this case, a shift's work for one of the top goalies in the High School Hockey League. ``I get a rush when the puck is blasted blast·ed adj. 1. Used as an intensive: I hate these blasted flies. 2. Slang Drunk or intoxicated. 3. Blighted, withered, or shriveled. at me,'' Mulhern said. ``For whatever reason, I enjoy taking a pummeling.'' Go figure. ``He's got a goalie's mentality. It's different from everyone else's,'' Saugus coach Wade Williams Wade Andrew Williams (born December 24, 1961) is an American actor who currently has a starring role as Captain Brad Bellick on Fox's television series Prison Break. said. The unorthodox approach has worked for Mulhern, who's turned away 200 of the 230 shots he's faced this season for an .870 percentage, ranking him among the top six in the league. Trouble is, he hasn't received much, if any, offensive support. Subsequently, the Centurions are just 1-9. To make matters worse, they've been shut out twice and lost four games by just one goal. ``Everyone approaches losing differently,'' Mulhern said. ``Sometimes, I get frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: so I'll skate skate, fish: see ray. skate Any of nine genera (suborder Rajoidea) of rounded to diamond-shaped rays. These bottom-dwellers are found from tropical to near-Arctic waters and from the shallows to depths of more than 9,000 ft (2,700 m). around and hit the board or something. You have to deal with it and get over it.'' For the most part, losing is a new experience for Mulhern, who was with the Centurions during their back-to-back league-title runs. Last season he played a vital role, splitting time with Steve Jakiel and winning three of his four starts. In doing so, Mulhern compiled a league-best .889 save percentage but lost goalie-of-the-year honors to Granada Hills' Eric Diamond. ``He was robbed,'' Williams said. Regardless, it has served as motivation for Mulhern this season. ``He's kept us in a lot of games,'' Williams said. ``There's been times when he stops everything. It doesn't matter where it is, down at his feet, up high around the posts, out in the crease. His play is paramount for us.'' A couple of postseason victories would surely erase the memories of a dismal dis·mal adj. 1. Causing gloom or depression; dreary: dismal weather; took a dismal view of the economy. 2. regular season for the Centurions, who will have their first opportunity May 31 when they open the playoffs at the Valencia Ice Station against Hart - a team Mulhern plays his best against. In their last encounter, he stopped 42 of 45 shots as the Centurions narrowly lost to the National Conference champions 3-2. ``We saw a bull's-eye on the middle of his chest. We were taking a lot of shots,'' Hart coach John Guagliardo said. ``Anybody can get beat on any day, but he's a good goalie. He's in the top five (in the league).'' CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Saugus goalie Chris Mulhern has been the long bright spot on a team that has gone just 1-9 this season after back-to-back league titles. Julio Cortez/Daily News Box: MAGICAL MULHERN |
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