TOLEDO, Ohio — Jackson Smalley is no stranger to the big stage. He was the dominant force in net last year as St. Francis hockey captured the state title.
Smalley, now a senior, is back and better than ever.
"I'm just confident that if I do my job and do it to my fullest potential, I give us a good chance to win," said Smalley.
"He doesn't feel like he's the No. 1 goalie and he wants to be the No. 1 goalie," said head coach Chris Varga. "I'm not saying he is or isn't but that's the pressure he puts on himself. For us coaches, you love it because he's a gamer. He's ready for whatever is thrown at his way."
There are a lot of Knights opponents have to get through to get a shot on net, but if a puck gets through, this team has a ton of confidence Smalley has their backs.
"It's a confidence booster for our 'D' and forwards to take chances and if we make a mistake up front, they know he's in back and he's going to take care of business," said Varga.
"I look at it as any other game," said Smalley. "I like to keep things consistent and not let it get to me that much."
St. Francis goaltender Jackson Smalley is our Athlete of the Week.
