University of Saskatchewan Huskies first year goaltender Roddy Ross has played 13 games this season. (Photo by Josh Schaefer/Huskie Athletics/GetMyPhoto.ca)

By Katie Brickman-Young

First-year tender looks to stay sharp in playoffs

Ross settling into life as a Huskie

Feb 24, 2022 | 11:37 AM

Roddy Ross is learning the ins and outs of life while at university.

The first-year goaltender for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies has played 13 games this season, posting a 2.56 Goals Against Average (GAA) and a .886 save percentage.

“It’s been an up and down season, but in the end, we are where we are and it is what it is,” said Ross. “It didn’t go as perfect as I’d wanted it to go, but that’s life. Now we move on, and we have playoffs and that’s what we are looking forward to.”

The Meadow Lake, Sask. product has had a unique trajectory to his career. He was playing Junior B hockey before joining the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League in the 2018-19 season. He played 74 games with the T-Birds before playing a shortened season with the Regina Pats in the COVID bubble in 2020-21.

The change of going from multiple games a week to just weekends has been one of the most difficult to make for Ross, but he is starting to get more comfortable in the crease.

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“It is different – you come from playing about 50 or 60 games in the WHL and then playing only 20 games and getting one game in. It is a big change, but I’m slowly getting more comfortable as time goes on and getting used to this league,” said Ross.

His strong play in the WHL got him noticed by National Hockey League teams, eventually getting drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. The team decided to not extend his entry-level contract due to a logjam of goaltending talent in their system.

That experience of going to an NHL camp has helped him now with the Huskies.

“It was an opportunity that most people don’t get, so it was something I was excited about,” said Ross. “It helped me a lot and helped me realize what I need to do in order for me to get back to that level. It was a good experience.”

There has been a bit of a goalie carousel for the Huskies this season. Ross had to compete with third-year veteran Travis Child early in the season. After the Christmas break, the Huskies brought in Jordan Kooy as well. Ross and Kooy have split crease duties in the second half.

“I haven’t played the way I’ve wanted to this season. I want to keep playing and I know what I have to do in order for me to play well throughout the playoffs. I know what I have to do when it comes to me getting the opportunity and getting wins for us,” said Ross. “When you’re a goalie, you have to be able to block that stuff out and have a quick turnaround when you get the opportunity and do what you can to stay in there … do what you can to play the best you can.”

Ross’ numbers are fourth-best in Canada West rankings, but he knows he can be better for his team, and he hopes to get that opportunity to lead the Huskies throughout the playoffs.

“I would like to get my numbers better, but I’m more worried about getting the win, no matter what the numbers are,” he said. “In the end, I think I’m getting more comfortable and keep doing what I need to do to get more comfortable in there and having the confidence when I’m playing.”

Although Ross has had to split goaltending duties this season, team captain and defenseman Gordie Ballhorn knows that the team has full trust in Ross when he is in the crease.

“We had a crazy goaltending situation to start the year, but it seems that Roddy has taken over. He has a lot of potential. He has settled in as the No. 1,” said Ballhorn. “Going forward, we are going to need him and get some of that swagger back to take over games and be our guy. We have full trust in Roddy.”

At this point in life for Ross, the focus isn’t exclusively on hockey. The Arts and Science student is learning to balance the ins and outs of being a student-athlete.

“The transition to balance school and playing hockey has been totally different. It’s not just playing hockey like it would be in junior. That stuff takes a bit of a toll and your focus, but that is something I am learning to balance,” he said. “I’m seeing what you do outside the rink. It is a different lifestyle from being in junior. You have to take care of yourself, working on yourself and making sure you’re showing up at practice since there are a lot less games. A lot this time is development work on myself. You get to work on yourself a lot more and you get to work on being an adult and growing up outside the rink.”

Ross is a proud member of his First Nation reserve in Meadow Lake and as one of few Indigenous players in Canada West, he takes that role seriously in helping to support more youth in hockey.

“That is something I am proud of. I am always proud to be First Nations and I’m always proud to represent my community and other First Nations when it comes to hockey,” he said. “I like to represent as much as I can. It’s something I like to talk about (with others) and I like to do as much as I can when it comes to being proud of who I am.”

For Mike Babcock, head coach of the Huskies, he has seen the improvement in Ross’ game throughout the season and has high hopes for what he can achieve on and off the ice.

“Roddy is a great kid and has come in here and gotten better each day. We had a lot of goalies at the start (of the year), and he found a way to work himself to the top,” said Babcock. “What I really like about him is how committed he is to being a student. He is big into his reserve and helping out his people. He has the chance to become chief one day and that is an important thing for him.”

The Huskies will host the University of Calgary Dinos in quarter-final Canada West action. The best-of-three series begins on Friday night (7 p.m.) at Merlis Belsher Place.