The clich??d adage goes like this:?? \There's no offense like a good defense."" As trite sounding as it is, this saying applies quite aptly to junior goalie Bernd Br??ckler. So far this season, Br??ckler has been the defensive backbone for the No. 9 Wisconsin Badgers (9-6-5 Western Collegiate Hockey Association, 15-9-6 overall).
""I think he's not only one of the best goalies in our league, he's one of the best in the country,"" senior defenseman Dan Boeser said.
If Boeser's comments about Br??ckler seem lofty, it is only because he has witnessed a truly amazing hockey player. Br??ckler had an auspicious start for the Badgers, shutting out Wayne State 5-0 in 2001-'02 and has not let up since. He has been in the top five in save percentage in the WCHA since his freshman season, earning him a spot on the WCHA 2001-'02 all-rookie team. This year he has a save percentage of .916, good enough for third place in the league.
""He's matured as a goaltender and that maturity and his athletic skills have come to an apex,"" Head Coach Mike Eaves said.
That apex has culminated in Br??ckler solidifying his position as one of the greatest goalies in Badger hockey history. This season he has posted a 2.30 goals-against-average, putting him at second place all-time in a single season and in the company of former Badger great and current Detroit Red Wing Curtis Joseph. Br??ckler's 2.69 GAA and .913 save percentage place him third and second, respectively, in the school records, both of which are owned by Joseph.
While Br??ckler's stats are certainly an impressive part of his hockey r??sum??, his attitude and work ethic have gathered praise and admiration from coaches and teammates alike. Most goaltenders without the names Roy or Brodeur remain the faceless sixth man on the ice, hiding underneath a heap of enlarged helmet, pads, and stick. Bernd Br??ckler has shrugged off that conception as quickly as he would snatch a searing shot out the air. Br??ckler has distinguished himself from other keepers with his vocal leadership.
""I like the way that he talks a lot when he's out on the ice; that really helps out a lot of defensemen,"" Boeser said.
Goalies, according to Eaves, were at one time considered nuts, or maybe even a bit on the dull side in the earlier days of hockey. This was due to the extreme (some might say idiotic) risk they took stepping in front of shots without the advantage of the superior protection that the goalie gear of today affords. Perhaps being better protected has allowed for heady players and good leaders like Br??ckler to emerge in between the pipes.
""If Bernd weren't one of our goaltenders, he'd be one of our leaders in terms of having an 'A' or a 'C',"" Eaves said.
Br??ckler came to Madison via the United States Hockey League from Graz, Austria. Graz, interestingly enough, is the same region where Arnold Schwarzenegger comes from, although Br??ckler's aspirations lean more towards stopping pucks than pumping iron.
""I just felt comfortable and I liked the play over here [in the United States] and just wanted to really make it to college and the next step: the NHL,"" Br??ckler said.
After playing a season with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, Br??ckler accomplished one of his goals by enrolling at UW and playing for Eaves and the Badgers. Although he was picked 150th in the 2001 NHL draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, goal number two of playing in the world's premier hockey league waits to be determined. NHL aspirations aside, Br??ckler has been a monumental factor in a spectacular sophomore season for Eaves.
The success enjoyed by the Badgers this season is a reward for the die-hard ""Crease Creatures"" that witnessed the tumultuous times of last winter. Rather than disappointing, last year's paltry record was a result that any great college sports program would endure after losing a legendary coach. Under the energetic and shrewd guidance of Eaves and the wisdom of longtime goalies coach Bill Howard, Bernd Br??ckler is the golden boy among a group of Wisconsin Badgers that are quickly erasing the memories of last year and showing that Wisconsin hockey is in sound hands, capable of great things again.
