Prairie Ridge leans on ironman goalie Martin

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No one will catch Buck Martin complaining about his workload.

The Prairie Ridge goalie welcomes being between the pipes for the Wolves’ hockey team for almost every game this season.

“It’s easier to play consistently when you’re playing so many games,” Martin said. “Our defense always plays so well that I don’t always see a lot of shots.”

Wolves coach Rick Rewiako figured the team’s defense would be strong with so many returning starting defensemen. He didn’t realize Martin would hold up so well playing so many games. By season’s end, Rewiako said Martin may have played 58 games.

Martin has a 2.08 goals-against average and has saved 92 percent of the 984 shots he has faced. The Wolves are 25-14-4 while playing a demanding independent schedule and in the High School Invitational Tournament.

“He’s played over 2,000 minutes for the season; there’s something to be said for that schedule and workload,” Rewiako said. “We’ve never had one goalie play this many games.”

Senior goalie Danil Simpson has played three varsity games but usually only plays in the junior varsity games.

Martin split time with Ryan Fichuk last season. Before his junior season, Martin worked with goalie coach Robb Stauber at a summer camp in Minneapolis. Last summer, Martin attended a similar camp with goalie coach Wendell Young, general manager of the Chicago Wolves minor league team.

“[Martin] has really stepped up and won us a lot of games,” Rewiako said.

Martin feels his biggest improvement has just been consistency.

“I’d have either really good or really bad games,” Martin said. “I don’t have the really bad games now. It has a lot to do with playing so much. That confidence has a lot to do with it.”

Martin and defenseman Nick Samuels will have an opportunity next month to try out for the Bismarck (N.D.) Bobcats, a Junior A hockey team in the North American Hockey League.

“They’ll have a chance to skate with their team and for their coaches to get a good look at them,” Rewiako said.

Seeds are set: Prairie Ridge is seeded No. 10 and Crystal Lake South is No. 15 in the AHAI Blackhawk Cup Red Division State Tournament, which will start next month.

Prairie Ridge will host No. 23 Lake Forest in its first-round game; South will host No. 18 Glenbrook South. Those dates and times are yet to be determined.

The CCM Tigers, a team that combines Crystal Lake Central, Dundee-Crown, McHenry and Woodstock, is the No. 5 seed in the AHAI Blackhawk Cup Combined State Tournament. The Tigers host No. 28 Pekin in their first-round game, which also is yet to be scheduled.

Local All-Stars: The Metro Central and Metro West divisions changed their formats for All-Star games this season and will have two games with two sets of All-Star teams.

South coach Rich Perillo will coach one Metro Central team at 12:20 p.m. Sunday at West Meadows Ice Arena in Rolling Meadows. South’s Jake Bigos, Joey Bower and Adam Wiese will play in that game, along with CCM’s Tanner Ridenour and Cody Ringham.

The second game will be at noon Jan. 29 at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge. South’s Jordan Ross, Jack Moehling and Ben Allison will play in that game. CCM will be represented by Anthony Casaletto and Patrick Maloney.