Ben Blacker of Cedar Rapids RoughRiders emerges as one of USHL’s top netminders

CEDAR RAPIDS - Mark Carlson doesn't enjoy talking about goaltenders. That's just the way it is with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders head coach/general manager.

It might be a bit of a superstition thing. When a guy's going well, you don't want to jinx it.

He also probably doesn't want anyone getting a big head, especially his goalie. It's a position that requires such mental strength, the ability to stay on an even keel emotionally.

If you listen to the things Ben Blacker says, there should be no worries with any of that. The things he says make you realize how level headed he is.

'Obviously as a goalie, you want to play every night,” Blacker said. 'But you don't look further down the road than the next game. You always take one game at a time, prepare the week for that game. If you get the call, you do your best to give your team a chance to win.”

That's solid stuff, with more coming when you ask him how aware he is of his presence on the leaderboard of virtually every major goaltending statistic in the United States Hockey League.

'I don't look at that stuff much. I don't want to get that stuck in my head or anything,” he said. 'Just go out there and play. Have some fun out there and stop pucks. That's all I'm doing, trying to stop pucks. I focus on that and not really statistics or anything. If I can stop a ton of pucks and allow nothing, that's the most fun I can have.”

Blacker has been having a lot of fun this season. The 18-year-old from Oakville, Ontario, came into Saturday tied with Green Bay's Hunter Miska for most victories (25), was second in saves and minutes played, third in save percentage (.923) and fourth in goals against average (2.33).

A 2-0 win Friday night at Chicago was Blacker's third shutout this season, which is second in the USHL. Cedar Rapids beat rival Waterloo, 3-2, in overtime Saturday night on a goal from defenseman Jack Ahcan.

A standing-room crowd of 4,173 at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena watched the RoughRiders (31-12-3, 65 standings points) take over the top spot overall and in the East Division of the USHL. Newcomer Will Garin and Ross Colton also had goals, with Blacker picking up the win again in net.

Blacker was part of a time share last season with Ryan Larkin, and the same was planned this season until Larkin went down in November with a hip injury that required season-ending surgery. The net has been all Blacker's since, with backup Zack LaRocque getting into just five games thus far.

'You've got to take more care of your body now, if you are playing those kinds of minutes,” Blacker said. 'A lot of sleep, a lot of stretching after practices and before practices. Make sure you are eating the right stuff, get that protein in you ...

'It's been a ton of fun. You love the sport, and that's why we're here. I've heard a great saying before that if you don't love the sport, it's hard to play for this team. So all the guys here love the sport, love hockey. That makes it easier to go out there and battle for this team. For the brothers sitting next to you.”

Blacker will play next season for Western Michigan University. Being Canadian, he got some pressure to stay in the country and play Major Junior hockey, though the USHL and college route won out for him.

'You want to be a player going into college, looking to be a difference for your team,” he said. 'Everyone here in the USHL talks about college, everyone in Canada talks about the CHL. When you come here, you've got that prize, you know ‘Hey, I'm going to school.' It's amazing. I love it down here. You're getting ready for college. Not all the time do hockey careers work out. Hopefully they do. But when you don't have anything to fall back on, it's kind of hard for your life.

'Me and my family, when we make a decision, we stick by it.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com