Freshman Lockwood embracing new role as CC backup goalie

BEMIDJI, Minn. – Turns out, Courtney Lockwood has a black jersey. He wore it Friday for the first road trip of his Colorado College career, to Bemidji State, and he’s confident when he’s on the ice.

The freshman goaltender will serve as backup to Joe Howe until Josh Thorimbert returns from an upper-body injury that he suffered last weekend against No. 14 Denver. It marks Lockwood’s most significant role to date, with his only action being 16 minutes of mop-up duty – he stopped all four shots that he faced – in a Dec. 9 loss to Alaska-Anchorage.

“You work all week in practice to be able to travel,” Lockwood said, adding “it’s tough for Josh to be home, and I know he wants to play. But at the same time, he needs to get healthy, and I’m here to support the guys. … You can’t focus too much on the possibility of going in. You’ve just got to focus on trying to bring positive energy to the team.”

A Breckenridge native, Lockwood recorded 35 wins in two seasons in the Eastern Junior Hockey League, and in a playoff run before he came to CC, he was 3-2 with a 1.57 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage. He received twice as many pucks this week in practice, and that helped him “to get more in a groove,” he said. Plus, he said, “You’ve just got to stay consistent in your approach, that way nothing catches you off guard.”

Howe has assisted Lockwood with his movement, and Lockwood maintains his style is “a good mix” of Howe and Thorimbert. He admires “how Josh is so calm, and how he’s so technically sound. And I’m trying to simplify my game.” He also respects the fact Howe is “extremely athletic and very fast, and I’m trying to build my game to be quicker like he is.” Regardless of the pecking order, “we’re all supportive of each other,” he said.

USHL prospect commits to Tigers

CC has a verbal commitment from Alex Roos, a 17-year-old right wing with the Chicago Steel of the U.S. Hockey League who plans to join the Tigers for the 2013-14 season or in 2014-15. The 5-foot-10, 170-pounder visited CC last year, and in four USHL games, Roos, of Prairie Grove, Ill., has notched four points. CC already had commitments from two other Steel players in center Christian Heil and defenseman Jaccob Slavin.

Etc.

CC center David Civitarese was a recipient of a Western Collegiate Hockey Association Scholar-Athlete Award, with a grade-point average of at least 3.5. … CC athletic director Ken Ralph on the National Collegiate Hockey Conference on CBS Sports Network: “It’s always good to have a national platform. … The way the deal is structured, it still allows teams to have regional television partners as well on the games that CBS doesn’t shoot.”

COLORADO COLLEGE RECRUITS

Garrett Cecere, defenseman, Janesville Jets (NAHL)

Matt Hansen, right wing, Austin Bruins (NAHL)

Christian Heil, center, Chicago Steel (USHL)

Michael King, defenseman, Westside Warriors (BCHL)

Daniel Labosky, left wing, Benilde-St. Margaret’s (Minnesota H.S.)

Duggie Lagrone, defenseman, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)

Gustav Olofsson, defenseman, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)

Alex Roos, right wing, Chicago Steel (USHL)

Jaccob Slavin, defenseman, Chicago Steel (USHL)

Contact Brian Gomez: 719-636-0256 or brian.gomez@gazette.com. Facebook: Brian Gomez. Twitter: @gazettehockey. Google+: Brian Gomez. YouTube: Colorado College Hockey, Covered by The Gazette. For the CC homepage, visit www.gazette.com/sections/sports/cchockey. For the CC blog, visit http://cchockey.freedomblogging.com.