Two is better than one: Goaltending duo backstops Badgers' resurgence
March 13, 2021 | Men's Hockey
Beydoun and Rowe shine in accomplished season
MADISON, Wis. — Having a hot goalie can make a big difference in a hockey game. Having two hot goalies can make a big difference in your entire season.
The Badgers are about to enter the postseason of what has been their winningest season since 2016-17. While many factors play into the team's success, their elite new goaltending squad stands out as an unmistakable element of consistency and reliability in what has been an unusual, but exciting year for Badger hockey.
Robbie Beydoun, a graduate transfer from Michigan Tech, immediately set high expectations for the season with a shutout and series sweep over Notre Dame. The Badgers rode Beydoun's hot streak for the first eight games of the season, but their goaltending quickly became a two-man show when freshman Cameron Rowe won his first start against Ohio State back in early December.
Since then, Beydoun and Rowe have split all but two series and have led the Badgers to a record of 19-8-1. Together, they've become a strong foundation for team success.
"We complement each other really well," said Rowe on his relationship with Beydoun. "I think that the way that we play is really unique to us but because of that we try to build on each other's games."
Beydoun played three seasons with Michigan Tech and put up a .919 save percentage last season. Associate Head Coach Mark Strobel scouted Beydoun back in his USHL days and once he saw the Michigan native show up in the NCAA transfer portal, he knew he could be a valuable addition to the Badgers.
Though increasingly more common, it's still somewhat unconventional to not have a definitive starting goaltender in college hockey. Many teams don't have the luxury of picking between two highly-skilled netminders, but the Badgers are unique in that aspect.
"It's been a strength of our team to have the two guys," said Badgers head coach Tony Granato. "The grind of games earlier in the season when we were playing four in six nights, the goalies get over-worked and worn down as the season goes on. The advantage for us is both of these guys are fresh."
The Wisconsin men's hockey team added an all-new goaltending unit to its roster for the 2020-21 season after former Badger goaltenders Jack Berry and Joham Blomquist graduated and Daniel Lebedeff signed a pro contract in Finland.
Rowe, a native of Wilmette, Illinois, plays a very mature game in net despite being just 19 years old. He has a calm demeanor rooted in positioning, but is also able to make those critical saves by just putting something in front of the puck. His style is elegantly complemented by Beydoun, who hails from Plymouth, Michigan. The more experienced netminder plays with confidence in his unique ability to move in net.
"Both of them are playing well, playing strong," said junior forward Dominick Mersch. "No matter who's in net with us upfront and the defensemen in front of them we're playing the same way. We have confidence in both of them and that plays into our hands very nicely."
The Badgers' roster boasts some of the best talent in the NCAA, but their success is truly a result of their depth and cohesion as a team. After a last-place conference finish in 2019-20, the Badgers claimed the Big Ten regular-season title with a series sweep against MSU last weekend and are currently ranked fourth and fifth in the nation, depending on the poll.
"Every day you want to come to the rink and get better and play for the guys around you, said Beydoun. "That's the biggest thing, everyone wants to play for each other."
Although successful, the Badgers' season has been far from easy. An unfortunate string of injuries, COVID-19 restrictions, and World Junior Championship absences overlapped and left the Badgers' roster spread thin in series against Arizona State and Ohio State in late November and early December. They dropped three of four games before the winter break.
"Those ones hurt the most," said Beydoun. "At the same time, that allowed us to grow and propel ourselves forward, especially that win against Ohio State that second night. We had the same roster as the three prior games. We realized we can win with anyone in the lineup."
The Badgers quickly found their groove in the second half of the season with a win over then top-ranked Minnesota, displaying their full roster's strength for the first time since their first series of the season. However, it was their second series with the Gophers that truly marked a turning point in the season.
"Getting that sweep against Minnesota on the road is something we'll always look back on," said Beydoun. "Going into their barn and proving we're one of the best teams in the country gave us a lot of confidence."
Beydoun and Rowe each got a start in net in that final series with the Gophers, winning 4-1 and 8-1, respectively.
Before he was a Badger, Rowe competed as a member of the US National Team Development Program alongside current Badgers Cole Caufield and Owen Lindmark. He put up solid numbers, averaging a .870 save percentage his first year there, and went 16-10-0 in his second. He's had an interesting path to UW, but Granato had his eye on him early and was confident in his potential.
During his time at the program, Rowe wasn't committed to Wisconsin, rather, to their former WCHA rival, North Dakota. Luckily for Badger fans, he committed to Wisconsin before joining the Des Moines Buccaneers — an experience that was crucial in his development as an elite goaltender.
"It was something that was very frustrating at times, but looking back on it was something that I really needed," said Rowe on his year in the USHL. "I needed the reality check that there was something bigger going on here and that you can't have everything in a day."
Rowe used his time on the Buccaneers to go back to the roots of why he was playing hockey rather than stress over individual statistics. He recalls making an effort to step out of his head space and just have fun and put in the work because he wanted to, rather than just something he needed to do.
"That's gonna be a lot more positive and you'll feel way more relaxed," said Rowe on his change in mindset. "If you keep thinking 'I need to do this, I need to do this,' you're not going to perform."
This change in thinking has definitely paid off for the young Badger goaltender.
Rowe's .943 save percentage leads the country. He recorded two shutouts this season and has a record of 9-1-1.
Beydoun also boasts an accomplished record this season at 10-7-0 with a .919 save percentage and three shutouts. As one of the older guys on the team, he also dedicated his focus to being a leader and role model— that includes on the bench when Rowe is in net.
"We're just here to help each other have the best experience possible no matter who's playing," said Beydoun. "That's out of our control, who the coaches decide to play. All we do is help each other get better because that benefits everybody."
Rowe describes being able to confide in Beydoun, whether it be about technical aspects of goaltending and how to handle a situation, or just taking a second to appreciate the moment and have fun.
There's a somewhat natural sense of competition between goaltenders — after all, there's only one net — but the Badgers' goaltending squad has thrived off pushing each other to perform at their best, contributing to their positive off-ice culture that has eased the challenges of splitting time in net.
While Rowe and Beydoun have seen all the Badgers' ice time this season, the role of Ben Garrity is not to be understated.
The former goaltender for the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL is the third pillar of the Badger's goaltending trio. He hasn't had a shot in net just yet, but provides critical support and encouragement during practice and games.
"He comes out and works every day," said Rowe. "I can't wait for him to get in net."
Together, the Badgers' goaltending trio is writing a new narrative for Badger hockey.
"They're giving us a chance to win and bailing us out here and there when our defense breaks down," said Roman Ahcan, the Badgers' fourth-leading scorer. "It's always nice to have a great goalie in net as the backbone of our team."
Heading into the Big Ten tournament playoffs with the national tournament right around the corner, the Badgers look to launch a postseason run after their successful regular season but are confident in their group of guys and ability to beat even the toughest competition.
"Robbie says it all the time, but we believe we might be the best one-two punch in college hockey right now," said Rowe.
The Badgers are about to enter the postseason of what has been their winningest season since 2016-17. While many factors play into the team's success, their elite new goaltending squad stands out as an unmistakable element of consistency and reliability in what has been an unusual, but exciting year for Badger hockey.
Robbie Beydoun, a graduate transfer from Michigan Tech, immediately set high expectations for the season with a shutout and series sweep over Notre Dame. The Badgers rode Beydoun's hot streak for the first eight games of the season, but their goaltending quickly became a two-man show when freshman Cameron Rowe won his first start against Ohio State back in early December.
Since then, Beydoun and Rowe have split all but two series and have led the Badgers to a record of 19-8-1. Together, they've become a strong foundation for team success.
"We complement each other really well," said Rowe on his relationship with Beydoun. "I think that the way that we play is really unique to us but because of that we try to build on each other's games."
Beydoun played three seasons with Michigan Tech and put up a .919 save percentage last season. Associate Head Coach Mark Strobel scouted Beydoun back in his USHL days and once he saw the Michigan native show up in the NCAA transfer portal, he knew he could be a valuable addition to the Badgers.
Though increasingly more common, it's still somewhat unconventional to not have a definitive starting goaltender in college hockey. Many teams don't have the luxury of picking between two highly-skilled netminders, but the Badgers are unique in that aspect.
"It's been a strength of our team to have the two guys," said Badgers head coach Tony Granato. "The grind of games earlier in the season when we were playing four in six nights, the goalies get over-worked and worn down as the season goes on. The advantage for us is both of these guys are fresh."
The Wisconsin men's hockey team added an all-new goaltending unit to its roster for the 2020-21 season after former Badger goaltenders Jack Berry and Joham Blomquist graduated and Daniel Lebedeff signed a pro contract in Finland.
Rowe, a native of Wilmette, Illinois, plays a very mature game in net despite being just 19 years old. He has a calm demeanor rooted in positioning, but is also able to make those critical saves by just putting something in front of the puck. His style is elegantly complemented by Beydoun, who hails from Plymouth, Michigan. The more experienced netminder plays with confidence in his unique ability to move in net.
"Both of them are playing well, playing strong," said junior forward Dominick Mersch. "No matter who's in net with us upfront and the defensemen in front of them we're playing the same way. We have confidence in both of them and that plays into our hands very nicely."
The Badgers' roster boasts some of the best talent in the NCAA, but their success is truly a result of their depth and cohesion as a team. After a last-place conference finish in 2019-20, the Badgers claimed the Big Ten regular-season title with a series sweep against MSU last weekend and are currently ranked fourth and fifth in the nation, depending on the poll.
"Every day you want to come to the rink and get better and play for the guys around you, said Beydoun. "That's the biggest thing, everyone wants to play for each other."
Although successful, the Badgers' season has been far from easy. An unfortunate string of injuries, COVID-19 restrictions, and World Junior Championship absences overlapped and left the Badgers' roster spread thin in series against Arizona State and Ohio State in late November and early December. They dropped three of four games before the winter break.
"Those ones hurt the most," said Beydoun. "At the same time, that allowed us to grow and propel ourselves forward, especially that win against Ohio State that second night. We had the same roster as the three prior games. We realized we can win with anyone in the lineup."
The Badgers quickly found their groove in the second half of the season with a win over then top-ranked Minnesota, displaying their full roster's strength for the first time since their first series of the season. However, it was their second series with the Gophers that truly marked a turning point in the season.
"Getting that sweep against Minnesota on the road is something we'll always look back on," said Beydoun. "Going into their barn and proving we're one of the best teams in the country gave us a lot of confidence."
Beydoun and Rowe each got a start in net in that final series with the Gophers, winning 4-1 and 8-1, respectively.
Before he was a Badger, Rowe competed as a member of the US National Team Development Program alongside current Badgers Cole Caufield and Owen Lindmark. He put up solid numbers, averaging a .870 save percentage his first year there, and went 16-10-0 in his second. He's had an interesting path to UW, but Granato had his eye on him early and was confident in his potential.
During his time at the program, Rowe wasn't committed to Wisconsin, rather, to their former WCHA rival, North Dakota. Luckily for Badger fans, he committed to Wisconsin before joining the Des Moines Buccaneers — an experience that was crucial in his development as an elite goaltender.
"It was something that was very frustrating at times, but looking back on it was something that I really needed," said Rowe on his year in the USHL. "I needed the reality check that there was something bigger going on here and that you can't have everything in a day."
Rowe used his time on the Buccaneers to go back to the roots of why he was playing hockey rather than stress over individual statistics. He recalls making an effort to step out of his head space and just have fun and put in the work because he wanted to, rather than just something he needed to do.
"That's gonna be a lot more positive and you'll feel way more relaxed," said Rowe on his change in mindset. "If you keep thinking 'I need to do this, I need to do this,' you're not going to perform."
This change in thinking has definitely paid off for the young Badger goaltender.
Rowe's .943 save percentage leads the country. He recorded two shutouts this season and has a record of 9-1-1.
Beydoun also boasts an accomplished record this season at 10-7-0 with a .919 save percentage and three shutouts. As one of the older guys on the team, he also dedicated his focus to being a leader and role model— that includes on the bench when Rowe is in net.
"We're just here to help each other have the best experience possible no matter who's playing," said Beydoun. "That's out of our control, who the coaches decide to play. All we do is help each other get better because that benefits everybody."
Rowe describes being able to confide in Beydoun, whether it be about technical aspects of goaltending and how to handle a situation, or just taking a second to appreciate the moment and have fun.
There's a somewhat natural sense of competition between goaltenders — after all, there's only one net — but the Badgers' goaltending squad has thrived off pushing each other to perform at their best, contributing to their positive off-ice culture that has eased the challenges of splitting time in net.
While Rowe and Beydoun have seen all the Badgers' ice time this season, the role of Ben Garrity is not to be understated.
The former goaltender for the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL is the third pillar of the Badger's goaltending trio. He hasn't had a shot in net just yet, but provides critical support and encouragement during practice and games.
"He comes out and works every day," said Rowe. "I can't wait for him to get in net."
Together, the Badgers' goaltending trio is writing a new narrative for Badger hockey.
"They're giving us a chance to win and bailing us out here and there when our defense breaks down," said Roman Ahcan, the Badgers' fourth-leading scorer. "It's always nice to have a great goalie in net as the backbone of our team."
Heading into the Big Ten tournament playoffs with the national tournament right around the corner, the Badgers look to launch a postseason run after their successful regular season but are confident in their group of guys and ability to beat even the toughest competition.
"Robbie says it all the time, but we believe we might be the best one-two punch in college hockey right now," said Rowe.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's HockeyThank you Crease Creatures!
Wednesday, January 28
Mike Hastings Weekly Media Conference || Wisconsin Mens Hockey || Jan. 27, 2026
Tuesday, January 27
Postgame Media Conference || Penn State || Jan. 24
Saturday, January 24
Postgame Media Conference || Penn State || Jan. 23
Friday, January 23
