Lamb Provides UMD Scoring Threat from Blue Line
November 20, 2009
By Kevin Pates, Duluth News Tribune
Scoring isn’t Brady Lamb’s main job, he says. But as a defenseman, if he can help offensively, he will.
The Minnesota Duluth player from Calgary, Alberta, scored a goal in 5-4 overtime win against Princeton in the Division I quarterfinals at Mariucci Arena in March. It was his only goal as a freshman.
Lamb had two last Saturday in an 8-1 home win over Michigan Tech, and has five goals and three assists for eight points in 12 games as the No. 20-ranked Bulldogs return to Minneapolis to open a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series today against Minnesota.
In games in which Lamb has scored, UMD is 4-0-1.
“I still look at myself as a defensive defenseman. You take care of your own end and try not to get scored on,” said Lamb, a 6-foot-1 and 215-pound sophomore. “Getting a chance to be on our power play has helped my statistics. Our forwards open the ice so well that when you get the puck, you usually have a lane to shoot. I’m not great with my hands, so when I get the puck, I shoot.”
The 2008 Alberta Junior Hockey League’s outstanding defenseman, playing for Calgary, had to wait his turn last season at UMD in a lineup that included senior defensemen Josh Meyers and Jay Cascalenda, and sophomore Evan Oberg, who signed a professional contract at season’s end. Lamb played during UMD’s postseason run, gained some attention and was invited by the NHL’s Boston Bruins to attend their prospects camp in July as an undrafted player.
At the same time, other UMD defenseman were at similar camps — No. 1 draft pick Dylan Olsen, a freshman, with Chicago; undrafted junior Mike Montgomery, also with Chicago; drafted sophomore Scott Kishel with Montreal; and drafted freshman Drew Olson with Columbus.
Lamb said he received advice from Boston assistant general manager Don Sweeney, an NHL defenseman for 16 years, and listened closely.
“He liked my work ethic but the main thing was to work harder off the ice — get my weight down, keep my body fat down, and work to be faster on my feet,” Lamb said.
UMD’s coaches have seen Lamb gaining in confidence through the first third of 2009-10.
“He’s come in with an attitude that he’s going to push himself. He’s fighting to get into the lanes; he’s becoming a guy you can count on,” UMD assistant Brett Larson said.
“Our hope was to see Brady build on his play from the end of last season. He’s a strong, physical presence, who has good poise with the puck,” coach Scott Sandelin said.
Three of Lamb’s goals have come on an effective power play unit with forwards Jack Connolly, Mike Connolly, Justin Fontaine and Rob Bordson. Twenty-two of UMD’s 42 goals have come with a man advantage, for a 26.5 percentage, ranked No. 6 in Division I.
