The Blueprint of the Blue Crease: Juliano Pagliero's Goaltending Mindset

Goaltenders are the heart and soul of the team, and in most cases, your best penalty killer on the ice.

For Associate Head Coach Juliano Pagliero, goaltending is as much about pressure as it is performance.

The former Niagara standout, now Penn State goaltending coach, has spent his time refining his eye for talent, searching for the right pieces to anchor the Nittany Lions’ crease.

“The ability to track the puck and kill plays is a big piece for us,” Pagliero said. “You’re almost watching how they watch the puck, and evaluating how well they track it and the detail they have making the save.”

His attention to detail was key in finding Arsenii Sergeev last season, a hidden gem of sorts for the blue and white, posting a 19-9-4 record with a 2.54 goals-against average and .919 save percentage while backstopping head coach Guy Gadowsky’s squad to its first Frozen Four.

Sergeev currently plays in the Calgary Flames system, alongside former captain Simon Mack, but it wasn’t just about the saves, according to Pagliero.

The way his character elevated the entire team, even during the 0-8-1 slump to start the campaign, was crucial.

“[Goaltending] is a position similar to a quarterback, where you need your teammates more than anybody else,” Pagliero said. “Somebody who works and has a personality that your teammates will get drawn to, Arsenii was 100% that for us last year, and you see those same qualities in our two new guys this year.”

The two new guys, Kevin Reidler and Josh Fleming, offer the Penn State fans two drastically different styles of goaltending. 

Reidler earned both starts in Penn State’s season-opening sweep at No. 14 Arizona State and amassed 80 total saves, including a new career-best 45 on Saturday night. In total, Reidler posted a .941 save percentage and 2.50 goals against average on the opening weekend.