Penn State men’s hockey goalie Josh Fleming has made a name for himself thus far in his freshman season. After spending three seasons with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, a team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, Fleming sought to make a real impact on a team with national championship aspirations. And so far, he has delivered.

Through six starts, Fleming boasts a .934 save percentage with a GAA of 2.17. While still sharing the starter’s net with goaltender Kevin Reidler, Fleming has done everything he can to give the Nittany Lions a boost when between the pipes.

Last Saturday, Fleming was in net during Penn State’s shutout loss to No. 1 Michigan State in East Lansing. Despite a valiant effort, it was ultimately a defensive letdown that led to the Spartans completing the series sweep in commanding fashion. 

The following week, Fleming was tasked to start against No. 2 Michigan on home ice. In what would wind up resulting in a thrilling 4-2 victory for the Nittany Lions, Fleming put on a show. As did the team in front of him.

“We kind of brought a better effort and attitude, and attention to detail to the game on Saturday,” he said. “[We] played a lot better as a team. I felt good in net. When the team is playing good in front of you, it settles you down.”

A lot can change for a hockey club on a game-to-game basis. Staying mentally prepared through such swings is Fleming’s key to success. If he has a bad night, treating it as a learning experience, rather than a setback, is what helps him move forward.

Fleming believes that his ability to remain calm and collected through the ups and downs of the season helps the team perform well on the ice.

“I think, naturally, I’m just a calm person,” he said. “I’m not really emotional. My identity is really just play calm, try to calm down the team, give my team trust.”

Aside from the natural unpredictability of each game, one major uncertainty that remains for Fleming is the battle for the title of full-time starting goalie. 

As it stands right now, Guy Gadowsky is splitting the role between Fleming and Reidler. While both netminders have had their shining moments throughout the course of the season, Fleming currently leads his teammate in most statistical categories.

But rather than viewing it as a rivalry, Fleming treats the current situation as friendly competition. Reidler pushes Fleming to be the best version of himself every day in practice. The two have a lot to learn from one another, which fuels Fleming’s drive to be successful.

“We’re really close,” Fleming said. “I think it’s good for us to kind of be able to push each other to our limits.”

In fact, when asked what player gives him the biggest challenge at practice, rather than providing the name of a forward, Fleming gave the honor to the other half of his tandem.

“Whenever we play small area games or whatever, it’s always a battle,” he said. “It’s always close.”

While Fleming isn’t completely new to sharing the starter’s role, it’s not something he has been incredibly accustomed to over the course of his career. Still, he continues to approach each series with a positive mindset, focusing on his game and his game only.

“I know what to expect each week,” he said. “I know whenever it’s my game, I’m going to just give it my all.”

Guy Gadowsky continues to support the idea of a goalie tandem if both netminders continue to perform at a high level, but gives his goalie coach, Juliano Pagliero, much freedom when it comes to making related decisions

“We have a lot of confidence in both,” Gadowsky said.

So long as Fleming continues to improve, the sky is the limit for the young goaltender. With series against Minnesota and RIT upcoming, he is prepared to take on any role given to him. And if granted the opportunity to be the full-time starter, Fleming is more than ready to rise to the challenge.

“I’ll always back myself,” he said. “I’m good enough to be the starter and be that guy for the team. If that’s what the coaches decide, then I’ll be that guy.”

Jamie is a third-year statistics student from Chappaqua, NY. He loves to swim and is a member of the club team here at Penn State. Jamie is also in the Schreyer Honors College, and wishes there was an advanced course in college football fandom (scored 118/133 on the mascot quiz). He’s an avid ping-pong player, dairy lover, and has met two U.S. Presidents. If you have anything to share, or want to debate the AP Poll with someone, email [email protected] or reach out on instagram @jamie.ly3.