By Warren Kozireski —
Freshman goaltender Michael Paterson-Jones watched from the bench as the Wilkes College Colonels lost their first game of the 2019-20 season. He started the second game, made 24 saves and earned his first collegiate victory one week later against Lebanon Valley.
And his next nine games as well.
He finished the regular season with a modest 2.77 goals against average and .902 save percentage in 19 games played, but he was fourth among Division III netminders in the nation in winning percentage, first among freshmen with 15 wins and tied for second among first year goalies with two shutouts.
“He has been stellar; I’d say surprise, but it’s hard to project how guys are going to be coming from juniors,” Wilkes first year head coach Tyler Hynes said. “We knew he was good, but we also knew we already had good goalies here that were going to compete…and he has just kind of taken it and ran with it.
“I am really proud with how PJ has responded to the pressure. He’s handled the heat; he’s played some tough teams in big games in big environments and has really done a great job; I can’t say enough good things about how he’s doing.”
The slightly built 5’10”, 150 lb. won’t turn 21 years old until September. He played junior hockey for the Rochester Jr. Americans in 2015-16 before two campaigns with hometown Jr. Stars in Syracuse before jumping to Charlotte in the USPHL Premiere league last season.
“It’s been pretty crazy; I pinch myself all the time,” Paterson-Jones said after a late-season game at Nazareth. “Coming in I didn’t expect to play anywhere near this much to be honest, but the team success that we have had has been really nice and I think a testament to the leadership we have on such a young team.
“I don’t think any spot on this roster is safe because top to bottom we have one of the best teams and three great goalies that can play in any situation, so it’s a constant battle every day. I always say goalie stats are team stats, so I couldn’t do anything without the help of the team.”
The Second Team All- Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) goaltender and potential UCHC Rookie of the Year has had the second-year program Colonels nationally ranked at times this season.
While just starting his college hockey tenure, Paterson-Jones has a long-term goal of playing in Europe with his diverse family tree.
“My dad was born in Rhodesia which is now Zimbabwe and he grew up in Cape Town, South Africa and my mom was born in Wolfsburg Germany, so I have a bit of an eclectic upbringing. The I was born in Syracuse and my brother was born in Pittsburgh where my parents lived when they first moved to the States.
“I have a lot of family over there (Germany). We’re the only ones who live over here in the States and some family in Calgary. And I’m working on getting my British passport because of my grandfather and my German passport as well.”
Sounds like the opening ceremony of the Olympic parade and many options for the next chapter. But there are still stories yet to be told during this act first.
