Player Spotlight: David Goodwin

Audio/Story posted February 23, 2017 in CommRadio, Sports by Eric Ohlson

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David Goodwin has been a perfect model of consistency for the Nittany Lions since his freshman season, where he tallied 18 points. Goodwin has etched his name in Penn State hockey history for a number of reasons—the first of which came during the 2013-2014 season. The freshman assisted on Curtis Loik’s game-winning goal against Army, and also scored a goal, in the first ever game at Pegula Ice Arena.

A product of the United States Hockey League (USHL), Goodwin played for the Green Bay Gamblers, Sioux City Musketeers, and Cedar Rapids Rough Riders before committing to play in Happy Valley. The Missouri native burst onto the scene as a sophomore, ranking second on the team with 34 points and leading with a plus-13 rating. He registered seven multi-point games and two four-point games, but the best had yet to come for the sophomore.

 As a junior, in the 2015-2016 season, Goodwin lead the team in points, scored 11 goals, and had a team-high 27 assists, which was also tied for third in the Big Ten. He scored six power play goals, had eight multi-point games, and racked up two seven-game point streaks, helping Penn State set a program record with 21 wins.

Goodwin was awarded the captaincy for this season, an honor that is voted upon by the players. Being given the “C” is a testament to the leadership he brings and the respect that his teammates have for him. While the goals haven’t been there this season, he has registered 22 assists and is currently a career-high plus-14, playing with a new set of line mates for the fourth straight year—another testament to his versatility. 

November 11th was a special day for Goodwin, as he assisted on a Chase Berger goal against Alaska Anchorage to reach to the 100-point milestone – something no Nittany Lion had ever accomplished. The two-time Academic All-Big Ten player has displayed his great character off the ice as well. On February 2nd, Goodwin was named one of five finalists for the Hockey Humanitarian Award for his service to others. He has volunteered at special needs schools to work one-on-one with mentally challenged students, taught at elementary schools, and helped build retaining walls in El Salvador and Nicaragua and has taught English at a university in Cuba.

The double Economics and Spanish major has helped Penn State go from a new Big Ten team with eight wins his freshman year, to a team that received a number one ranking during this season. Goodwin’s Penn State story isn’t finished yet, as the Nittany Lions continue to chase their goal of winning the Big Ten Championship and now have a real possibility of receiving an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament for the very first time.

Penn State may have been swept by Minnesota last weekend, but Goodwin was happy with how his team played.

“If we play the way we played on Saturday, I think everyone will feel very confident with the potential outcomes that we’ll get over the next six games,” Goodwin said.

Eric Ohlson is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ewo5082@psu.edu.