The Icers have started the hockey season 6-1, and senior goalie Teddy Hume is a big reason for that success. At 6’4” and 230 lbs., Hume is a large and forceful presence in the net. Over his career at Penn State, Hume has compiled 57 wins, just eight shy of the all-time Penn State record. Onward State had a chance to talk to Hume before last weekend’s games with Ohio.

Onward State: The big thing this year is the donation and moving to Division I. Obviously that means a lot for the younger kids on the team. What does it mean for the seniors on the team?

Teddy Hume: I think it means a lot to us and a lot to the program. One day, 25 years from now, I’ll be coming back to  campus, taking my kids, going to this state-of-the-art, 6,000 seat arena. To be part of the history of that and part of the tradition of that; I think it will be something really special that we’ll look back upon and say, “Wow, we were in school for some really interesting days in the Penn State hockey program.”

OS: What are the goals for this season?

TH: To win a national championship. Back in the day, about seven or eight years ago, no one could knock Penn State off. We were winning everything. The league has gotten a lot better in the past few years. That’s definitely the goal at the end of the line. We have two more years left in this league and we definitely want to go out, especially for the seniors…and for the program, to win two national championships the next two years.

OS: You are nine wins shy for the record for most wins as a goalkeeper [now eight with a win over Ohio]. Is that important to you?

TH: I mean, I’m not gonna lie. It might sound selfish, but it’d be nice to have. It’s not something that I wake up everyday and say, “nine wins to go.” I don’t have a notch system in my room, notching off the wins. It would be, given the history of the program, to be anywhere near that is amazing. It’s really humbling when you consider the great goalies that have come through here in the past and the great teams that have been here in the past. It would definitely be a great accomplishment, but it’s not something I think about on a regular basis. It’s definitely something I would like.

OS: What has made you so successful as a goalie?

TH: I think it’s been consistency. Until I got here, I always struggled with the consistency and the mental part of the game. Since I’ve gotten here, my coaches have shown confidence in me and that’s made me believe in myself. So, when I’m out on the ice, I’m playing confident and strong. Every now and then, I still do have a bad game, but I think that’s sort of the defining characteristic of my career here that every time I’ve gone out on the ice, I’ve been able to put forth a good effort.

OS: Is there a goalkeeper that you have looked up to and modeled yourself on?

TH: Growing up, I used to go to goalie camp in Toronto. I remember my first year there, there was a little 16-year-old kid. I was nine. There was this 16-year-old goalie who was my counselor. His name was Mike Smith. Now he’s the starting goalie for the Tampa Bay Lightning. So, those instructors were my heroes back in the day. I always used to follow them when I was growing up. When I was 14 or 15, he made it to the NHL. He was a big guy like me…To have him as one of my counselors growing up and to worship him…having him make it to the NHL. He plays a very similar style to me because we shared the same goalie coach. So, if there was one goalie I looked up to, it would probably be him.

OS: You have started 5-0 [now 6-1], including a big 11-0 win over Drexel. Is the season going as you expected so far?

TH: I think so. I definitely expected to be 5-0 at this point in the season. I think every single game we have gotten better. I think Central Oklahoma tested our mental toughness, especially in the way they scored in the last minute and we came back to win in overtime. I think this weekend truly is the first huge weekend of the year. This is really gonna be where the rubber hits the road. We’ll really find out what sort of team we are this weekend.

OS: Pertaining to the Central Oklahoma weekend, how big a factor was revenge because they knocked you out of the tournament last year?

TH: I mean, it was definitely in the back of my mind. I try to treat every game the same…I think that helps out with the consistency aspect of it, but it was in the back of my mind. When they scored with 23 seconds left on Friday, it felt like ‘here we go again’…Luckily the results were different this time and I think that showed the mental toughness of the team.

Onward State was also able to contact Hume after the weekend series with Ohio.

OS: What are your thoughts about last weekend’s series with Ohio?

TH: The series was a tale of two games. In Friday night’s game, I played great. The Saturday game left a little to be desired. I think it showed that we have a lot of potential, but we have a lot to work on. Going 1-1 against a good team like Ohio isn’t the worst result.

OS: Many students at Penn State probably have not been to a hockey game. What would you tell them as a reason they should be going to these games?

TH: It’s a great time. You can come and heckle the other team and goalie. More often than not, we get the wins. So if you want to have a good chance to see a Penn State team win and sharing in that…We’re really appreciative of our fans. We go and talk to them and they talk to us. So, if you want to come watch a bunch of down-to-earth guys get a win, then come watch us play.

OS: A lot of goalies in a lot of sports are considered a little bit crazy. What makes you crazy?

TH: I’m definitely considered a little bit off-kilter, I guess you could say, by some of the guys…This could live in internet history, so I guess I need to be a little bit careful here! I just have really peculiar pre-game routines and things that I have to do the day of the game. I need to make sure that I’m in the right, proper mental state. I’m a really outgoing, happy-go-lucky guy. Sometimes, I’ll do something outlandish or ridiculous just to get a few laughs…I’ve definitely been described as a different bird!