Division I transfer Goodwin key to Bengal's offense

The Buffalo State women's hockey team is getting into the thick of its season. With games against some of their toughest ECAC foes yet to come, the Bengals need everyone to chip in.

One of their best offensive weapons has been sophomore transfer Kara Goodwin, a 5-foot-11 left wing with good vision and soft hands, whose journey to Buffalo State took a slight detour at first.

Goodwin started out as a figure skater while growing up in Avon Lake, Ohio. Her mother was a skating instructor, and as a result, she and her brother were on skates at early ages.

By age 3, Goodwin knew that spins and toe loops were not in her future.

"I didn't like figure skating," she said. "I wanted to be just like my brother, and he played hockey."
 

Thus, she traded in her skating skirts for a stick and gloves, playing boys' hockey from ages 3 to 15. From there, she made the switch to girls' hockey and the Ohio Flames program, where she worked her way through the ranks.
 

She eventually got to Tier 1 and the U19 squad, where she tallied 24 goals and 11 assists in 64 games in 2010-11.
 

The obvious next step for Goodwin was college hockey. Buffalo State had approached her while she was playing for the Flames, but Goodwin had other plans in mind. She committed to Lindenwood University, which had just made the leap from club to Division I, after the coach there had told her there was a spot for her.
 

"My dream was to play Division I," she said. "I was willing to take that risk when the opportunity came to me, and thankfully it paid off."

Soon, Goodwin realized that the costs of the chance she took far outweighed the benefits. She was placed on defense - a position she'd never played - and struggled to score for most of the season. She also had issues with the coach, who pushed her away from the rest of the team.
 

Simply put, Goodwin knew she needed a change. That was where Buffalo State re-entered the picture.

Bengals' head coach Robert Burke had kept the door open for Goodwin when she decided to go to Lindenwood.
 

"(Goodwin) had let me know politely in an email that Lindenwood was an opportunity she couldn't pass up," Burker said. "I sent her a training program anyway, gave her some advice about things to focus on with college hockey.
 

"Then, while I was pursuing some other Flames players, a friend of Kara's told me the opportunity at Lindenwood wasn't panning out the way she had hoped."
 

Goodwin had been accepted to Buffalo State before deciding on Lindenwood, and she knew Burke from her previous visits.
 

"I knew it was a sure thing, and that's what I wanted," she said.
 

With that, she obtained a release from Lindenwood. The rest was history.
 

Today, Goodwin is right at home. She is a journalism major and, on the ice, has been part of a productive line with Courtney Carnes and Melissa Ash. She is also second to Carnes (nine points) with seven points in seven games.
 

She's settled in on the wing and the power play, which has always been a strength of hers. Burke also believes she can play at center if needed.
 

"(Goodwin) is in great shape, her skating is much improved, and she's more of a complete player," Burke said. "I believe we ended up getting the better player when everything was said and done."
 

Goodwin says Division III hockey is perfect for her.

"It's a little slower, but still very competitive," she said. "Team-wise, everyone's really close, and the coaches make it easy to get along with them. I love it."
 

Another bonus is her chemistry with Carnes. Goodwin has been the primary assist on all four of Carnes' goals and together, they've made positive plays on other Bengals' goals.

Carnes called Goodwin "a reliable player" and said it's easy to play on a line with her.
 

"We read each other really well for only playing together for a month," Carnes said. "I know if I do my job, she'll do hers, and in turn it causes good things to happen."
 

While Carnes is in her final season at Buffalo State, Goodwin is just getting started. She's obviously become an impact player right away, but the best may still be yet to come.
 

"I can see her as an unspoken leader in the locker room and on the ice," Carnes said. "Even as a rookie, she's got that personality to cheer the team up, but she's also serious when needed. She knows what needs to be done."
 

Burke agrees with Carnes' assessment.

"Kara's not overly vocal, but she leads by example," he said. "Frankly, that's one of the best ways to be a leader when you're an athlete."
 

Goodwin, however, is simply focused on the remainder of the season, which stretches into February and brings some serious competition. Her aim, like everyone else's, is for the postseason.

"I want to help the seniors make the playoffs," she said. "That's something everyone wants."
 

Time will tell if the Bengals will reach that goal or not. What's certain is that Goodwin will have a large part in whatever success they achieve.
 

Angelica Rodriguez can be reached at rodriguez.record@live.com.