Goggin travels long road to Idaho

Boise, ID (10/9/13) - With training camp underway this week, the Steelheads have been busy welcoming many new faces to Boise. One of those new players is defenseman Connor Goggin.Traveling all the way from Massachusetts, Goggin's three-day cross-country road trip finally ended when he arrived in Boise on Saturday. For Goggin, Boise itself is not only a brand new experience, but the West Coast as well."I went from Massachusetts to Chicago, Chicago to Cheyenne and Cheyenne to Boise," Goggin said. "I had never been this far west, but I love it out here."Goggin found his way to Boise via his former ECHL team, the Trenton Titans. Once the Titans shut down at the conclusion of last season, the Steelheads acquired the rights of the young defenseman.Last season in Trenton, Goggin played in 62 games for the Titans and tallied seven goals and seven assists. Before his professional career began, Goggin played his college hockey at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. During his career at Dartmouth, Goggin compiled 14 goals, 27 assists and was named to the All-Ivy League Second Team following his senior season.While all the players are still grying to get acclimated to the nuances that come with joining a new team, Goggin feels comfortable with head coach Brad Ralph's up-tempo style of practice that moves quickly from drill to drill in an effort to maximize their time."At Dartmouth, we practiced at a similar pace," Goggin reasoned. "It's great because it keeps the tempo up and guys are moving around pretty quick."Even though the season is brand new and Goggin has yet to spend a full week in Boise, he made it clear that he understands the expectations and goals that come with being a part of the Idaho Steelheads."Obviously the Steelheads are a great, winning organization," he said. "Hopefully I can help us make the next step in getting past the conference finals and move on to the championship."(Article contributed by Peter Clark)