Mann Uses Inspiration of His Cousin to Give His Best for Wolverines
11/9/2019 11:42:00 PM | Ice Hockey, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Strauss Mann is putting up impressive, winning numbers in goal for the Wolverines, establishing himself among the national leaders with a 1.89 goals-against average and .935 save percentage. Still, his team isn't claiming victories with regularity.
"Yeah," said Mann, "it's frustrating. But we've just got to stay focused and stay positive, stay focused on the process that we're doing a lot of things right, and over the course of a 30- and 40-game season, it's got to bounce our way in the future."
The sophomore from Greenwich, Connecticut, need not look any further than the back of his goalie mask for inspiration.
"It has a logo that I came up with," said Mann. "It says 'hAUs' and is in the shape of Yost (Ice Arena) and the 'AU' in the middle is for Andrew Unterberg, my cousin who passed away last year."
Attached below the customized artwork are written words from Unterberg that are quite special to Mann: "Self-discipline is simply a constant choice of long-term goals over short-term satisfaction."
Mann said, "That's definitely something that's meant a lot to me, and I try to sacrifice a lot for hockey and I'm trying to reach some goals I've set for myself, and what he said is key. He wrote that in a love letter to his wife, Alana, a little bit before he passed. So, I thought that would be really special to have on the back here."
The back of Mann's mask, which includes a logo and text that honor his cousin Andrew Unterberg, who died last year at age 41.
Unterberg was 41 when he died of a heart attack March 11, 2018, while hiking on a vacation with Alana. He left behind three sons -- Beckett, Dillon and Landon. Unterberg was a state high school wrestling champion in Texas, a graduate of the University of Texas and the George Washington School of Law. He was a corporate lawyer in New York City and also a successful playwright.
"We always talked at holidays and he was one of those close relatives," said Mann. "I spent a lot of time with his kids, and babysat them in the summer. It's tough to reflect after a loss."
Mann stopped 26-of-27 shots Friday (Nov. 8), and then 21-of-23 shots Saturday. But all the Wolverines had to show for the two games against Minnesota was one tie in the opener.
"He played an unbelievable game tonight," Michigan defenseman Luke Martin said of Mann after Saturday's 3-1 loss that included an empty-net goal. "He's been great, giving us a chance. Sometimes we depend on him too much."
Wolverine head coach Mel Pearson said, "I feel bad for him because he's losing games (Michigan is 3-5-2 overall with Mann in net for all 10 games). With his record, if you didn't know his goals-against, you'd wonder why is this team losing. But he continues to do a great job and made a couple of saves on two-on-ones."
Mann's 1.89 goals-against average ranks 12th nationally and his .935 save percentage is 13th. Those are much better than the 2.91 and .895 in 21 games during his freshman season.
What has Mann -- who came to the Wolverines after a great season with the Fargo (North Dakota) Force of the United States Hockey League -- done to bring radical improvement?
"I think the biggest thing is just getting through last year," said Pearson, "and understanding what it takes to make the adjustment to the next level. Then he had a great summer this year as far as his conditioning, his work ethic. And I think our team has helped him, too.
"We're much better defensively. So, it's not just Strauss. He's a big part of it, obviously, but I think our guys have done a good job behind him, too. But he made the commitment, and just having that year under your belt and understanding what it takes to compete and have success at this level. We've got elite goaltending, and when we start scoring, we know behind us we have a heck of a goalie."
He made a particularly sharp save Saturday in the second period against the Golden Gophers. Mann went low with both padded legs spread to the goalposts, and made a glove save just inside the post on a three-on-one break.
"I'm just doing my best to give my team a chance to win," said Mann. "It's 1-0 at that time, and I'm just trying to keep it close. The guy made a pass and I was just trying to get over as fast as I could."
Pearson added, "That was a huge save. I mean, we were taking some chances, and you see us pressing at times to take some chances to score. And that was one where we had the puck and made a bad turnover when we were pinching up a little bit. You need that from the goaltender."
Mann bailed out his teammates.
Minnesota's Jonny Sorenson scored a fluky goal later in the second period to make it 2-0. Mann went to play the puck off the boards, but it eluded him and hit the right goal post, trickling out in front for Sorenson to deposit in the net.
"You can't fault Strauss on the bounce," said Pearson. "I've been in Yost 30 years and have never seen a bounce like that from there, never. But that's how things happen when you're struggling. Every break seems to go against you.
"If you look at their two goals, there was a two-on-one, we slide (to block the puck) and it goes right off our guy to their guy. Second goal, bad bounce, and then the empty-net goal. You can't fault him for any of that."
Mann said of that second goal: "I've got to watch it again. I'm not really sure. But I just wrapped it around and went out to play the puck, and the next thing I knew it was just right in front of the net, and the guy tapped it in. Sometimes, bounces aren't going your way. And it was a really weird bounce on the first goal-against, too. Hopefully, the tide turns in our favor."
Mann noted that "we're not scoring a ton right now but playing great defensively," and he credited the blue line play of his teammates.
"That's really a recipe for success in the future," said Mann.
Mann has shutout victories against Lake Superior State (24 saves) and Western Michigan (career-high 36 saves), and beat out talented senior Hayden Lavigne, who took the team to the Frozen Four two seasons ago, to start every game.
"It's been good and really fun playing," said Mann. "I love to play the game in net. So, it's positive, and we're playing great defensively. So, every chance I get to go out there and play in front of that (Yost) crowd, it's awesome.
"The first shutout for sure was great to get out of the way, and shutout wins are the best-case scenarios for goalies."
Mann said of his improvement this season: "I'd say it's in the mental department and trying to play a little calmer. Instead of playing the whole game tense, it's picking my moments instead."
Mann is working with a new goalie coach this season in Kris Mayotte, who was part of a 2015 NCAA championship coaching staff at Providence.
"He's really good at small little details," said Mann. "He keeps the habits good and works at three things you can get better at, and gives you that positive feedback."
Strauss Mann keeps things positive, just like Andrew Unterberg, and stays on task with dedication just like the cousin he misses so much. Strauss reads Andrew's words before he pulls on his goalie mask, and then goes about doing whatever it takes to give the Wolverines a chance to win.
