Twenty-three years ago, in Dearborn Heights, Mich., four-year-old Jason Bacashihua decided he’d like to take up hockey.  None of his family members had ever played.  “I was watching the Red Wings one day and told my dad ‘I want to play that,’” he said. 

Shortly thereafter, in borrowed equipment, the goaltender’s career was born. 

“The first day I went out, I was pushing a chair around the rink just learning how to skate, and it just built from there.  Here I am 27 years old and still playing,” Bacashihua said. 

Unlike many netminders, Bacashihua has always played in goal.  “We didn’t have a goalie at the time.  One of the coaches asked if anyone wanted to play goalie.  Nobody said anything, so I said I would,” he said.  “We went and got a small set of pads, and ever since then I’ve been a goalie.  I think I’ve skated out twice just to have another kid try playing goalie.”

Growing up in Michigan, Bacashihua watched the likes of Glen Hanlon and Tim Cheveldae in net for the Red Wings.  He looked up to Chicago’s Ed Belfour.  But the player he most aspired to be like was Patrick Roy.

“The way he played, he seemed to make every team he went on better, and he knew how to win,” Bacashihua said.

Bacashihua followed his aspirations to the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, where he was selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round, the 26th overall pick.  He made his NHL debut with the St. Louis Blues at Chicago’s United Center on Dec. 16, 2005, as he relieved an injured Curtis Sanford.  Bacashihua was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 8, 2007, and spent two seasons with the Lake Erie Monsters before he inked a deal with Washington on July 31. 

“When I first signed I knew that these guys won the Calder Cup last year, and they signed me here to come in and win games and repeat,” he said.  “That’s my mindset right now.  Every chance I play is a chance to play well and to win and to get these guys another ring.”

Bacashihua has used that mindset to his advantage, as he remains unbeaten in four starts for the Chocolate and White.  He made his Hershey debut Oct. 10 at Binghamton and his Giant Center debut Oct. 25 against Portland, before a sellout crowd of 10,727.  With his 1.00 goals against average and .962 save percentage, Bacashihua currently ranks second among all AHL goaltenders. 

Prior to his home debut, Bacashihua was excited, and he attributes some of the success of that night to the raucous sellout crowd.  “I played in this barn before, but I’ve always been on the other end.  It’s nice to actually have the fans cheering for you rather than cheering against you.  It’s a great feeling.  If we have crowds like that the entire year, we’re going to have a great advantage over other teams,” he said. 

Infatuated with the atmosphere at Giant Center and its fans, Bacashihua is enjoying his time in Chocolatetown.  “The city is behind the players 100 percent,” he said. 

“It’s nice to go out to the grocery store and have somebody recognize you.  It’s a great feeling when you have kids asking for autographs and looking up to you.”

Bacashihua has in fact embraced his new-found local celebrity status while grocery shopping recently.  “The other day, actually, Andrew Gordon and I were walking through [the grocery store], and we had a little boy come up and ask for our autographs.  It was funny; I looked at him [Gordon] like ‘Did that really happen?’” he said. 

Though he is modest, Bacashihua’s play in net is anything but.  He came to Hershey intending to defend the franchise’s record tenth Calder Cup. 

“Every team is gunning for you.  It doesn’t matter what night you’re playing.  Teams know that they’re playing the Calder Cup champions of the year before.  Every team we play against every time we come out on the ice, that team is going to give us their best effort.  As Calder Cup champions last year we’ve got to be ready for that and expect that,” he said. 

And with his flawless 4-0-0 showing thus far, Bacashihua looks ready in net. 

(Photo courtesy of Just Sports Photography)