Icers goalie Scott Graham could have viewed his accomplishments last season and decided that he had achieved all he could in a season as a Penn State player.

With a 15-3-1 record, a 2.31 goals against average and a 91.0 save percentage, the junior played an integral part in the Icers' run to capture the Murdoch Cup (the ACHA Div. I championship trophy), which culminated in Graham earning the victory against Delaware in the championship match.

Graham could have rested on his laurels, as he had gone from the Icers' fourth string goalie during the 1999-2000 campaign, playing most of the season for the ACHA Div. II Ice Lions, to earning the starting job on the championship team.

Off the ice last season, Graham garnered awards, as league officials named him to the ACHA All-American third team and the ACHA Academic All-American Team. He was also chosen for the Best Overall Academic Performance by an Icer, an honor he took pride in.

"We're here to get an education," said Graham, who was one of nine Icers to make the Dean's List last year. "I think that's important because it's the student-athlete part of the equation."

However, Graham doesn't gain complete satisfaction from his past accomplishments. Rather, he wanted to maintain his strong academic performance and to improve his strength and concentration to grow on the ice and to help the No. 1 Icers (22-2-1) defend their title.

"I think my focus from this year to last year has improved greatly," said Graham, who has a 13-1-1 record this season. "I think my focus allows me to concentrate more on the game.

"I think when I can concentrate more on the game I can use some of my other assets. I can use my quickness. My physical talents are improved 100 percent with my increased focus."

Graham has earned an improved goals against average over last season and a higher save percentage, as he sported a miniscule 1.53 GAA and a 94.4 save percentage before his superb performance in Penn State's 3-1 victory against No. 2 Delaware on Saturday.

The 5-foot-9, 165-pound goalie has only given up more than two goals in a game twice this season, even though he has faced an average of 27 shots per game. The Icers supported Graham in both of these games, gaining a 4-3 victory at Arizona on Feb. 4 and winning 7-4 against then No. 3 Eastern Michigan at home on Jan. 26.

Part of Graham's success can be attributed to his work with goalie coach Darren Hersh, who aided Scott in changing from a stand-up style of goaltending to the butterfly style that's more common among today's top goaltenders.

"With his (Graham's) athleticism, it made sense to take advantage of the butterfly style," Icers coach Joe Battista said.

Graham's prided abilities to make difficult saves and to stop the puck at key moments in the game can allow the Icers to play a different type of game than they otherwise could.

"You can play more aggressive," Battista said. "If you do give up an odd-man chance or a breakaway, he can make the save."

Graham's strength handling the puck has also allowed the Icers to use a more aggressive scheme for breaking out of their zone.

Graham also has a terrific ability to handle the puck, which he said came with a lot of practice.

Earlier in his hockey career, if the rest of his team was working on another aspect of the game, Graham would fire the puck repeatedly to improve his puck handling.

"I think it (puck handling) is a crucial part of the game," Graham said. "It's an aspect that a lot of young goalies would have a tendency to look over.

"Anytime you can help your defensemen, set up your defensemen, make an outlet pass, it's going to increase your success and decrease your shots per game."

Battista said that Graham acts as a third defenseman on the ice sometimes.

Besides working on his concentration and puckhandling, Graham worked in the weight room this past summer to build strength that only enhances his already athletic frame.

"He's gotten bigger, he's gotten stronger," Battista said. "That has just added to his confidence."

Coming out of high school in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Graham was recruited by a number of Div. III schools to be a baseball catcher.

Battista and Graham both said some skills receiving and blocking balls in baseball have benefited Scott in hockey. Battista said catching has helped Graham develop his hand-eye coordination, strengthened his leg muscles and improved his ability to read a play and to react to it.

While Graham liked baseball, he has loved the game of hockey, partly because he lived in Edmonton until he was four. It was there that Graham first skated and he is still an Edmonton Oilers fan.

Scott was five when he started playing hockey. He credits his family for supporting his career, especially his father for helping him reach toward loftier goals than he may have otherwise tried for.

"My dad was the one who was saying who said maybe you should go to a junior tryout, maybe you should play Team Ohio, which I ended up playing," Graham said. "He helped me to further my career just by giving me a kick in the pants."

"My mom, my dad, my sister, they've taken the extra steps to always be there for me," Graham added. "My sister, who was a senior in high school last year, was at almost all my games last year."

While Graham's father pushed him to elevate his play and to challenge himself earlier in his career, Scott now works to better himself with the goals of eventually playing pro hockey or going to law school.

The idea of Scott resting on his laurels in pursuit of these goals seems out of character for him, and if his commitment with the Icers is an indication of his future success, good things lie ahead for Graham.

"He's improved every year," Battista said. "His commitment to the team, his attitude, have been tremendous."