If you've gone to watch a weekend of Icers hockey at the Greenberg Ice Pavilion this season, your home-team's goaltender on Friday was different from the one between the pipes on Saturday.

That isn't an accident.

At the beginning of the season, Icers coach Joe Battista's plan was to give both goalies equal playing time throughout the year. Paul Mammola, the sophomore transfer from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, saw Penn State as an opportunity to see considerable time on the ice, an opportunity denied to him as a freshman reserve.

Then there's the other goaltender and the other sophomore, Chris Matteo, who was very productive for the Icers as a freshman and has also become a fan-favorite at the Pavilion.

The team is 12-2-1, so most casual fans would argue that a goalie controversy is non-existent, and rightfully so. But if the national tournament started today, Battista would be forced to choose one of his sophomore goaltenders to carry the team.

A decision at which he doesn't arrive easily. Or at all, for that matter.

"Our goaltending has been stellar at times, but it's been inconsistent [too]," Battista said.

Both Matteo and Mammola have shown the ability to make the spectacular, jaw-dropping save, but have also turned around and let some soft goals sneak by, too. So when Battista says that it's still too early to make a decision like this, he's sincere. But would he deem one guy the starter before Nationals arrive?

"I'd strongly consider it, but they'd have to make it clear and consistent and I haven't seen that yet ... in practice or in the games," Battista said.

But the potential is still prevalent. A third of the way through the season, both goalies have posted convincing shutouts. The only difference is Matteo won his game, while Mammola tied his. But one could debate that Mammola's was more significant. It came against a now No. 1-ranked Rhode Island team. That game ended in a scoreless tie, but with the donut, Mammola prevented the Icers from suffering back-to-back losses, a feat that's rare around these parts.

Matteo's shutout was the first of his career, a feat he's come close to reaching before, but fell short in the waning moments of certain games.

"It was a huge weight off my back because last year I had a shutout going in Nationals and I lost with 30 seconds left," Matteo said.

Matteo had to realize that he gave up some goals late in games last year because of a lack of focus.

"I once had a goalie coach tell me that the great goalies don't give up goals in the third period, so everytime I go out for the third period, I'm even more focused than when I came out at the beginning of the game," he said.

And his numbers reflect that conviction, evident in just two third-period goals that he's surrendered all year.

While it's still too early to choose a permanent starter, eventually a decision will have to be made.

"I think they just have to make up their minds, you know. If you're going to be satisfied with playing every other game, is that a good thing?" Battista said.

As for the present, all Matteo and Mammola can do is continue to improve their respective games as they wait for their ticket to be called.

"When it comes down to Nationals, you have to commit to a guy and hopefully, by the end of the year, if I keep working on my game, that could happen," Matteo said.