It was not a surprise when Gophers goaltender, junior Luca Di Pasquo, was given a stick and skates at a young age. His family is from Canada, and both his dad and uncle played hockey; it was almost written in the stars.
Di Pasquo was not always a goalie. He moved around positions a lot during his younger years, but there was something about being in the goal that stuck with him.
“You start in Mini Mites, and then you switch off, there is always that rotation,” Di Pasquo said. “I think I just started to like it.”
Before transferring to Minnesota, Di Pasquo was a Michigan State University goaltender.
Di Pasquo said he was not the only family member to play for a Big Ten school. His uncle played for Ohio State University, which Di Pasquo said got him familiar with Big Ten Midwest schools.
During his time at Michigan State, Di Pasquo played 13 games and had a save percentage of .935. The junior goaltender has played in seven games since being at Minnesota, and sits at .904.
Di Pasquo said going from one team in the Big Ten to another team in the conference is a small adjustment.
“I’ve played here a bunch of times, I have been here, I know some of the guys, I know the conference. So it is not too big of a change,” Di Pasquo said. “You go from Michigan to Minnesota, it’s a midwest town to a midwest town.”
Gophers sophomore forward Beckett Hendrickson said Di Pasquo’s play on the ice is unreal.
“The game where he got the shuts over Notre Dame, he got that assist. It is insane,” Hendrickson said.
The Gophers’ other goalie, junior Nathan Airey, has played for the Gophers for three years. Both Di Pasquo and Airey normally switch off every other game of a series.
Gophers Head Coach Bob Motzko said the goal never changes, regardless of the team you are on, but Di Pasquo is getting used to playing more.
Motzko added he has seen real strengths from both Ariey and Di Pasquo, and they are waiting to see which one can take the role over.
“They are two old guys that are battling, so it’s there for the taking,” Motzko said.
The Gophers men’s hockey team is 5-8-1 overall and 2-2 in the conference. Di Pasquo said this season has not been the smoothest.
“We are a young team, and we are figuring a lot of things out,” Di Pasquo said. “I have had some games I am very happy with and a few where I think I could have played a little better. Trying to stay even-keeled.”
Di Pasquo said his goal is to try to play at the highest level possible and for as long as he can. For his time with the Gophers, the goaltender said the short-term goal is consistency and fulfilling the century-old UMN hockey phrase, “Pride on Ice.”
He said “Pride on Ice” means respecting the history of the school, the players before and what they built.
“Trying to push and keep growing, and keep making better and better,” Di Pasquo said. “That is kind of the ‘Pride on Ice’ vision.”
