USHS: Cary Wood QA

Goaltender Cary Wood is currently playing with the Tartan High School team in Minnesota and is eligible for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Trent Allen got a chance to interview Cary on a number of topics including the US Select 17's, High School hockey and what a thrill it was to play at the Xcel Centre.

McKeen's: I guess we could speak first off about the Select-17 Festival.

Cary Wood: It was a good experience for the most part. The games had good intensity, gave me good exposure. They mixed us up, as to what teams we would play on. There was some players who I'd never played with and now we are on the same team and we had no time to gel. We got better I think as the games went on, guys got to know where to expect others on the ice to be and we got more comfortable. Still, we didn't do so well I don't think, went like 0-2-3 I think.

McKeen's: 1-2-3 actually. How would you assess your performance there?

Cary Wood: It was alright. Probably about the same (as the team).

McKeen's: Just comparing numbers from how you did with the Tartans and then at the Select-17, there's a pretty big difference in the numbers you put up. Is there that big of a difference in the two levels of hockey?

Cary Wood: Ohh, I mean high school compared to that, like it's much different. In Minnesota, our high school hockey, most people who play our hockey have played together for a long time. The level of play, it varied. There's a lot of teams in high school hockey that like to open it up and here there were some teams that were more conservative than high school. But I think the mixture of the teams had an effect on us.

McKeen's: How long of a time frame did you have to get together before you started playing?

Cary Wood: Oh we had like one or two days. Basically there was like one other person from our original team. Like I had one other person on my team from my original team and I think you just hit the wall. You get there and you're pretty much right into the games the very next day. It was a good time. I think we started getting down, like plays and such. The guys started figuring out each other.

McKeen's: Last year I was also noticing you wrapped up the season playing in the Xcel Centre, the home of the (Minnesota) Wild. How did that make you feel?

Cary Wood: Oh, playing at the Xcel, it's probably going to be one of the greatest hockey memories I've ever had. Actually the first year we went there, it was the first time we ever made it. It was like the biggest tournament for our level in the nation. I remember our first game, had about 19,000 people or something like that, maybe more. It's just amazing. You go from your original high school rink, which can hold maybe like 800, and wow. The whole tournament was amazing.

McKeen's: So how did that affect you, playing in front of 19,000 people?

Cary Wood: It was better than last season… It helped that we played last year; I think that's why we did better this year. We had a bunch of guys that had played together since mites. The year before last year, our main focus was to get to state. We got that goal done. We came back last year; we did a lot of training and worked hard, and came back and ended up winning our first divisional title for the first time in team history. After that, came back to State Championship. Played Elk River and ended up beating Elk River 4-3 I believe. Ended up getting matched up against Holy Angels, which ended up 4-2, (they) beat us. We didn't deliver but we didn't come out with the edge, like we'd been here before. That was a 1-1 game in the third period if I'm correct. We had a few breaks, their goalie was way out of the net and we didn't score. That was a tough game to lose, especially for the veterans. Basically, coming next year we'll have four guys that have been to State. We actually have one of our captains, Ryan Fern, that has been to state. He's going to be one of the captains; I'm going to be a captain. I had a chance to go to Hill but I wanted to stay with Tartan. I know our program won't be as good, but I don't want to bail in my junior year.

McKeen's: Your team accomplished a lot of team goals this year, including breaking the team record for wins in a season, repeating as Section 2AA champions and winning the first Classic Suburban Conference championship in Tartan's 35 year history. As well, you had a number of impressive personal numbers. Which stand out for you the most?

Cary Wood: Personal numbers don't mean much to me. State would mean the most, but it didn't work out. Making state and beating Hill, those mean the most to me. As far as the whole school thing, what really helped us is our coach John Humphrey who really did a 180 degree turn around with our program. Tartan would be known as the team that would fold all the time and be the laughing stock of the league. He really turned that around.

McKeen's: You had a lot of impressive numbers this year, including a strong win-loss record and an impressive goals against average of just 1.74. How much weight do you put into your own numbers?

Cary Wood: I'll look at them every now and then; I'll compare them to last year. They are up from last year but a lot of numbers are based on the team. A lot of players don't have good numbers but are good players. But as far as assessing my performance, I'll do that after each game. I don't need stats for that.

McKeen's: You have a pretty big frame already, despite your young age, standing 6'2 and about 200 lbs. How has your size altered your style as you've gotten older?

Cary Wood: I've actually changed it quit a bit over the past few years. I just really work on bringing in my knees more. I can almost be as tall as the crossbar when I'm on my knees. I start skating with Tartan in mid-September and usually during the summer I'll do the Elite Hockey, Model Camp which the (Minnesota Golden) Gophers coach invites you to. It's a nine team tournament with practices. There are a lot of (NHL and NCAA) scouts there; I'd say three to four NHL scouts for sure. I remember seeing the Rangers, Blues, I heard Tampa Bay were there too but I didn't see it so I don't know. Usually all the coaches there are college coaches. I just work on being the best skater on the ice. My goal is to be just the best skater out there.

McKeen's: The NHL Entry Draft will be coming up for you this year. Are you thinking about it at all?

Cary Wood: Yeah. I was reading the most recent hockey magazine on prospects and some of the guys there I have played against. From the USHL on Des Moines, I know some of the players there. It's pretty awesome knowing these guys could get drafted or are drafted and I could join them.

McKeen's: And if you get drafted, what team would be your preference?

Cary Wood: Any team would be fine but I guess I'd have to say the Wild. It'd be great to play your home state.

McKeen's: The Wild have only been around for a little while. Who were you cheering for before them?

Cary Wood: Toronto and Colorado mostly.

McKeen's: Finally, could you describe the strong points of your game?

Cary Wood: My strong points would have to be me being able to use my size and quickness. Some guys have size but aren't fast. I work hard at being the fastest skater on the ice. You can't work hard enough on your skating and it can always get better but I still count it as a strength. As far as the mental, just being able to keep my head in the game and staying focused.