San Jose State transfer goalkeeper to face old team
Allesandro Mullane had some big decisions to make this past off season. He could either play for a team he’s had alliances to his whole life or transfer and have the opportunity to play for a national championship one last time.
Growing up in San Jose, the 5-foot-11 goalie got his start like many kids in America — not on ice but on a roller hockey rink. When he made the switch to a slightly colder version of the sport at the age of 14, he stepped between the pipes and never left.
As a kid, Mullane played on the Junior Sharks with Aggie Jeff Sanders. The two grew up playing together in California, but after a while their paths diverged.
Mullane continued his hockey career in Canada, playing in leagues in the juniors system for the next few years. While Mullane was stopping shots in British Columbia and Alberta, Sanders went to SJSU.
After aging out of the Canadian leagues, Mullane decided to play college hockey in his hometown. He joined Sanders and the rest of the team and began his college career.
Sanders made the switch to USU after being recruited by former Aggie greats Greg Finnati and Kent Arsenault. After playing in a Spartan uniform for two years, Sanders made the transfer.
“Jeff came as a forward,” USU head coach Jon Eccles. “He’s such a gifted athlete that he can play both positions. He’s such a hard worker.”
Mullane stuck it out in the San Jose State net but decided after four years with the Spartans to transfer to Utah State.
“I wanted a solid defense core, and I felt I wasn’t getting that back in San Jose,” Mullane said. “I tried for four years to get them going, but I couldn’t get out of them what I wanted.”
The Utah State defensemen roster boasts no players under six feet tall, and Mullane decided to make the switch to the bigger and stronger staff. His goal is to bring home a national title to Utah State hockey.
“I only have one semester left after this year, so my goal is to win a national championship before I’m done and bring her home to Utah,” Mullane said. “This team is by far the best team. We’re number one right now, so we might as well keep that.”
Sanders said he thinks Mullane might give the Aggies the push they need to win the title.
“He came in with one year left, and it looks like he’s really determined to go to nationals,” Sanders said.
Mullane said he remembers when he played the Aggies while he was at San Jose State. The Spartans have always been a challenge for the Aggies. The two teams have traded wins repeatedly. Mullane recalls a particularly close matchup between USU and San Jose State.
“Utah State’s play was dominating us, but we were winning,” Mullane said. “They came back, and I made one of my favorite saves I’ve ever made in that game.”
The save, which occurred on a Utah State power play, found Mullane diving across ice to stop the first shot and then making another diving save back across the net with his bare hand. The Spartans won the game on an overtime goal from Sanders.
At Utah State, Mullane leads a talented four-man goalie staff that is stronger than it ever has been before, helping the team on the road to nationals.
“(Mullane) is a leader in the ACHA,” Eccles said. “People know his name.”
The Aggies take on San Jose State on Thursday Nov. 17 and the goalie couldn’t be more excited, even though he said he thinks there are some bad feelings in the San Jose State locker room about his transfer.
“I know there’s some bad blood,” Mullane said. “A lot of the guys aren’t too happy I left.”
Sanders said playing against his old team is fun but on the ice it’s just as if they were playing anything else.
“We still have some friends on the team, but once we hit the ice, we’re not friends anymore,” Sanders said. “I think he’s going to have a great game.”
Eccles said when he asked Mullane if he wanted to play against his former team, the goaltender wasted no time affirming it.
“He said ‘Yes, Jon, of course,'” Eccles said. “He’s excited about it.”
– meredith.kinney@aggiemail.usu.edu