Christmas has come a little early for Victoria Grizzlies netminder Matthew Galajda, who has agreed an NCAA Division I scholarship with Cornell University, the prestigious Ivy League school in Ithaca, New York.
“It’s really nice to get it done early and now I can focus on our season,” said the second-year Grizzlies’ goalie, who will join the Big Red in 2017-18. “We started talking last season, so it took the whole year to get it done.
“I’m excited to be attending a school like Cornell. That was one of the big things I was looking for — an Ivy League school that gives me the best options academically and athletically.”
Galajda, 18, from Aurora, Ont., also visited Princeton University.
He chose Cornell, which has some history in goal as Ken Dryden famously attended the institution before his success with the Montreal Canadiens. Current NHL goalie Ben Scrivens also attended Cornell, as did former NHL star Joe Nieuwendyk and current pro Colin Greening.
The Grizzlies also have their own history with the school as Ryan O’Byrne was with the Big Red from 2003-06 before the Victoria product turned pro. O’Byrne is back at the school finishing off his degree after retiring from pro hockey this summer.
Joel Lowry and Madison Dias (both from 2011-15) and Dustin Mowrey (2010-14) are also former Grizzlies to suit up for the Big Red, which won NCAA titles in 1867 and 1970 and made it to the Frozen Four from 1967-70, 1972 and ’73, as well as 1980 and 2003.
Cornell is the only NCAA school to go through a season undefeated, recording a 29-0-0 in the 1970 championship season.
“Ken Dryden and Ben Scrivens, some pretty good goalies to go through there,” said Galajda, who thanked all the goalie coaches that he’s worked with over the years, along with his current and former teammates and family and friends.
Galajda played all of Friday night’s 9-2 Grizzlies’ pre-season win over Cowichan Valley and on Saturday split the duties with Mitchel Benson in Port Alberni.
“He played well on Friday and we sort of left him hanging out to dry at times,” Grizzlies general manager and head coach Craig Didmon said of Galajda.“He’s excited. It’s a great school and he follows some good company in former Grizzlies to attend.”
David LeNeveu, who recently joined the Nanaimo Clippers’ organization as a minority owner, is also a former Big Red netminder who enjoyed success at the Ivy League school.
In Alberni on Saturday, Cory Hatcher had two goals and Galajda and Mitchell Benson shared the shutout as the Grizzlies beat the Bulldogs 5-0. Victoria is now 4-0 in preseason play.
