What is it like to end a well-battled season as champions and enter a new season? How do you break the glass ceiling that you have already shattered? According to junior goaltender, Cam Johnson, you leave it in the past and do better.

The Michigan native played his best season as a Hawk last year, claiming numerous accolades including U.S. College Hockey Online’s All-USCHO Second team, six NCHC Goaltender of the week awards and a nomination for NCHC Goaltender of the year. Johnson also earned one of the five finalists spots for the 2016 Mike Richter Award, to just name a few.

Adding to his impressive resume, Johnson joins a short list of UND Goalies to win 24 or more games in a single season.

Johnson also  takes a top spot in the NCAA DI men’s hockey for longest shutout streak of 298 minutes, second only to the collegiate record which was set during the 1993-1994 season by Lake Superior State’s Blaine Lacher who went for a second over 375 minutes without a goal.

Along with his impressive records, he currently holds the lead for career goals against average and career-winning percentage.      The only thing keeping him from the UND record book is four more games, due to a 40-game minimum requirement.

This isn’t to say it was all a smooth journey for Johnson who started in net for UND last season. Within the first three shots on goal, he allowed two in and would be out for over a month of play due to a groin injury.

Perseverance is key for Johnson, who seems to already be looking ahead instead of basking in the glory of victory. He’s setting a plan in motion with less than a week left until he hits the ice for the 2016-2017 season.

“I’m here for a reason, I want to win, and I’m not going to get complacent with last year,” Johnson said. “Last year was a great season, had a lot of fun, but I put that behind me and now it’s time to hang a ninth.”

After a 5-1 victory over Quinnipiac in April, the Fighting Hawks have been holding their heads high and proudly displaying their achievements, but as the new season begins, it’s time to gear down and strive for that ninth banner. As Johnson looks to hang a ninth championship banner, he is striving to better his  24-4-2 record set last season, and he has his mindset on how to get there.

“I hate losing more than I like winning,” Johnson said. “That’s something that I’ll carry into this season. Last season was what it was, but you can’t dwell on the past, you got to look towards the future.”

Being a champion at least once is a goal every player has when they make it to college, but once they achieve that, the only thing better is snagging another, and that is what Johnson intends to do.

“Obviously when I committed here, this is a place you want to come. They’re always a team that is in the running,” Johnson said.  “It’s something you dream about for as long as you play hockey so it was really cool to experience that.”

The scenery is changing, Johnson may still be starting between the posts, but with 19 underclassmen, eight of them freshmen, it’s hard for fans to know for sure what to expect this season after losing five key contributors in Luke Johnson, Paul LaDue, Keaton Thompson, Troy Stecher and Nick Schmaltz to the NHL, along with an additional four graduating seniors.

According to Johnson, there is confidence in the locker room with the players UND has welcomed in this season, and everyone has the same goal to achieve a back-to-back championship. This season they will be setting their team mantra in motion, “We don’t rebuild. We reload.”

Reloading the squad with fresh feet that include Tyson Jost, drafted by the Colorado Avalanche 10th overall in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft, along with his former Penticton Vees teammates Dixon Bowen and Colton Poolman, Johnson has some capable players in front of him.

Counting down the days, UND will open their season Oct. 1 at the Ralph Engelstad Arena against the University of Manitoba Bison in front of a sold out crowd as the fans eagerly await the unveiling of the eighth banner, which was 16 years in the making.

Allyson Bento is the sports editor for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]