Goaltender Chad March, 20, jumped at the chance to play for the Thorold Blackhawks.

In his quest for an education, March joined Thorold to raise his game and show schools in the United States what he's made of.

"I came to the Junior B league because of the exposure," said March. "I'm trying to get a scholarship. I want to get into business over in the United States."

The Oakville native is currently balancing hockey with communications courses at Brock University.

"He's a smart guy, one of those guys who's always funny. Always in a good mood," said Dave Marrone, Thorold's director of hockey operations.

The Blackhawks liked what they saw of March in the Junior C circuit when he played with the Dundas Blues.

"I liked him right from the start. He should have made our team last year," said Marrone. "He's a big kid that has good lateral movement. We always have a chance to win when he's in net."

At 6-foot-3 and weighing close to 200 pounds, March spent a lot of time working out to prepare for the Blackhawks. Last year in the gym he was squatting 125 pounds, but he's pushed himself up to working with 365 pounds, in an effort to stay quick on his feet.

Coach Rudy Tokarz told him they want a competitive duo between him and veteran counterpart Marcus Menard, a Welland native who posted a 17-9 record last season.

"I talked to the coach last game. He wants me to step up and play to the best of my ability," said March. "He expects that every night and he shouldn't expect less than that. If I'm not playing at my peak, then it's my problem that I have to deal with. I have to work harder at it."

Still early in the season March is 0-2 in three games and has a .864 save percentage.

"It's pretty exciting. I like the pace more than Junior C. My first game was against Port Colborne, we lost 3-2," March said. "But it was high tempo. I thought I played a really good game."

When the other players arrive an hour before game time, March is already sitting in his equipment.

"I don't really talk to anyone. That's my whole mental psyche. It's kind of weird," he said. "People will try to talk to me in between periods and I just nod at them. I don't like speaking until I hit the ice. I get called weird all the time."

March enjoys the advice he swaps with Menard in between periods and after games.

"We talk to each other all the time. The relationship we have isn't like I want him to screw up, so that I can go in. I don't want him to screw up," said March. "I want to see how he can improve his game and I mine. Getting it from a different goalie's perspective is always beneficial."

March is happy to play behind Thorold's defenders like veterans Jake Braun and Chris Eyles, and the rest of the defensive core: Reid Lesswing, Ryan Rinneard, Christopher Lane, Jason Turcin and Zack Jones.

"I like setting up the puck for our defence. If they don't get hit, then I'm happy because they're happy," he said. "It's a lot easier to play with guys who can move the puck around to spaces where they know people are going to be."

March's mother, Ronnie, lives in Oakville, but still drives to all of her son's games.

"She comes out to every single game, even in Port Colborne and Fort Erie," he said. "She's supported me in every single thing I've wanted to do in life." A butterfly-style goaltender, March said making the National Hockey League is not why he came to Thorold.

"That'd be great. It's not my main goal. It's to get an education first, because you need that in life to fall back on," he said. "I was really happy to come here in the summer. They have that winning tradition. For them to pursue me was great. I'm really excited."