Lindey continues her family's tradition on ice
SLIPPERY ROCK — Hannah Lindey is only 14, but the Slippery Rock native already has a lifetime of experience on the ice.
Lindey began playing hockey when she was only 3.
Her father, Jeff, was a hockey player and her sister, Ashley, now 21, and brother, Eric, now 18, also excelled at the sport.
Hannah Lindey followed in their skates.
“Yeah,” Jeff said. “She didn’t really have much of a choice.”
Lindey doesn’t mind. She has starred in the Pittsburgh Predators youth program for three years.
Lindey helped the Predators’ 14-and-under girls hockey team to a bronze medal at the USA Hockey Nationals in Amherst, N.Y., earlier this month.
Lindey, a goalie, had three shutouts in the first three games of the tournament and won another game 6-2 before the Predators lost.
“It’s amazing for me to get to do all of this,” Lindey said. “I love playing with my team.”
Lindey has only been playing goalie for three years. Before that, she was a defenseman.
She quickly adapted to the new position.
“As a kid, I always enjoyed watching (Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre) Fleury,” she said. “I started at a young age and was around it so much, I learned a lot. I can remember watching my brother play and it always seemed pretty fun.”
Lindey takes her goaltending seriously.
“My goalie coach always talks to me about angles,” Lindey said. “I always look at the defense and where the forwards are. I know my teammates and how they play. It all helps.”
Lindey also enjoys the travel.
She has played in tournaments in cities all over the Northeastern and Midwestern United States.
“I owe it all to my dad for traveling and taking me all over the place,” she said.
Lindey will move up to the 16-and-under Predators’ team next season. The age groups span to a 19-and-under team, so Lindey has plenty of hockey ahead of her.
She doesn’t know if she will remain a goalie, but to her, it doesn’t matter. She just enjoys being out on the ice — against girls or boys.
“I really enjoy defense,” she said. “I do play against boys in Bantam and I play defense.
“I don’t get a lot of penalties,” she added, laughing. “Just a few.”
