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High-scoring Drake Baldwin propels Madison West's postseason hockey hopes

By Jon Masson, Wisconsin State Journal, 02/09/18, 1:00AM CST

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Junior forward leads the state in goal scoring

slideshow photo by larry iles, creativefoto.net

Madison West junior Drake Baldwin, the state’s leading goal scorer in boys hockey, developed his game as a youth on the basement floor at home — sliding the puck on the concrete and firing shots at a net set up against a wall.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Baldwin — who possesses one of the hardest shots in the Big Eight Conference — definitely left his mark while trying to perfect finding the back of the net.

“It was a cement wall, so it didn’t do much (damage),” Baldwin said. “There were probably little black marks everywhere on the wall.”

From his first experience playing hockey at age 5 with a neighbor friend, and initial skating lessons at Madison Ice Arena when he was 6, Baldwin always has loved the challenge hockey presents.