DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — Alec Martinez will be out to protect his own roving corner of Steve Cady Arena on Friday night when the top-ranked Miami RedHawks hockey team squares off with the second-ranked Michigan Wolverines.

But the Wolverines know they must be careful, in turn, to protect themselves against Martinez.

The junior from Rochester, Mich., is no ordinary defenseman.

Martinez ranks second in the nation in both goals scored by a defenseman (seven) and total points by a defenseman (24).

"A lot of it is just my teammates," Martinez said. "I have to give credit to my linemate, Kevin Roeder, and to the time I played with (Raymond) Eichenlaub earlier in the year."

And of course opponents have to keep an eye on other threats, he said, like Ryan Jones, Brian Kaufman, Justin Mercier, Carter Camper and Pat Canonne.

"When you're surrounded by great players," Martinez said, "you're going to be more productive.

"Everybody wants to score goals," he added, "and it's a great feeling when you're able to contribute to your team in the scorebook."

Still, Martinez's main focus is keeping the puck out of his own net.

"Every day I just focus on my game," he said. "As a defenseman, your game begins in the defensive zone, and then your offense develops from that.

"You make sure you keep your opponent in check," Martinez explained. "You're protecting your goalie, you're protecting your slot. One of the biggest things about playing defense is your positioning. You have to be smart."

Martinez said 46-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios of the NHL uses his years of experience and knowledge so that he "doesn't have to skate around and chase guys."

Instead, he said, you have to develop a sense of how the play is going to develop.

"You can't get too caught up with getting too focused on the puck," Martinez said. "You have to be aware of your surroundings. You have to have your head on a swivel."

Martinez said he began skating when he was 3 years old.

"When I was 5, I started playing organized hockey," he said, "and I skated the first couple of years at forward. I was 9 or 10 when I went to defense. I've enjoyed it ever since.

"There is a lot of pride to be had," Martinez added. "You don't always get the glory that forwards sometimes do, but you take a lot of pride in guarding your zone."

Martinez's zone doesn't have a "keep out" sign. With Miami goaltenders Jeff Zatkoff and Charlie Effinger combining for the nation's lowest goals-against average (1.53), it isn't necessary.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.