At 5 feet 9 and 150 pounds, upon first glance New Boston Huron-Belleville United hockey captain Andrew Miller has all the intimidation power of one of those Emoji pillows with a smiley face on it.
But then Miller does his magic on the ice, the puck goes in the back of the net, and opponents can only wonder what hit them as they watch Miller and his teammates celebrate another goal.
“He does not like to lose and that fierce competitiveness that he has, it has made him the prolific scorer that he is,” coach Bob Murray said.
Miller had been more than just prolific. He led the state in goals for the regular season with 55 to go along with 23 assists. His season ended Monday during a Division 1 pre-regional state playoff game in Dearborn with a 7-2 loss to No. 4-ranked Northville, which scored four goals in the third period to break open a close game.
Miller was held scoreless but did have a couple of good chances in the second period, hitting the post on one shot and being stopped on a breakaway.
Still, the 78 points this year was a great way for Miller to cap off a nice four-year career.
A three-sport athlete who is a wide receiver on the football team and a catcher on the baseball team at New Boston Huron, Miller’s biggest passion though is hockey, and it’s not hard for him to find the image of when he fell in love with the sport.
In a box in his house, Miller has an old photo of when he was 4 years old and his parents took him to an ice rink for the first time.
“It just makes me happy because of how much I love the game of hockey and that my parents got me into it,” Miller said.
Growing up, Miller said he looked up a lot to former NHL player Martin St. Louis, another undersized player who went on to have a long professional career.
Murray said what Miller lacks in size, he makes up for with his tenacity, intelligence, speed and quick shot.
“He’s not a big kid out there, but he plays so strong on his skates and anticipates so well,” Murray said.
Miller’s future beyond high school is uncertain at the moment, but Murray said U-M Dearborn, Schoolcraft and Lawrence Tech are college programs who have been in touch this year.
Once he graduates, Miller just hopes any college program will look at his production, not his size.
“I’m just really quick on the ice,” Miller said. “I don’t really think my size matters. It’s just the way I play.”
New Boston Huron’s Andrew Miller (10) with his teammates near the start of the third period against Northville at Dearborn Ice Skating Center on Feb. 27, 2017.
New Boston Huron’s Andrew Miller, currently leading the state in goals scored, after the game against Northville at Dearborn Ice Skating Center on Feb. 27, 2017.