A.J. Bucchino knows there are things he can control. The soft wristers, the slap shots from the point and each game he plays for the University of Wisconsin- River Falls hockey team – it’s in the Bow native’s power to dictate the outcome of each.

Yet, the beauty of Bucchino’s ascent into one of Division III’s top goalies also stems from his understanding that there are things beyond his grasp.

Unlike the countless shots that have gone and died in the webbing of his left-handed glove, things like the past – including one “angry” year at the University of New Hampshire – and, to an extent, his future, are out of his hands every time he skates in net.

He knows this, and it’s helped him be so in-tune to what it takes to dominate. But it wasn’t always this way.

As a junior netminder, Bucchino is off to another great year for the 7-1 and sixthranked Falcons. He ranks in the top 20 in the country in goals-against average at 2.11, save percentage at .931 and minutes played.

He’s helped spearhead a penalty kill that hasn’t allowed a power play goal in 37 straight situations, and the hours of game tape he’s watched to critique himself have helped him become “one of those goaltenders who can win a game by himself,” said UW-River Falls coach Steve Freeman.

Having the requisite talent has never been Bucchino’s problem. A two-time MVP and champion at the Tilton School and a standout for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers, Bucchino entered his freshman season at UNH in the fall of 2003 with hopes of proving himself as a Division-I goaltender.

But playing behind senior workhorse Michael Ayers and sophomore Jeff Pietrasiak, Bucchino never got that chance.

“I’m not going to lie, I was very angry,” Bucchino said. “My confidence was a little shot because that was the first time in my career that I was second fiddle, maybe even the third fiddle on the bench. I have too much of a good arrogance to sit on the bench and watch the game go by and knowing I could go somewhere else to play.”

Luckily, as Bucchino stewed and a second stint with Des Moines proved a viable option, a lunch date changed his life.

Connected through a mutual family friend, Bob Tewksbury – a former Major League pitcher, Concord resident and sports psychologist – asked Bucchino to meet with him to talk about his situation.

At the time, Tewksbury was finishing his masters degree at Boston University and was still about a year away from working for the Boston Red Sox, whom he still serves as a sports psychologist in their minor-league system.

Bucchino was the first hockey player he dealt with, while Tewksbury – whose son, Griffin, plays for the Concord High team – was Bucchino’s first step toward “putting my head back on my shoulders,” Bucchino said.

“A.J. has focused on the process,” said Tewksbury, who still trades phone calls and e-mails with Bucchino. “And I think the reason he’s been able to do so well is that he thinks about what he has to do today to be good, and he doesn’t worry about anything else.”

Bucchino’s more level-headed approach has helped him finally feel comfortable, now playing at UW-River Falls. He hopes to repeat as an All-NHCA first-team selection, help lead the Falcons to a national title and one day play hockey professionally.

“He’s such a fiery competitor,” Freeman said. “And since the beginning of last year to the beginning of this year, I think he’s more consistent as far as controlling his emotions. He’s able to bounce back if he gets beat.”

That ability, however, has always been under his control.