It seemed ironic. The kid who had made a career out of remaining out of the glare of the spotlight was sitting front and center.

Here was Shawn Hunwick, surrounded by reporters in the lounge of Michigan's hockey office being asked about everything from his tenacity and reputation as the quintessential underdog to his actual height.

It seemed fitting. The under-sized walk-on goalie who has spent much of his career having his hockey abilities questioned remained steady, taking every inquisitive shot.

Much like he had over the past two weekends he has spent as the Wolverines' last line of defense, Hunwick appeared comfortable, having readied himself for this chance for the past three years.

He also came prepared with a shot of his own for those trying to understand what the previous two weeks had been like for a career back-up.

"I always said if I ever get into the game, I'm not going to give into the media and start doing the interviews," Hunwick joked this week. "They weren't calling before."

Considering the challenge he faces in this weekend's best-of-three Central Collegiate Hockey Association playoff series against rival Michigan State, Hunwick can't afford to get sidetracked by outside influences - let alone new-found media attention.

"If I do," Hunwick says smiling, "the boys will bring me down real quick."

Having made just three career starts, the junior goalie who still pays his own way at Michigan faces this situation: Between the pipes, season on the line, Michigan's 19-year NCAA tournament run in jeopardy - all while standing center stage in Munn Ice Arena.

Tough road to Michigan

As much as Shawn Hunwick always hoped to play at Michigan - a school where his older brother Matt Hunwick had been a star defenseman before reaching the NHL - finding his way to Ann Arbor wasn't easy.

Because of his size, Hunwick didn't have a wealth of Division I college scholarship offers. He opted to begin in junior hockey, ending up in Alpena, more than 200 miles from where his brother made his collegiate hockey home.

A series of concussions complicated Hunwick's plans. It was the third head injury, which occurred during a rapid fire drill during an otherwise routine practice in Alpena, put things into perspective.

Hunwick sustained a serious concussion after being hit in the head on successive shots. The first broke the buckle on his helmet, knocking it off Hunwick's head. The second hit Hunwick's head, dropping him to the ice and ending his season.

Rather than chase after the minimal Division attention he'd garnered, Hunwick planned to attend Adrian College, where he could get a solid education while playing in a much different hockey environment for Adrian's upstart Division III program.

"I was almost ready to be done with hockey," Hunwick said. "(The concussions) were a serious matter, and I thought I'd have some fun with (hockey), nothing crazy."

Still, while Matt Hunwick skated for the Wolverines, Shawn hung around, content to be near Red Berenson's program.

Then the Wolverines found themselves in need of a third goalie. Just like that, the opportunity Hunwick wanted was there for the taking, albeit in a walk-on role with no guarantees. The offer made all the difference.

"Once I got to Michigan, my love for the game came right back," Hunwick said.

Hunwick 'a good team player'

Hunwick has spent the past three seasons buried on the depth chart, first behind Billy Sauer and Bryan Hogan before being sandwiched between Hogan and Patrick Summers.

Despite getting virtually no playing time, Hunwick continued to work. Although his 5-foot-7 frame wasn't ideal, he continued to find ways to use his quickness to make up for his lack of size. But there was always something deeper.

"He's always dealt with not being the biggest guy and obviously, he wants to prove people wrong," said Matt Hunwick, who is in his second full season with the Boston Bruins. "But he's always had this work ethic, and he knew that if he ever wanted to play at Michigan, he'd have to work his way all the way up."

When Hogan sustained a groin injury two weeks ago against Notre Dame, Hunwick became Michigan's goal-tending solution. One relief appearance led to a first career start, which transitioned into Hunwick being named the Wolverines' starter for last weekend's CCHA playoff series against Lake Superior State.

Hunwick played a key role in both games, stopping 49 of the 51 shots he faced during a sweep propelled the Wolverines into this weekend's quarterfinal match-up with the No. 2-seeded Spartans in East Lansing.

"I don't think he was given a lot of credit during the season and now, he's proving everyone wrong," Michigan senior captain Chris Summers said. "That's huge, and I think that gives us confidence just to know we can trust him and that he's on his game."

Just like that, a goalie who Berenson questioned became the player his teammates rallied around. Berenson began referring to his new starting goalie as "Rudy" - after the former pint-sized Notre Dame football walk-on that found his way onto the field after years of trying.

"He's been a good team player for three years - no complaints, no nothing," Berenson said. "None of us had a clue that he'd be starting our first round of the playoffs. He's obviously a player's goalie - the players like him, they're playing hard for him, and he's a fighter."

Fighting comes natural to Hunwick, who is now 3-1 in goal since taking over for Hogan. Despite his size - which he said this week is "5-6-ish" - Hunwick has made a name for himself. He also leans on the experience of his brother, who he speaks to on a regular basis. Matt also serves as his younger brother's critic, helping sharpen Shawn's mental toughness.

The two have spoken more regularly since Hunwick has become a starter. They'll often talk hockey, but Matt also uses the chats to keep up with his Shawn is doing in school and in other areas of everyday life.

With Matt in the midst of an NHL season and Shawn busy with school and the CCHA playoffs, keeping in touch isn't always easy. But the two brothers have made it a priority.

"We don't get to see each other as much as we used to," Matt said Wednesday. "So the phone is all we have."

Matt has been able to keep up with Shawn through Internet broadcasts of Michigan hockey games and through their parents, who attended last weekend's series against Lake Superior State. Michigan hockey has always been a big part of the Hunwick's lives, even when Shawn hasn't been in net.

"He wants us to win," Shawn of his brother's attention to his alma mater. "He's not happy that Michigan is having a little bit of a down year, so he's pulling for everyone. But it's just nice to talk to him - it's just someone different to talk to."

The two often talk about remaining sharp, especially when Shawn being in a position that is 90 percent mental.

"I'm a pretty confident kid," Hunwick said. "I've kind of battled adversity my whole life with my height. Obviously, you want people to think you're a good goalie, but you really can't be too worried about it.

"Right now, it's all about Michigan hockey and getting wins. It really doesn't matter what people think or say about me. As long as we win, I'm happy."

Jeff Arnold covers Michigan hockey for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at jeffarnold@annarbor.com or 734-623-2554. Follow him at Twitter @jeffreyparnold.