Offseason breakdown No. 41: St. Francis

With the 2020-21 season still months out, it’s time to take a look at teams from all over the State of Hockey and examine what happened this past season and what’s ahead. The next team we’re breaking down is St. Francis.

How last season went

The Fighting Saints brought their offensive ’A’ game from the opening puck drop as they averaged 4.48 goals per game. Through the first 18 games of the regular season, St. Francis held a 9-8-1 record.

Then, the Fighting Saints hit another gear as the regular season was nearly completed. They won six consecutive games. Those wins came against the likes of Duluth Marshall and Chisago Lakes.

Eventually, St. Francis found itself pitted against Princeton in the Section 5A quarterfinals. The Fighting Saints couldn’t crack the code to postseason success and saw their postseason run end after just one game.

Who’s back and who’s gone

Not only was St. Francis powerful on the offensive end, the team’s top two scorers are set to return next season. Cody Strate leads the pack following a 56-point season (26 goals, 30 assists). Not far behind is Dylan Strate (18G, 29A). That included a four-goal performance against the Hilltoppers.

Beyond that, there are some key losses for the Fighting Saints. Ike Hassel and Gunnar Grames each graduate after combining for 27 goals and 29 assists in their final seasons in the program. Caleb Young also graduates after playing 13 games as the St. Francis goaltender where he finished with a .896 save percentage.

A good piece of news for the Fighting Saints is the experience Spencer White gained this past season in 11 games. He’s set to return after posting a .885 save percentage.

What to expect next season

The offensive prowess should be back in the form of the Strates. Since St. Francis moved down to Class 1A, the Fighting Saints seem like a much more difficult force to handle. This is especially true in the topsy turvy Section 5A.