Minnesota’s Comprehensive Goalie Guide: The Lake Conference
For my second series here at Prep Hockey, I will be attempting the arduous but exciting task of predicting every team’s projected goalie for the upcoming season, starting with the Lake conference, a division known for some good hockey. There…
Access all of Prep Hockey
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingFor my second series here at Prep Hockey, I will be attempting the arduous but exciting task of predicting every team’s projected goalie for the upcoming season, starting with the Lake conference, a division known for some good hockey. There will be studs, returners ready to prove they can be the guy, fierce position battles, and plenty of hungry athletes set to make their varsity debuts. Let’s get into it.
Minnetonka: Hunter Bauer
For the Skippers perennially powerful program, I got Hunter Bauer sitting between the pipes for the 2023-2024 season. The rising senior has a handful of varsity games on his resume already, and he did a lot with the time he was given. Appearing in 10 varsity matches this last year, Bauer posted 73 saves compared to allowing only two goals. This impressive .971 save percentage, along with being credited with five wins, shows me that Bauer is ready to step into the spotlight this coming season.
Wayzata: Open Contest
The Trojans have graduated both their senior goalies looking ahead to 2023-2024 season, and the loss of Will Ingemann especially has to hurt. The senior stud allowed only 1.38 goals per game, posted an impressive .941 save percentage, and had six shutouts on top of all of that. It will be anyone’s job to take with Ingemann gone and graduated, but whoever takes the reins will have big shoes to fill and 0 games of varsity experience to boot.
Edina: Joe Bertram
Joe Bertram will more likely than not be Edina’s guy in the net heading into this winter. Coming off a season he spent mostly backing up stellar senior Robbie Clarkowski, Bertram posted a .930 saved percentage compared to Clarkowski’s .936, albeit with a few less saves. Nonetheless, Bertram held his own and played well whenever his number was called. This combined with a solid summer camp should be enough to earn him the starting job for his senior campaign.
Eden Prairie: Isaiah Paulnock
Now this is where things get a little interesting. Although I personally think Isaiah Paulnock will get the nod for starter once the puck drops, this is definitely still an open competition between two goalies, as Jack Mlodozyniec also saw time in net this last season. Both rising seniors may have varsity experience, but as it stands now, the numbers favor Paulnock, who has a higher save percentage and allows less goals per game, despite posting a 11-12-1 record in net. Mlodozyniec seems to need more polishing, but to his credit, the team was 2-1 with him goaltending, and the opponents he faced certainly weren’t slouches either. I have Paulnock winning the job as it stands now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the two split time to begin the year until a clear cut favorite makes themselves known.
Buffalo: Max Varner Max Varner 5'11" | Goalie Buffalo | 2024 State MN
The only true returning starter so far on this list, Max Varner Max Varner 5'11" | Goalie Buffalo | 2024 State MN is a seasoned goalie with plenty of experience in the Lake conference. Through 26 games in net, he amassed 700 saves, won 13 games, and had three shutouts, including one against Wayzata where he stopped 44 shots. This guy can clearly play puck, but in order for him to flourish in his role this coming year, Varner will need some more support. His offense could only muster up 2.62 goals per game, making them one of the weakest scoring teams in the conference.
St. Michael-Albertville: Owen Westerman
Following a dismal 5-19-2 season, one of the biggest problems for the Knights was their lack of a clear cut goalie. On the bright side, this means they have two goalies with about 20 games of varsity experience each, and both have plenty of room to grow and improve their skill sets for this winter. Owen Westerman and Noah Sutlief were the pair of juniors between the pipes this past season, but I think Westerman has the edge. On paper, their stats are almost identical, but Westerman was called in to clean up Sutlief’s mess a few times after he had some rough starts against Moorhead and Edina. Nonetheless, both goalies had their ups and downs last winter, and similar to Eden Prairie’s situation, I think it will take a few games until any of us know who the definite starter is.
Hopkins: Carson Hauger
The Royals had a similar revolving door at goaltender, but at the end of the season, it seems like Carson Hauger was the guy for the next season. The sophomore may have been inconsistent at points throughout this past season, but he also showed flashes of greatness that could translate very well into his junior campaign. His .907 save percentage is respectable, and his three shutouts in tight games are worth noting, both for the skill and poise necessary to stop shots at that level with the game on the line. Rising senior James Davis could give Hauger a run for his money, but as it stands now, I have the latter starting the season off for Hopkins.