Minnesota’s Comprehensive Goalie Guide: The Metro East Conference
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One of the winningest conferences in the MSHL this past season, the Metro East was jam packed with talent and powerful programs, including Class A champion Mahtomedi. As such, it is only fitting the conference’s goalies get put under the…
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Continue ReadingOne of the winningest conferences in the MSHL this past season, the Metro East was jam packed with talent and powerful programs, including Class A champion Mahtomedi. As such, it is only fitting the conference’s goalies get put under the microscope for part two of this series where I predict every team’s starting goalie come this winter. This list has state champions, freshly minted starters, inexperienced newcomers, and everything in between. Let’s take a look.
St. Thomas Academy: Cody Nieson
This kid has a bright future ahead of him, and odds are, it is one that will involve plenty of hockey. As a sophomore playing on a conference leading 19-8 Cadet squad, Nieson only allowed a stingy 2.06 goals per game, paired with a .901 save percentage and three shutouts through 11 games played. These stats do not tell the whole story though, as Nieson was admittedly helped out by a solid Cadet defense and mostly conceded starting duties to senior Tyler Magozzi, who had a stellar year in his own right. Nonetheless, with Magozzi graduated, it seems like the starting role will go to Nieson, who has two more prep seasons to become an even better goalie for St. Thomas Academy.
Hill-Murray: Andrew Lane
A primarily reserve goalie who filled in as needed in 2022-2023, Andrew Lane is the definition of a guy who showed he can play with the limited reps he was given at goalie. Despite only appearing in four full games for his team, Lane went 3-1 as a starter, got a shutout, and finished with an impressive .930 save percentage, all against some solid competition. With the man he backed up this last season now gone, it will be Lane’s turn to step up and defend the net in his final season as a Pioneer.
Mahtomedi: Charlie Brandt Charlie Brandt 5'11" | Goalie Mahtomedi | 2024 State MN
In my short time here at Prep Hockey, I have already written about Charlie Brandt Charlie Brandt 5'11" | Goalie Mahtomedi | 2024 State MN multiple times, which should show how high caliber of a goalie he is. In his junior campaign for the Zephyrs, he went 16-8 as a starter, saved over 600 shots, and had one of the most memorable state tournament performances I have seen in a long time, all of which cultivated in a state title for Brandt and his team. He is clutch, experienced, talented, and best of all, has one more prep season left for the Zephyrs. He will be back in the winter for one last ride, and after stifling some of the best attacks Class A had to offer, I’m certain opposing locker rooms have already began game planning to face a guy like this.
Hastings: Open Contest
Any goalie that had any significant experience for Hastings is now graduated, leaving a wide open vacancy at the position. It is anyone’s guess as to who can fill this void, as the only non-senior who got time in net fared rather poorly, posting a dismal .733 save percentage during his 49 minutes between the pipes. Coming off a 15-10-1 season, the Raiders will need to figure out their goalie woes quickly if they want to replicate last year’s success.
Two Rivers: Brady Altier
Another rising senior who had to split time last season, Brady Altier is set to take over now that his older counterpart has moved on. He had a solid junior campaign in 2022-2023, and by the end of the season, had settled into his role nicely. He has a .930 save percentage and three shutouts, but his achilles heel is definitely facing top tier teams. He was shelled by St. Thomas Academy and Mahtomedi, but then again, many goalies were. Nonetheless, if Altier can get over the hump and play at a high level against any team, the sky is the limit for both him and his squad.
Simley: Rossini vs. Melendez
This one was too close to call for me, so I framed my guess like a boxing match title card, because it seems like it’ll be a slugfest between a pair of rising senior goalies. Franco Rossini and Mason Melendez both had solid, but not spectacular 2022-2023 campaigns. Although Melendez was primarily the starter and put up slightly better stats, Rossini still got a good deal of time and had a higher winning percentage, albeit with a smaller sample size of games. They are both slightly undersized, as each goalie is 5-foot-8 and in the mid 100’s in terms of weight. As it stands now, these two stack up very evenly against each other both physically and statistically, and should each have equal shots to claim the starting spot this coming winter.
Tartan: Ben Bangura
Despite a rough season for Tartan, one in which they lost 20 of their 26 contests, it seems like they will be sticking with Ben Bangura for his senior campaign. Although he did concede some time to his backup Damon Hennagir, Bangura’s 6-foot-1, 175 pound frame is long, limber, and effective at stopping the puck. Despite being on the hot seat all year considering Tartan’s lack of tallies in the win column, Bangura outpaced his competition in games played, wins, and save percentage, which is a big reason why I believe he’ll be the starter this winter.
South St. Paul: Wyatt Cheney
After an abysmal 4-21-1 season with not too many bright spots at any position, South St. Paul will enter this season with a big question mark as to who will step up and guard the goal for their team this winter. If I were a betting man though, I would guess Wyatt Cheney remains the guy for another year. His stats are admittedly a little concerning, but to be fair, the poor guy faced nearly 900 shots on goal in only 26 games. Despite an onslaught of shots against him on any given night, Cheney didn’t do half bad considering his lackluster defensive support, and even showed flashes of greatness throughout the year that could indicate a big leap forward in his development this winter. However, Cheney can’t get too comfortable, as South St. Paul has incoming freshman Wyatt Henderson on their roster, whose 6-foot-1, 225 pound frame could quickly develop into a force at goalie.