Minnesota’s Comprehensive Goalie Guide: The Tri-Metro Conference
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For my second series at Prep Hockey, I have been in the midst of predicting every team’s starting goalie for the 2023-2024 season, and today, the Tri-Metro will be showcased. A smaller conference with only five teams, the city-centric conference…
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Continue ReadingFor my second series at Prep Hockey, I have been in the midst of predicting every team’s starting goalie for the 2023-2024 season, and today, the Tri-Metro will be showcased. A smaller conference with only five teams, the city-centric conference has plenty of athletes on the ice, and their goalies consist of returning starters, unproven reserves, and even someone who faced an average of 45 shots per game. Let’s get right into it.
Minneapolis: Mike Shroat Mike Shroat 6'1" | Goalie Minneapolis | 2024 State MN
Minneapolis’ get it done goalie in the 2022-2023 year, Mike Shroat Mike Shroat 6'1" | Goalie Minneapolis | 2024 State MN is a shutout specialist who can nullify a team’s attack if he is locked in. During his junior campaign, Shroat had a whopping eight shutouts in only 20 games between the pipes, flashing the leather against all sorts of teams on his way to a 13-5-1 record in net. He allowed under two goals per game, and his .909 save percentage was weighed down due to a few out of character performances against some solid teams. Shroat definitely had some growing pains getting set as his team’s primary goalie this past year, but the upside he showed should excite the coaching staff out in Minneapolis. His team is coming off a solid 16 win season, and with a fully formed Shroat in net this coming winter, I’m sure that win total will only increase.
Academy of Holy Angels: Luke Marsalek
The Stars are a young team chalked full of talent, and their goalie is no exception to this norm. The rising junior Luke Marsalek spent his sophomore season anchoring the net for his team, and he did an unbelievable job at this. His .900 save percentage and two shutouts on the year aren’t necessarily eye popping, but his 18-7 record sure is. In what should have been a developmental year for the young goalie, Marsalek shined, earning his stripes to become the team’s main goaltender heading forward. The 6-foot-3, 180 pounder occupies a good deal of the net already with his size, and his lean and agile build help him pluck away pucks intended for the back of his net. With a roster that includes a triad of experienced sophomores and a junior who posted 75 points last year, Marsalek and the Stars are only set to get better as their roster sharpens their skills and continues to log varsity experience far beyond their years.
St. Paul Highland Park: Calum Axelson
Another Class of 2025 member on this list, Calum Axelson spent this past season developing behind senior Ben Olson, getting sporadic playing time as the season went on. In his 10 games between the pipes, Axelson posted 4-2-1 record with 174 saves and a .883 save percentage. These solid numbers hold even more weight when Highland’s 10-14-2 record is taken into consideration. The Scots had a rough year by most measures of the word, but Axelson sure seemed to be able to pilot his team to victory. He will enter his junior season with some solid experience and a few impressive individual performances under his belt, making him the Scots’ top choice to put in the net come this winter.
Irondale: Alex Sabev Alex Sabev 6'0" | Goalie Irondale | 2024 State MN
Alex Sabev Alex Sabev 6'0" | Goalie Irondale | 2024 State MN ‘s glove hand is probably still sore three months after the season ended, and his blocker is certainly worn down. The rising senior faced an onslaught of shots during this past season. 1,152 in 26 games, to be exact. Despite facing nearly 45 shots a game, Sabev was an absolute workhorse, playing 25 of his 26 contests all the way through, and posting some impressive stats along the way, especially considering his circumstances. The .917 save percentage and two shutouts Sabev put up are crazy impressive when faced with the constant pressure he was under, and this was enough to grant him the honor of being named the Tri-Metro goalie of the year in 2022-2023. Irondale’s defensive corps were young and inexperienced last year, and if they begin to click as this upcoming season approaches, this Knight team could be poised for a breakout year.
Bloomington Kennedy: Rohr Brockman
One of the worst teams in the state this last season, Bloomington Kennedy’s 3-23 record could not be salvaged by any one piece or player, and they will need a complete overhaul if they want to compete this coming year. Rohr Brockman was the main guy in net last season, and while he did lack consistency, that is to be expected from anyone on a struggling team. As I dove into the box scores and statistics of this guy though, I did see some things I liked. For one, he definitely has the ability to play good hockey for three periods. It was on display against teams like Irondale, Bloomington Jefferson, and Hopkins, all games in which his save percentage was well above .900, despite facing 117 shots during those three matches alone. It doesn’t take an expert to see that Brockman needs more help on defense, and if he gets the help he both needs and deserves, the 2023-2024 team captain should have himself a statistically solid year in the net.