Minnesota’s Comprehensive Goalie Guide: NW Suburban (Part 2)
One thing that really surprised me about today’s issue of the all inclusive goalie guide was just how many teams have a wide open spot in the net this upcoming year. The top half of the Northwest Suburban Conference all…
Access all of Prep Hockey
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOne thing that really surprised me about today’s issue of the all inclusive goalie guide was just how many teams have a wide open spot in the net this upcoming year. The top half of the Northwest Suburban Conference all seem to have the position taken care of, with either returning starters or backups with varsity experience stepping up to take the reins for this winter. However, a handful of teams in the bottom half of this conference are ill-prepared for this upcoming season. Not having any returners with varsity experience in the net is a recipe for disaster, but these teams could also have aces up their sleeves I’m simply unaware of. That being said, let’s cut the small talk and dive right in to part two of the goalie guide for the Northwest Suburban Conference.
Elk River/Zimmerman: Stockman & Greniuk
Sam Stockman Sam Stockman 5'9" | Goalie Elk River | 2024 State MN and Gavin Greniuk are two solid goaltenders who should both have a role in protecting the net for the Elks. Stockman sported more wins between the two, posting a 7-8 record that outclassed his fellow goalie. However, Greniuk put up a higher save percentage, and his .916 success rate was an above average number for varsity goaltenders statewide. Both of these guys should get chances to show their stuff, and considering they already split time pretty much right down the middle last season, I’d guess the Elks will run back their tandem approach to net protection.
Osseo: Open Contest
Osseo deployed two senior goaltenders last year, each playing a handful of games en route to the team’s 11-15 season and first round exit at the hands of powerhouse Maple Grove. The Orioles had an up and down season in 2022-2023, and as it stands now, they have a big question mark in place of a starting goalie. No one has any varsity experience in net save for the two graduated seniors, making this a less than ideal position for whoever has to come in cold turkey. I have no clue who will man the net for Osseo this coming winter, but they will be in for an interesting ride.
Coon Rapids: Will Wagner
Will Wagner split time with another Class of 2024 net protector last year, but after a solid junior campaign, I say Wagner has earned the right to be the main guy for his team going forward. Through 16 games between the pipes, he had a 9-7 record and an .892 save percentage, not to mention a clutch gene he showcased down the stretch for his team. In the first round of playoffs, Wagner put on a 49 save showcase against an electrifying Duluth East offense that scores nearly five goals per game. While the game ultimately resulted in a loss for Wagner and the Cardinals, his performance kept them in the fight until the final horn, and the coaching staff will likely keep this in mind when selecting their main goalie for this upcoming season.
Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper: Open Contest
Similar to Osseo, this Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper team used two senior goalies during their 2022-2023 campaign, leaving no room to develop any underclassmen guys. This will lead to quite the predicament for this upcoming season, as the team has no guy to lean on, leaving the net wide open as it stands now.
Spring Lake Park: Brock Lueck
Brock Lueck handled most of the net protecting duties for Spring Lake Park’s varsity team as a sophomore, and the kid did a great job. Through 16 games in the net, his record wasn’t phenomenal (to be fair, SLP did go 8-18 on the year), but his .889 save percentage was pretty great for a young guy still getting familiar with the breakneck pace of play at the varsity level. Lueck has two more seasons to hold down the fort for the Panthers, and he should only continue to improve as he gains experience.
Anoka: Lauren Lafferty
A phenom on her National Champion Green Giants travel team last year, Lauren Lafferty stepped up for Anoka to take on a new challenge: Becoming the starting goalie on the Men’s Varsity team. So far, she has been as good as advertised. Despite being a younger athlete on a struggling team, Lafferty put up a solid .875 save percentage during the 2022-2023 season, a number that will only get better as she settles into her new role. On top of her solid season stats, Lafferty had her fair share of standalone performances too. She flashed the leather on plenty of occasions, including a 45 save effort against conference opponent Spring Lake Park. Lafferty has already proven herself as Anoka’s go-to-goalie for this upcoming season, and it will be exciting to see how she’s upgraded her game once the puck drops this winter.
Blaine: Open Contest
Coming off a 4-23 season where they snagged a surprising postseason victory, the Bengals are back to square one now, looking to build off of last year’s team in hopes of having a better year. Unfortunately for them, two of the pieces they lost were both senior goalies who took on all of the varsity minutes for their team. For whatever reason, this seems to be a common theme in the Northwest Suburban. Similar to both Osseo and Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper, Blaine will be scrambling to find a goalie for this fast approaching season.