Minnesota’s Comprehensive Goalie Guide: The Iron Range
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My deep dive looking at Minnesota’s finest in the net brings me to the Iron Range, far past the suburbs. A northeastern Minnesota conference with only four teams, the Iron Range operates on a small scale, but make no mistake,…
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Continue ReadingMy deep dive looking at Minnesota’s finest in the net brings me to the Iron Range, far past the suburbs. A northeastern Minnesota conference with only four teams, the Iron Range operates on a small scale, but make no mistake, there is plenty of talent around the north shore. From a top two goalie in the state to three other returning full time starters, I was pleasantly surprised by the caliber of goalies that occupied this conference. That being said, let’s take a look at who I think will be manning the nets across the Iron Range during the 2023-2024 season.
Rock Ridge: Ryan Rothfork Ryan Rothfork 5'9" | Goalie Rock Ridge | 2024 State MN
In my short stint here at Prep Hockey, this is already the third article I’ve written that brings up Ryan Rothfork Ryan Rothfork 5'9" | Goalie Rock Ridge | 2024 State MN ‘s name, and for good reason. The rising senior was one of the best goalies in the state last year, and he is poised to have yet another great season for the Wolverines. The 5-foot-9, 145 pounder may not fit a conventional goalie mold, but his lithe frame gives him his own unique set of strengths. For example, Rothfork is much more agile than his larger counterparts at the position, and this quickness allows him to pluck pucks out of the air, even when he is out of position. He’s got flexibility, speed, and a nice glove hand to match, all skills that put him in the upper echelon of prep goalies in 2022-2023. His .932 save percentage put him in the top 10 for goalies statewide, and second among his Class of 2024 peers. The guy also gets it done in the W column, as his 12-5-1 record between the pipes indicates. Rock Ridge is bringing back a handful of their top guys, including their best defenseman, Sam Troutwine Sam Troutwine 6'4" | Defense Rock Ridge | 2024 State MN . The 6-foot-4, 210 pound bruiser was a first team All-Conference member and one of Rothfork’s top supporters last season, and the two will likely spend another winter stifling opposing attacks together.
Greenway: Derek Gibeau
Greenway’s rough 8-18 season can be attributed to a multitude of shortcomings, with one of the most glaring being an offense that could only drum up 1.96 goals per game. Although their defense didn’t fare much better, junior goalie Derek Gibeau showed some flashes of greatness that could indicate a big senior year for the guy. In his first full year on varsity as the main goalie, Gibeau put up a 6-11 record that outpaced his team’s regular season mark, saved over 500 shots, and posted a .884 save percentage, a solid number when looking at his team’s overall success last season. Some games, Gibeau was great, like when he saved 26 of 27 shots en route to a 4-1 victory over conference opponent North Shore. Other games, he wasn’t so great, like his outing against Duluth Denfeld where he allowed six goals and posted a dismal .769 save percentage on the day. All that being said though, growing pains are a necessary evil for a blossoming goalie, and Gibeau showed he is on the right track in terms of becoming a consistent force in the net. If he can iron out a few kinks and play at a high level against top Class A opponents, I expect him to make a big stride forward this coming season.
International Falls: Keaton Maish
The Broncos toed the line between a .500 mark all year, ultimately falling just short of it after posting a 13-14 record during the 2022-2023 season. Now that their main goalie has graduated too, it is up to this team to get Keaton Maish ready for a season in which he will likely be the main guy in the net. Like many goalies I have covered in this series so far, Maish lacked any kind of varsity experience entering last season, and it admittedly showed at times. He allowed ten goals versus Providence Academy, and saved only 11 of 16 shots en route to a loss against Red Lake Falls. These two games plummeted Maish’s save percentage to a .838 mark on the season, but if you look at his other contests, it’s clear Maish actually had a very solid sophomore campaign in terms of development. Throughout his last three games, the underclassmen saved 44 of the 49 shots that came his way, went 3-0 as a starter, and put up an .898 save percentage during this stretch, a very solid number. Maish clearly grew a lot as a goalie throughout last year, and he should continue to get better as his career progresses for International Falls.
North Shore: Zach Bentler
Simply put, North Shore needs to get Zach Bentler some help. The rising senior faced a whopping 732 shots across 18 games in 2022-2023, or over 40 a game if we are talking averages. When Bentler was against top competition though, that number was far higher. Throughout the regular season, this guy faced 68 shots versus Rock Ridge, 67 shots in a game against Hermantown, and even had to brave 71 shots in three periods against Hibbing/Chisholm. Despite this constant pressure in the majority of games Bentler started, he still posted a respectable .871 save percentage, which was a decent mark considering what he had to deal with last season. If nothing else, this kid clearly has heart. To be fair though, the Storm are a young team, and this past season was likely more about building chemistry and developing these young guys rather than winning, which will come in due time. They are bringing back the majority of their first and second lines, meaning this team, along with Bentler, could be due for a big collective stride forward this coming season.