Minnesota’s Comprehensive Goalie Guide: The Independents (Part 2)
At long last, here we are, the true final installment of this series. 18 conferences and some 200 teams later, I have finally reached the only six teams in the state of Minnesota I haven’t covered yet. Another group of…
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Continue ReadingAt long last, here we are, the true final installment of this series. 18 conferences and some 200 teams later, I have finally reached the only six teams in the state of Minnesota I haven’t covered yet. Another group of independents, these remaining teams include State Tourney qualifiers, average squads pushing for excellence, teams that are simply in rebuild mode, and everything in between. With all of that out of the way, let’s take one last look at who will be manning the nets for these independent squads throughout the 2023-2024 year.
St. Cloud Cathedral: Nick Hansen
St. Cloud Cathedral’s state tourney run was backed by an excellent scoring core of young guys and their brick wall of a goalie named Nick Hansen, all of whom will be back and better than ever for the Crusaders during the 2023-2024 season. Through 30 games in the net, Hansen played behind a solid defensive cast that kept him facing only 27 shots per game, allowing him to be locked in for the shots that did come his way. Hansen’s 17-13 record, 2.34 Goals Against Average, .913 save percentage and four shutouts were about as good as it gets for Class of 2024 goalies, and put him in the upper echelon of the position statewide. Thanks to his stellar performance, he earned the chance to compete in the Ted Brill Great 8 Festival, a tournament designed to identify some of the best prep hockey players across the state. Hansen’s 2022-2023 campaign was already a historic one, and after putting the entire state on notice, he should have himself a great senior season with the Crusaders.
Moose Lake Area: Eli Gilbertson
When your team averages an abysmal 1.96 goals per game, it will naturally be very hard to play goalie, but Eli Gilbertson still suited up and played his best all of last year for a struggling Moose Lake Area squad. The sophomore had a 3-9 record and .872 save percentage, but considering his team won just five games all of last year, those numbers are not half bad. Gilbertson is a young guy with plenty of time to grow into his new role as the Rebels’ main guy in the net, and after spending his underclassmen years gaining valuable varsity experience, he should be set to take a major stride forward this coming winter.
St. Paul Johnson: Kray & Kasper
Speaking of teams that had trouble drumming up offense, St. Paul Johnson seemed to be outgunned all of last year, allowing 6.54 goals per game while only managing to muster up 1.67 goals per game themselves. Sophomores Justin Kasper and James Kray were assigned to take turns staving off opposing offenses, a task that proved to be quite difficult. Despite the chips being stacked against them, both guys had their moments, with Kasper notching all three of the Governors’ wins last season, while Kray was statistically superior to his position mate. Thanks to them both being willing to jump in and brave constant pressure, odds are high that St. Paul Johnson utilizes a tandem approach with these two once again this coming winter.
Duluth East: Raukar & Kronstedt
Duluth East has the luxury of returning two experienced, high level goalies on their roster, both of whom could likely take all of the reps on most of the other varsity programs statewide. Kole Kronstedt just barely edged out his teammate in playing time, and he took advantage of his expanded role, posting a 12-7-1 record, .882 save percentage and three shutouts. However, Drew Raukar was always hot on his heels, and the guy clearly played with a chip on his shoulder. He went 8-0 as a starter, allowed only 1.29 goals per game, and tacked on a .930 save percentage to go with three shutouts that constantly kept him in contention for the starting spot. However, when it came to playoffs, Kronstedt was the guy Duluth East went with, and he took them all the way to the Section Championship, where they eventually lost 2-7 to a very good Andover program. Time will tell if one of them dethrones the other, but for now, the competition seems to keep them both at their absolute best, and the Greyhounds should continue to let iron sharpen iron.
Gentry Academy: Open Contest
Speaking of high level programs, Gentry Academy caught fire last season. After going 20-7 in 2021-2022, they performed below expectations to kick off last year, and held a 12-8 record late in the year that came at a surprise to many, including me. However, they got on a roll, won seven in a row, and ended their season one game away from the state tournament. While this is fine and dandy for Gentry, they now have a goalie problem, as the two seniors they assigned to net protecting duties last year have both graduated, leaving whoever comes in next with no varsity experience in a Gentry uniform. Knowing this school, they probably have an ace up their sleeve, but so far, they have kept it well hidden, as I don’t have the faintest clue as to who will man the net for this team in the winter.
Rochester Lourdes: Xander Carter-Kleven Xander Carter-Kleven 5'11" | Goalie Rochester Lourdes | 2024 State MN
Xander Carter-Kleven Xander Carter-Kleven 5'11" | Goalie Rochester Lourdes | 2024 State MN was an iron man for Rochester Lourdes all of last season, playing every last minute of the 27 games his team competed in. Through the good games and the bad, he posted respectable numbers across the board that included a 10-17 record, an .897 save percentage, and two shutouts against Bloomington Kennedy and Winona. However, it is clear he lost a lot of pieces around him, as the year prior in 2021-2022, the guy put up numbers far surpassing those from his junior campaign. Carter-Kleven was an all-state caliber goalie during this stretch, owning an 18-6 record and .930 save percentage to go with seven shutouts. While his stats from 2022-2023 may indicate he has “regressed”, there are plenty of other factors at play here, like Rochester Lourdes’ own regression that saw them go from a 19-8 powerhouse two seasons ago to a 10-17, first round exit in 2022-2023. The Eagles are likely thrilled to have Carter-Kleven returning for another year, as he has been a force in the net for this team since he was a freshman. I expect him to have a great fourth and final season between the pipes for the Eagles.