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There are a number of very good goalies out there this year. Who's the best and why?

Moorhead always seems to have great goaltending, is that true again this year? Haven't been following HSH as much lately. I've seen Begley at HM in two games. Thought he looked very good but would have loved to see the Blaine game where is sounds like he was magical in the 3rd.

Heard good things about Benson at SW but haven't seen him play yet.

Matt Fitzgerald

This is always a touchy subject but here is my take. Every year there are a few goalies who's numbers are elevated due to the team out in front of them, some for the better (Hermantown ) and some for the worse (Virginia). Both are great kids but if I had to pick one for a single game I would take the Virginia tender. With that said I don't see the day to day balance of competition in Northern MN. I believe this year the top tenders reside in the metro. I also do not see a clear cut top guy. This season seems to vary night to night with a few climbing higher. LVN, BSM, Edina, EP, PL all have guys that never seem to get a night off.

As another indication of parity this year, last Sunday I counted approx 15 goalies with big minutes for top 15 teams ( some of which were rotaters) that were between 90% and 93% save percent this year.

Of those, about 6 were starters or rotaters last year, and were also over 90% last year.

Those 6 were Scites, Begley, Gerads, Meyers, Moe, Benson. And Bob Parenteau also deserves mentioning in that group, although not on a top 20 team this year.

Bischell who has not lost a game is 91% this year and 89% last year. Hanson, who has helped lead Tonka to #4 / #5, is 92% this year and was 89% last year.

On the A side which I dont follow , the names I hear are Althaus of Apollo and Swanson of Maht.

Apologize if I missed anyone with the above stats. There are many ways to look at the definition of who is "best". Save percent, GAA, W/L, National Camp invites , Elite League, etc etc, or combination with judgement.

I would take the Ulland kid from Hibbing any day. His fundamentals are off the charts for a 9th grader. He plays with the confidence and patience that are not found in an underclassman and always square to the puck. The 3 goals GR scored he had no chance to stop.

hadenuf wrote:I would take the Ulland kid from Hibbing any day. His fundamentals are off the charts for a 9th grader. He plays with the confidence and patience that are not found in an underclassman and always square to the puck. The 3 goals GR scored he had no chance to stop.

If there was a Poehling, I would add him to this conversation. JK Sats

Bluelightspecial-II wrote:

hadenuf wrote:I would take the Ulland kid from Hibbing any day. His fundamentals are off the charts for a 9th grader. He plays with the confidence and patience that are not found in an underclassman and always square to the puck. The 3 goals GR scored he had no chance to stop.

If there was a Poehling, I would add him to this conversation. JK Sats

Ah, pink shorts, what's south got coming up the pipeline? Rumor out there (false of course) is old Satsy tried recruiting away their soph tendy that the boys chased outta the nets after the 1st period Dec 23rd....

Sats81 wrote:

Bluelightspecial-II wrote:

hadenuf wrote:I would take the Ulland kid from Hibbing any day. His fundamentals are off the charts for a 9th grader. He plays with the confidence and patience that are not found in an underclassman and always square to the puck. The 3 goals GR scored he had no chance to stop.

If there was a Poehling, I would add him to this conversation. JK Sats

Ah, pink shorts, what's south got coming up the pipeline? Rumor out there (false of course) is old Satsy tried recruiting away their soph tendy that the boys chased outta the nets after the 1st period Dec 23rd....

Ya, I've heard you're a popular guy south of the river.

Top 8 AA goalies (By Grade)
Name Grade Team

Moe 10 HF
Enright 10 Farm.
Bischel 11 BSM
Begley 11 HM
Scites 12 PL
Meyers 12 RJM
Gerads 12 Blaine
Benson 12 Still.

This is based on players I've seen play, minutes and opponents faced.

Agreed

Goalies with substantial minutes and high save percentage.

Gabe Pangerl Princeton 19 514:12 9 1 0 231 218 13 1.29 .944 3
Atticus Kelly St. Thomas Academy 19 708:40 10 1 3 290 273 17 1.22 .941 5

Ryan Ullan Hibbing/Chisholm 23 1092:09 21 2 0 460 431 29 1.35 .937 5
Brady Meyers Rochester John Marshall 22 1092:35 17 5 0 525 491 34 1.59

Luke Olson Hermantown 19 731:00 13 2 0 341 318 23 1.60 .933 1
Nick Althaus St. Cloud Apollo 23 1187:48 21 2 0 484 451 33 1.42 .932 8

Drew Scites Prior Lake 22 1077:20 15 6 0 550 512 38 1.80 .931 3
Jaxson Stauber Holy Family Catholic 11 432:25 7 1 0 159 148 11 1.30 .931 3

Lucas Orf Woodbury 23 616:25 7 5 0 315 293 22 1.82 .930 3
Bailey Schmitz Red Lake Falls 23 1196:18 9 11 3 803 746 57 2.43 .929 5

Matt Stangel Northern Lakes 21 544:00 6 3 0 252 234 18 1.69 .929 2
Jared Moe Holy Family Catholic 14 544:00 9 2 0 252 234 18 1.69 .929 2

Julius Huset Tartan 20 688:00 6 6 1 279 259 20 1.48 .928 4
Taylor Strenge Buffalo 19 433:09 5 1 2 180 167 13 1.53 .928 2

Sam Moberg St. Paul Johnson 22 1134:01 13 7 2 597 553 44 1.98 .926 3
Jake Begley Hill-Murray 22 849:09 11 5 1 447 413 34 2.04 .924 3

Reid Waszczenko Wayzata 20 309:50 3 1 1 144 133 11 1.81 .924 0
Justin Evenson Minnehaha Academy 22 1107:50 14 7 1 756 698 58 2.67 .923 1

Josh Benson Stillwater 21 923:38 16 1 1 416 384 32 1.77 .923 2
Mike LaDoux Greenway 21 615:32 9 3 0 257 237 20 1.66 .922 2

Nick Wiencek Eden Prairie 18 514:00 8 2 0 252 232 20 1.98 .921 2
Zeke Haugen Le Sueur-Henderson/St. Peter 22 1095:18 13 9 0 781 719 62 2.89 .921 1

Mike Magnuson Cretin-Derham Hall 19 767:25 9 6 0 390 359 31 2.06 .921 2
Will Swanson Mahtomedi 21 952:01 11 6 2 528 486 42 2.25 .920 3

Ridge Gerads Blaine 20 765:28 12 3 0 414 381 33 2.20 .920 2
Josh DeBoer La Crescent 19 930:00 13 5 1 576 530 46 2.52 .920 3

Niclas Westerholm Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl 21 982:23 5 11 2 745 684 61 3.17 .918 0

elliott70 wrote:Goalies with substantial minutes and high save percentage.

Gabe Pangerl Princeton 19 514:12 9 1 0 231 218 13 1.29 .944 3
Atticus Kelly St. Thomas Academy 19 708:40 10 1 3 290 273 17 1.22 .941 5

Ryan Ullan Hibbing/Chisholm 23 1092:09 21 2 0 460 431 29 1.35 .937 5
Brady Meyers Rochester John Marshall 22 1092:35 17 5 0 525 491 34 1.59

Luke Olson Hermantown 19 731:00 13 2 0 341 318 23 1.60 .933 1
Nick Althaus St. Cloud Apollo 23 1187:48 21 2 0 484 451 33 1.42 .932 8

Drew Scites Prior Lake 22 1077:20 15 6 0 550 512 38 1.80 .931 3
Jaxson Stauber Holy Family Catholic 11 432:25 7 1 0 159 148 11 1.30 .931 3

Lucas Orf Woodbury 23 616:25 7 5 0 315 293 22 1.82 .930 3
Bailey Schmitz Red Lake Falls 23 1196:18 9 11 3 803 746 57 2.43 .929 5

Matt Stangel Northern Lakes 21 544:00 6 3 0 252 234 18 1.69 .929 2
Jared Moe Holy Family Catholic 14 544:00 9 2 0 252 234 18 1.69 .929 2

Julius Huset Tartan 20 688:00 6 6 1 279 259 20 1.48 .928 4
Taylor Strenge Buffalo 19 433:09 5 1 2 180 167 13 1.53 .928 2

Sam Moberg St. Paul Johnson 22 1134:01 13 7 2 597 553 44 1.98 .926 3
Jake Begley Hill-Murray 22 849:09 11 5 1 447 413 34 2.04 .924 3

Reid Waszczenko Wayzata 20 309:50 3 1 1 144 133 11 1.81 .924 0
Justin Evenson Minnehaha Academy 22 1107:50 14 7 1 756 698 58 2.67 .923 1

Josh Benson Stillwater 21 923:38 16 1 1 416 384 32 1.77 .923 2
Mike LaDoux Greenway 21 615:32 9 3 0 257 237 20 1.66 .922 2

Nick Wiencek Eden Prairie 18 514:00 8 2 0 252 232 20 1.98 .921 2
Zeke Haugen Le Sueur-Henderson/St. Peter 22 1095:18 13 9 0 781 719 62 2.89 .921 1

Mike Magnuson Cretin-Derham Hall 19 767:25 9 6 0 390 359 31 2.06 .921 2
Will Swanson Mahtomedi 21 952:01 11 6 2 528 486 42 2.25 .920 3

Ridge Gerads Blaine 20 765:28 12 3 0 414 381 33 2.20 .920 2
Josh DeBoer La Crescent 19 930:00 13 5 1 576 530 46 2.52 .920 3

Niclas Westerholm Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl 21 982:23 5 11 2 745 684 61 3.17 .918 0

Great list, thanks for doing this. I would have added high SOG as a filter to create this. High minutes doesn't mean as much if they're only getting 20 shots a game. I think many of the same names would appear, but the list could get interesting if you add SOG.

hawkeysauce89 wrote:Anyone see Schilling play yet? Saw him vs Tonka and vs Edina...very strong.

Alex Schilling is the best senior AA goalie. Jared Moe is the best AA goalie. Watch him play he knocks down EVERY puck, stops the initial shot. Needs to work on rebounds.

Hockey Fan101 wrote:

elliott70 wrote:Goalies with substantial minutes and high save percentage.

Gabe Pangerl Princeton 19 514:12 9 1 0 231 218 13 1.29 .944 3
Atticus Kelly St. Thomas Academy 19 708:40 10 1 3 290 273 17 1.22 .941 5

Ryan Ullan Hibbing/Chisholm 23 1092:09 21 2 0 460 431 29 1.35 .937 5
Brady Meyers Rochester John Marshall 22 1092:35 17 5 0 525 491 34 1.59

Luke Olson Hermantown 19 731:00 13 2 0 341 318 23 1.60 .933 1
Nick Althaus St. Cloud Apollo 23 1187:48 21 2 0 484 451 33 1.42 .932 8

Drew Scites Prior Lake 22 1077:20 15 6 0 550 512 38 1.80 .931 3
Jaxson Stauber Holy Family Catholic 11 432:25 7 1 0 159 148 11 1.30 .931 3

Lucas Orf Woodbury 23 616:25 7 5 0 315 293 22 1.82 .930 3
Bailey Schmitz Red Lake Falls 23 1196:18 9 11 3 803 746 57 2.43 .929 5

Matt Stangel Northern Lakes 21 544:00 6 3 0 252 234 18 1.69 .929 2
Jared Moe Holy Family Catholic 14 544:00 9 2 0 252 234 18 1.69 .929 2

Julius Huset Tartan 20 688:00 6 6 1 279 259 20 1.48 .928 4
Taylor Strenge Buffalo 19 433:09 5 1 2 180 167 13 1.53 .928 2

Sam Moberg St. Paul Johnson 22 1134:01 13 7 2 597 553 44 1.98 .926 3
Jake Begley Hill-Murray 22 849:09 11 5 1 447 413 34 2.04 .924 3

Reid Waszczenko Wayzata 20 309:50 3 1 1 144 133 11 1.81 .924 0
Justin Evenson Minnehaha Academy 22 1107:50 14 7 1 756 698 58 2.67 .923 1

Josh Benson Stillwater 21 923:38 16 1 1 416 384 32 1.77 .923 2
Mike LaDoux Greenway 21 615:32 9 3 0 257 237 20 1.66 .922 2

Nick Wiencek Eden Prairie 18 514:00 8 2 0 252 232 20 1.98 .921 2
Zeke Haugen Le Sueur-Henderson/St. Peter 22 1095:18 13 9 0 781 719 62 2.89 .921 1

Mike Magnuson Cretin-Derham Hall 19 767:25 9 6 0 390 359 31 2.06 .921 2
Will Swanson Mahtomedi 21 952:01 11 6 2 528 486 42 2.25 .920 3

Ridge Gerads Blaine 20 765:28 12 3 0 414 381 33 2.20 .920 2
Josh DeBoer La Crescent 19 930:00 13 5 1 576 530 46 2.52 .920 3

Niclas Westerholm Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl 21 982:23 5 11 2 745 684 61 3.17 .918 0

Great list, thanks for doing this. I would have added high SOG as a filter to create this. High minutes doesn't mean as much if they're only getting 20 shots a game. I think many of the same names would appear, but the list could get interesting if you add SOG.

It would also be interesting to have a way to rank the quality of the shots on goal. I have seen several on this list and they are not that impressive. They have very strong teams in front of them who keep most of the shots coming from outside of the box. They clear rebounds and minimize screens so the quality shots on goal are actually very low. I would rather have one who has a high 80s save percentage going up against top end teams than one of these guys who is running in the mid 90s with a powerhouse team in front of them.

Wet Paint wrote:

Hockey Fan101 wrote:

elliott70 wrote:Goalies with substantial minutes and high save percentage.

Gabe Pangerl Princeton 19 514:12 9 1 0 231 218 13 1.29 .944 3
Atticus Kelly St. Thomas Academy 19 708:40 10 1 3 290 273 17 1.22 .941 5

Ryan Ullan Hibbing/Chisholm 23 1092:09 21 2 0 460 431 29 1.35 .937 5
Brady Meyers Rochester John Marshall 22 1092:35 17 5 0 525 491 34 1.59

Luke Olson Hermantown 19 731:00 13 2 0 341 318 23 1.60 .933 1
Nick Althaus St. Cloud Apollo 23 1187:48 21 2 0 484 451 33 1.42 .932 8

Drew Scites Prior Lake 22 1077:20 15 6 0 550 512 38 1.80 .931 3
Jaxson Stauber Holy Family Catholic 11 432:25 7 1 0 159 148 11 1.30 .931 3

Lucas Orf Woodbury 23 616:25 7 5 0 315 293 22 1.82 .930 3
Bailey Schmitz Red Lake Falls 23 1196:18 9 11 3 803 746 57 2.43 .929 5

Matt Stangel Northern Lakes 21 544:00 6 3 0 252 234 18 1.69 .929 2
Jared Moe Holy Family Catholic 14 544:00 9 2 0 252 234 18 1.69 .929 2

Julius Huset Tartan 20 688:00 6 6 1 279 259 20 1.48 .928 4
Taylor Strenge Buffalo 19 433:09 5 1 2 180 167 13 1.53 .928 2

Sam Moberg St. Paul Johnson 22 1134:01 13 7 2 597 553 44 1.98 .926 3
Jake Begley Hill-Murray 22 849:09 11 5 1 447 413 34 2.04 .924 3

Reid Waszczenko Wayzata 20 309:50 3 1 1 144 133 11 1.81 .924 0
Justin Evenson Minnehaha Academy 22 1107:50 14 7 1 756 698 58 2.67 .923 1

Josh Benson Stillwater 21 923:38 16 1 1 416 384 32 1.77 .923 2
Mike LaDoux Greenway 21 615:32 9 3 0 257 237 20 1.66 .922 2

Nick Wiencek Eden Prairie 18 514:00 8 2 0 252 232 20 1.98 .921 2
Zeke Haugen Le Sueur-Henderson/St. Peter 22 1095:18 13 9 0 781 719 62 2.89 .921 1

Mike Magnuson Cretin-Derham Hall 19 767:25 9 6 0 390 359 31 2.06 .921 2
Will Swanson Mahtomedi 21 952:01 11 6 2 528 486 42 2.25 .920 3

Ridge Gerads Blaine 20 765:28 12 3 0 414 381 33 2.20 .920 2
Josh DeBoer La Crescent 19 930:00 13 5 1 576 530 46 2.52 .920 3

Niclas Westerholm Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl 21 982:23 5 11 2 745 684 61 3.17 .918 0

Great list, thanks for doing this. I would have added high SOG as a filter to create this. High minutes doesn't mean as much if they're only getting 20 shots a game. I think many of the same names would appear, but the list could get interesting if you add SOG.

It would also be interesting to have a way to rank the quality of the shots on goal. I have seen several on this list and they are not that impressive. They have very strong teams in front of them who keep most of the shots coming from outside of the box. They clear rebounds and minimize screens so the quality shots on goal are actually very low. I would rather have one who has a high 80s save percentage going up against top end teams than one of these guys who is running in the mid 90s with a powerhouse team in front of them.

I couldn't agree more about quality of SOG and stats overall for goalies at high school level. I believe that many of these great stat varsity goalies would be horrid stat goalies if they were forced to play on their JV team where the puck gets to the paint more often then not.

There are several JV goalies I've watched this year that would kill it on their varsity team. Tonka is a prime example. That varsity goalie was awkward in the net with poor positioning too. The JV goalie I watched yesterday, a freshman, looked solid; he's bigger too. Swap them. I would say the same thing for the EP team they played yesterday. Heck, add the Hopkins JV goalie to that list too.

BSM is one of the few teams where the goalie in net at varsity should be there. He's got good size, good technique, and confidence. Their wins show it too. Look at LVN last year. Good goalie. Big wins.

Wayzata, Tonka, Edina, Duluth East, EP this year...all have average goalies at best. On any night, any of these teams can beat each other based on their goalies poor save selections.

So if I understand what your saying a lot of these top teams would be better if they'd all be playing the JV goalies? And last year LN had depth including 3-4 core D that helped that goalie (remember he let in a handful against Farmington but maybe they should have played there JV goalie). Lots of hype for JV goalies in your posts. Any motive?

Nuts&Bolts wrote:So if I understand what your saying a lot of these top teams would be better if they'd all be playing the JV goalies? And last year LN had depth including 3-4 core D that helped that goalie (remember he let in a handful against Farmington but maybe they should have played there JV goalie). Lots of hype for JV goalies in your posts. Any motive?

I wish I had a dog in the game. Nope. No motive. Strictly an observation from an old goalie himself. And, yes, I would play some of these jv goalies over their varsity counterparts. I watched an Edina jv game this year where the backup varsity goalie got put in the net for the game and got beat. Was some of the loss due to his team? Yes, but he didn't help his situation.

Reason I say LVN goalie last year was good was because of his technique, size and save selections on a consistent basis. Hell yes a goalie needs his D to clear the puck, but these current varsity goalies flop around in the net like a fish out of water and they love to make saves ten feet from the net. Poor technique and positioning is costing them goals they shouldn't give up. This is why I say that any of those teams can beat each other on any given night. Shut down the top scorers and you've got nothing but defense left to save you.

Some of these jv goalies are very solid. Add wayzata to my list too. I wish more people would watch these jv games from the big schools. These kids work hard and they're good! No superstars like varsity, but good team play.

Trevor Mellen out of North Branch is starting to be recognized as one of the best sophomore/2000's in the state.