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Just posted my latest episode of Ice Insights, a podcast I have been recording periodically for the past couple of years. During the podcasts, I talk about goaltending and other hockey topics with people involved in all aspects of the game.

This episode, I visit with goaltender Hunter Miska, a Stacy, Minnesota native who is in his first year of professional hockey. Hunter was the recipient of the 2015-16 USA Hockey Dave Peterson Goalie of the Year Award, which is presented annually to a top U.S. goaltender at the international, professional, collegiate or junior level.

After five years of Jr. hockey, Hunter played one season at the University of Minnesota Duluth where he led the Bulldogs to the 2017 NCAA National Championship game, where they lost a 3-2 heartbreaker to Denver.

Hunter discusss how his game has changed since turning pro and what it was like when he got called up the the NHL earlier this season. He also talks about his dad who is well-known for designing and painting goalie helmets.

You can listen to the podcast at www.iceinsights.fm

 

 

During the winter, I am the goalie coach for the nationally-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College women’s hockey team. We have four goalies on our roster this year including one who earned All-American honors last season.

Recently, we faced-off UW-River Falls, another top 10 ranked team, in a non-conference series in what’s developed into a highly competitive rivalry. They beat us twice last season, before we upset the them in the national tournament to advance to the NCAA Frozen Four.

In the first game of the series in December, River Falls outplayed us, and outshot us 33-16, but our All-American netminder played well and we escaped with a 4-3 victory.

Before the rematch, I suggested to our head coach (my older brother) that we mix it up when it came to our goalie situation. I thought we should look at game two as an excellent development opportunity for all the goalies on our team.

So I outlined a plan to rest our All-American and play our other three goalies one period a piece. He agreed with the idea. At their home rink in the second game of the series, our junior started the game and played the first period, our first-year goalie made her collegiate debut in the second, and our lone sophomore came in to play in the third.

It turned out to be one of our best games so far this year. Even though we were outshot 27-23, our trio of goalies played well and led us to a thrilling 2-1 win.

All three goalies were very excited about being able to play and help us beat the Falcons. It also gave them valuable game experience as we head into the second half of the season looking to build on our 8-1-1 record.

 

The 2017-18 U.S. Women’s National Team has only been together for a few months, but Maddie Rooney, a goalie from Andover, Minnesota, has quickly established herself as the top U.S. netminder.

So far, in six games during the team’s “Time is Now Tour” and Four Nations Cup, Rooney is unbeaten at 4-0, with a goals against average of 1.75.

Rooney is one of six Minnesotans on the team, and at age 20, is the youngest player on the roster. They’re preparing for 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea in February.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Rooney said. “It’s going to be an awesome experience, really humbled by the opportunity.”

And she is also looking forward to coming home Sunday, Dec. 3, as the U.S. team faces off against Canada in an exhibition game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Rooney participated in several USA Hockey Development Camps during her high school and collegiate career.

She made the U.S. National Team that won the Gold Medal in the 2017 Women’s World Championship in Michigan. In her first start in goal for Team USA, Rooney earned a 14-save shutout in a 7-0 win over Russia.

“I was so nervous going to into the game,” she recalled. “But after you get first the shot you’re fine. It was really cool to play with them, it was a great experience.”

A few days later, Rooney and the Americans celebrated the World Championship with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win against Canada.

“I wasn’t suited up for the game,” Rooney recalled, “but when Hillary Knight scored, I sprinted out on the ice and fell about five times. I’ll never forget it.”

And something else she won’t soon forget is when she found out in May that she was one of three goalies named to the U.S. team that’s preparing for the Olympic Games. “I was told and was really overjoyed,” she said. “I called my parents right after, it was great.”

Early Start

Rooney began playing hockey when she was five years old. She started out as a forward but eventually switched to goalie during her second year of squirts.

“I was into it but not that into it,” she admitted, “but then I went to goalie and just loved it.”

As she moved into peewees, her parents bought her a set of leg pads. “I had these gold pads since I played for Andover,” Rooney said. “I thought they were the coolest things ever and I remember when I first got those, I kept them by my bed all night.”

Rooney played peewees and bantams for Andover before joining the girls high school team. As a junior, she led the Huskies to their first appearance in the Class “AA” State High School Tournament. They lost to Eden Prairie in the quarterfinals, but rallied to beat Burnsville and Mound View to earn the consolation title. Rooney was named to the All-Tournament Team.

While girls hockey was enjoyable for her, Rooney switched to the boys team as a senior. “I liked the challenge, I liked the quick pace,” she said. “I basically played with the same guys team that I did growing up, so it was just a lot of fun.”

The Andover boys team fell to Duluth East in the section playoffs.

Following her brilliant prep career, Rooney had a number of college hockey scholarship offers and chose the University of Minnesota Duluth.

“I just think it’s a really good atmosphere,” said Rooney. “Fans are great, got a really nice facilities, staff is great and the people I have met there are awesome.”

Rooney has played two years for the Bulldogs and will have two years of eligibility remaining after the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

NOTE: Maddie attended the Carroll Goalie School in her early days as a goalie. 

I was recently invited to give a presentation on goalie development to more than 300 high school and youth hockey coaches who were at the 2017 State Of Hockey High Performance Coaching Summit. The two-day event was held in the Roy Wilkins Auditorium – River Centre in St. Paul.

Following my hour long presentation, participants headed to the Xcel Energy Center for an on-ice demonstration session. And it was cool to skate  at the X for the first time.

On the ice, the coaches were divided into three groups and rotate between the stations. I ran the goalie development station. We discussed various aspects of goaltending including angles and goalie-specific skating techniques.

It was a lot of fun.

 

I had the opportunity to play goalie for the Minnesota State Mankato, men’s hockey, formerly know at Mankato State University.

And our teams did well. All four years we advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four. We won the national title once, finished second once and third twice.  Most our players cam from the Twin Cities area.

And so how cool is this? As part of the school’s sesquicentennial celebration, a photo of our national championship team is on the side panel of a city of Mankato bus. Who knew that 37 years after winning the national title, we were be honored on a city bus as part of the school’s 150th anniversary.

Brings back a ton of great memories.

Just finished up working at the 2017 Minnesota Hockey Dave Peterson CCM High Performance Camp that was held, Aug. 3-6, at St. Cloud State University.

The four-day, invite-only goalie development program, now in its 13th year, is designed to improve the individual skills and techniques of goalies in the 15-to 18-year-old age group.

I think it’s extremely important that Minnesota Hockey provides high-level skill development opportunities for boys and girls in this age group.

These are highly motivated athletes who are determined to improve their skills and overall game so they can help their high school teams achieve success. Many of the participants have their sights set on playing college hockey and beyond.

Training was led by a combination of Minnesota’s top college and high school goalie coaches.

We were also joined this year by Phil Osaer, manager of goaltending, for USA Hockey’s American Development Model.

Three current Minnesota goalies from NCAA Division I and Division III hockey teams serves as on-ice demonstrators/counselors. This year’s counselors were David Zevnik, Lakeville, St. Cloud State University; Lauren Bench, Burnsville, Bemidji State University; Ashley Corcoran, Red Wing, Saint Mary’s University.

Goalies who made their district/section teams in the Minnesota Hockey CCM High Performance boys and girls programs were invited to participate in the camp. The goalies got 12 hours of on-ice training and about 12 hours of off-ice instruction. The off-ice topics included sports performance training, nutrition, hockey after high school, vision training and goalie yoga.

Former participants include:

• Charlie Lindgren, Lakeville, who played at St. Cloud State and is in the Montreal Canadiens organization.
• Zane McIntyre, Thief River Falls, who played at North Dakota and won the Mike Richter Award as college hockey’s top goalie before signing a pro contract with the Boston Bruins organization.
• Alex Lyon, Baudette, played at Yale University before signing contract with the Philadelphia Flyers organization.
• Jenna Boss, Roseville, won the 2014 NCAA Women’s National Hockey Championship with Clarkson University.
• Emma May, Eagan, won the 2016 NCAA Women’s Hockey National Championship with the University of Minnesota.
• Shyler Sletta, New Prague, 2012, 2013, 2015 NCAA National Championship teams with University of Minnesota.

The camp is named in honor of Dave Peterson, a former Minneapolis Southwest High School hockey coach, who was a passionate leader in goalie development. Peterson also served as head coach of the U.S. Men’s Olympic hockey teams in 1988 and 1992.

Learn more about the camp at www.minnesotahockey.org/davepetersongoalie camp.