Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 18:31
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The puck stops here. It’s time to announce the five finalists for the 2012 Let’s Play Hockey Senior Goalie of the Year Award for girls’ high school hockey goaltenders in Minnesota.
The winner will be announced on Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Ms. Hockey Awards Banquet at the St. Paul RiverCentre, the day after the conclusion of the girls’ high school tournament.
Alphabetically, here are the five finalists for the 2012 Let’s Play Hockey Senior Goalie of the Year Award:
One of the state’s top goalies the past four seasons, Erika Allen owns outstanding numbers for the fifth-ranked Raiders. The owner of a 16-2-1 overall record, Allen has a state-best .956 save percentage and 0.91 goals-against average. She has allowed two or fewer goals in 17 of her 19 starts, including nine shutouts. Roseville’s lone two losses on the season came when Allen allowed more than two goals – in back-to-back games against Minnetonka (4-0) and South St. Paul (3-2).
A two-time all-conference selection, Allen backstopped the Raiders to the 2010 Class AA state title and has been a member of five straight Suburban East Conference championship teams. The 2011 all-state honorable mention netminder has given up only three lamplighters in her last six games.
She will play Division III college hockey at Bethel University in St. Paul.
“To paraphrase Herb Brooks’ comments about 1980 Russian Olympic Goaltender Vladislav Tretiak, if you score on Erika Allen, keep the puck as it doesn’t happen often,” Roseville head coach Vic Brodt said. “ As a coach, having Erika in the nets makes you rest much easier. Our team has the confidence that she will keep us in every game.”
Off the ice, Allen owns a 3.84 GPA, is a three-time academic letter winner and a member of the National Honor Society. A captain for the soccer and softball teams, Allen is president of Raiders Against Destructive Decisions, a Vacation Bible School teacher and volunteers with young goalies in the summer.
“Erika leads by example on the ice and in the classroom,” Brodt said. “In addition, she is a great role model for young girls by volunteering her time to help others. Erika’s understanding and willingness to be involved in her community is another reason she is not only a great goaltender, but a great person and student.”
Madeleine Dahl, Edina
A mainstay in the Edina nets since splitting time during her sophomore season, Maddie Dahl has led the Hornets to the No. 6 ranking in Class A and a 15-4-6 overall record. Through the end of the regular season, Dahl owns a 1.57 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage to go along with her four shutouts.
She has allowed two or fewer goals in 20 of her 25 starts and owns a 15-4-6 record. An all-state honorable mention, all-metro second team and all-conference honoree in 2011, Dahl had nine shutouts in her junior season, leading the Hornets to within a goal of the Class AA state championship.
She will continue her hockey career at Union College in New York.
“Maddie has been the backbone of our team for the past two seasons,” Edina head coach Laura Slominski said. “I love Maddie’s competitiveness and how she is always striving to be a better goalie. She was voted captain by her teammates because of her leadership both on and off the ice.”
Away from the ice, Dahl owns a 3.3 GPA and has volunteered at Fairview Southdale Hospital since last summer. She has also volunteered her time in hockey, serving as an assistant coach and referee the past two seasons.
“Maddie is a person who gives back to the sport that has given her so much,” Slominski said. “She has volunteered for many youth teams and activities throughout her high school career. She has also found time to volunteer at the hospital which allows her to impact people outside of the hockey world as well.”
Madison Denny, Andover
The all-time leader in all goaltender categories in the Andover record book, Madison Denny owns some of the best statistical numbers in the state. Through the end of the regular season, Denny has compiled a state second-best .945 save percentage and a state fourth-best 1.27, as well as five shutouts. She owns a 15-8-0 record and has led Andover to the No. 11 ranking in Class AA.
The two-time all-conference selection and two-year captain for the Huskies has allowed two or fewer goals in 22 of her 24 starts and has not given up more than three goals since the 2010-11 season.
“Madison is the leader of this program. She is everything a coach would as for as a leader,” Andover head coach Ben Monahan said. “The way she competes in practice makes the rest of our team that much better. She leads by example, dedication, hard work and her commitment to the team.”
The owner of a 3.5 GPA, Denny is involved with Adopt-a-family, food shelf drives and a project which makes clothing for the poor. She is also a youth goalie instructor during the summer, providing assistance with youth goalie development.
“Madison is such a great leader off the ice,” Monahan said. “She is an outstanding student-athlete in the classroom. She is always the leader of off-ice community projects the team is involved with. All the players look up to her as an extension of the coaching staff.”
Gillian McDonald, Irondale
For the better part of four seasons, it’s been Gillian McDonald in the nets for the Irondale Knights. Since ninth grade, she has patrolled the crease, facing over 2,100 shots as one of the state’s top netminders. This season, McDonald owns a 18-4-2 record, 1.29 goals-against average, .933 save percentage and four shutouts for 15th-ranked Irondale. She ranks fifth in the state in GAA, eighth in wins and 10th in save percentage.
McDonald has backstopped the Knights to their only two conference championships, section titles and state tournament berths. She also owns the school records for lowest GAA, highest save percentage and most wins.
McDonald will play Division III college hockey at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where she will also play for the golf team.
“Gillian is an extremely dedicated player,” Irondale head coach Tom Rodefeld said. “She is a definite role model for others and leads both on and off the ice. On the ice, she is a captain who models hard work, dedication and persistence. Gillian constantly strives to make herself and her teammates better, and she leads by example.
Away from hockey, McDonald owns a weighted GPA of 4.125 and has been a tireless volunteer in many ways. She and the team conducted an inner-city skating clinic and was instrumental in making and donating 60 blankets to the University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital as a combined service learning project with the inner-city girls. McDonald also led the team to create a children’s book drive to donate over 100 books to Four Seasons Elementary School in St. Paul.
“Gillian is one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen, yet she has never tried to take credit and is always willing to do whatever is needed for the team to succeed,” Rodefeld said. “Any success that we have had as a team in the last four years is because of her. Gillian’s motivation is not based on wins and losses, but on the legacy of what she has created.”
Taylor Neisen, Breck
The school leader in all career goaltending categories, Taylor Neisen has been a mainstay in the Breck nets for four seasons. She has helped the Mustangs to a 21-2-1 overall record and the No. 1 Class A ranking. Through the end of the regular season, she owns an 18-2-1 record, 1.56 goals-against average, .945 save percentage and five shutouts.
Neisen has allowed two or fewer goals in 17 of her 20 starts and has compiled a 58-20-3 career record and 14 shutouts. An all-state honorable mention selection last season, Neisen has led Breck to two consecutive state tournaments, earning second and third place.
“We are fortunate to have one of the best goalies in Minnesota between the pipes,” Breck head coach Chris Peterson said. “Taylor gives us a chance to win every single game and can single-handedly win games when our team is not playing to its potential. Her skill set and performance speak for themselves, but it’s the behind the scenes focus and preparation that separates her from the rest.”
Off the ice, Neisen owns a 3.3 GPA and has volunteered her time with Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics, the North Side Development Center and a senior care residence. She also helped start a food shelf at Yosemite Church in Minneapolis.
“In addition to a challenging academic/athletic situation at Breck, Taylor has a desire to contribute to those in need,” Peterson said. “Whether it’s working with children or the elderly, she makes time to fit it all in. She is not only a leader in school and hockey, she is a leader in the community. She exemplifies what it means to be a great student-athlete and a contributing member of the community.”
The Senior Goalie of the Year Award is sponsored by The Carroll Goalie School. Both awards are sponsored by Let’s Play Hockey, the Minnesota Wild, Shock Doctor and DCS Image.
In addition to announcing the Senior Goalie of the Year, the winner of the 2012 Ms. Hockey Award will be named at the Ms. Hockey Awards Banquet on Sunday, Feb. 26, at the St. Paul RiverCentre. Additionally, all-state and all-academic awards will be presented by the Minnesota Girls’ Hockey Coaches Association. The five finalists for Ms. Hockey will be announced in next week’s edition of Let’s Play Hockey.
Tickets for the Ms. Hockey Awards Banquet may be ordered by calling 612-729-0023 and are $25 per person.
| Finalist | School | W-L-T | GAA | SV% | SO | College |
| Erika Allen | Roseville Area | 16-2-1 | 0.91 | .956 | 9 | Bethel |
| Madeleine Dahl | Edina | 15-4-6 | 1.57 | .925 | 4 | Union |
| Madison Denny | Andover | 15-8-0 | 1.27 | .945 | 5 | TBD |
| Gillian McDonald | Irondale | 18-4-2 | 1.29 | .933 | 7 | UW-River Falls |
| Taylor Neisen | Breck | 18-2-1 | 1.56 | .945 | 5 | TBD |
