Freshman goaltender Jake Oettinger made the decision last spring to leave Lakeville North to play for the USA National Team Development Program. But the Panthers didn’t have a vacant net for long.
Junior Ryan Edquist made the decision shortly after to leave Shattuck-St. Mary’s and join the Lakeville North boys hockey team and he has already left his mark on the program.
With a 6-0 shutout of Rosemount, Edquist notched his sixth shutout of the season, a Lakeville North boys hockey single-season record. Edquist could easily add to that total with five regular season games left, including a game today against cross-town rival Lakeville South.
For Lakeville North head coach Trent Eigner, he isn’t surprised by Edquist’s success.
“He is just a focused kid, and it’s ironic to say this about a high school player, but he is a true professional when it comes to the way he approaches the game and the way he approaches getting ready for games and the focus and detail that he has in preparation,” Eigner told me.
The Panthers felt that they upgraded in the net when the future Minnesota Golden Gopher Edquist came to Lakeville North and statistically, that statement is valid. With his sixth shutout, Edquist broke the shutout record held by Oettinger who had five shutouts last season.
If the Panthers are to make it back to the state finals, they want to do something they weren’t able to do in the state finals last season: win. With Edquist in net instead of Oettinger who gave up seven goals to Edina in the state championship, Lakeville North could very well win the first boys hockey state championship in school history.
Shutouts by Edquist in 2014-2015
12/9 Apple Valley: 7-0
12/13 Grand Rapids: 3-0
1/3 Eagan: 2-0
1/10 Eastview: 6-0
1/17 Farmington: 6-0
1/29 Rosemount: 6-0
Nick Kelly 