Minnesota Facing A Serious Goaltending Dilemma

The Minnesota Frost have scored more goals than any other PWHL team, but are struggling in a position they cannot afford, the crease. The Frost have a goaltending dilemma and need a solution.

In a six team league, shooters are facing the best goaltenders in the world night in and night out. It can flummox shooters and at times keep games low scoring. When those netminders struggle, or have an off night however, it can be magnified by the skill of players on the other side of the puck. That's been the case for the Minnesota Frost this season, as the team has faced a serious goaltending dilemma.

Currently, Minnesota Frost netminders Maddie Rooney and Nicole Hensley sit 9th and 12th respectively in save percentage among netminders in the PWHL. Rooney has been the superior goaltender in Minnesota's crease this season with a .903 save percentage, while Hensley sits last among starters and backups with a .866 save percentage. 

The saving grace? The team in front of Rooney and Hensley this season has played well. Minnesota leads the league in goals scored this season with five players - Kendall Coyne Schofield, Taylor Heise, Claire Thompson, Michela Cava, and Sophie Jaques - already hitting double digits in points. For Heise, Cava, and Jaques, they've already set new career highs in points. Coyne Schofield tied her mark from last season, and Thompson is having a first season in the league to remember. 

But the impact of their goaltending struggles remain. On special teams, Minnesota has the third best power play in the league, but their penalty kill, where key saves can make or break a team percentage, the Frost sit last at 69.2%.

The biggest issue for Minnesota this season has been Hensley. Signed to a three year contract to be Minnesota's starter, Hensley has lost that title this season to Rooney. In her most recent start against Ottawa, Rooney was chased from the crease after allowing four goals on only 13 shots. The problem for Minnesota was, it didn't get better when Rooney came in as she also allowed an identical four goals on 13 shots.

You can see Ken Klee's concern for Hensley in the starts the team has given her. To date, four of her five starts have come against the current bottom three PWHL teams - New York, Boston, and Ottawa. Those three teams are also the PWHL's lowest scoring teams. 

Her lone start against a top team came in a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Victoire. 

Unfortunately for Hensley, it looks as though her play this season has had another effect, resulting in her being pushed from the crease with Team USA. At the most recent stop on the Rivalry Series, Boston Fleet netminder Aerin Frankel, and Ottawa Charge goalie Gwyneth Philips got the starts.

Minnesota's strong play in front of their netminders has helped. Neither goaltender is facing an abundance of shots when they are in the crease, and Minnesota's offense has carried the team on more than one occasion.

The team however will be looking to repeat as Walter Cup champions, and to get there, the team will need consistent netminding.