The New Ulm boys’ high school team lost both its goalies last year. Everyone is wondering who will come up and play in the net.

So the two JV goalies from last year, Blaine and Colton, are stepping up and battling for the starting spot. Blaine is playing against Waseca, and Colton will then be playing the next game against Minnesota River. They are both outstanding goalies. But because they are both good goalies, they could just be splitting time in the net.

Waseca is a strong team, and the game is a big game for New Ulm. Waseca always has a good team, and they started the year ranked in the state. Their entire team is large, and they’ve just added two new players: one from Warroad, Minnesota, and the other from Pittsburgh.

The Minnesota River team is also a strong opponent and will make for a good game for our first home game and a good matchup for Colton. They are a fast team and get kids from all over the place because they are with so many other small towns.

In the Waseca game, Blaine played really well in net; the team lost 6-5 in overtime.

“In the first period, I was really nervous. I could not believe I was playing in a game,” Blaine said. “But after the first, I got the nerves out, and I felt like I played a lot better the rest of the game”.

I ask Colton how he feels about the game this Tuesday against Minnesota River. “I’m really nervous to start, and it makes it worse that it’s our first home game of the year, so there will be more people from New Ulm there,” Colton said.

I think the boys’ hockey team will be excellent because they have two solid goalies in net, and after they get the nerves out, they will be good. The team has good players from their goalies to their players.

They also have a better coaching staff, with two new coaches joining this year. Coach Petterson and Coach Fisher were both excellent hockey players during their playing days. Coach Petterson also works at the arena and will leave the practices a little early and go clean the ice in between.