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Junior Ed Minney making strides for MSU hockey with stellar play in net

December 15, 2016
Junior goalie Ed Minney (45)  prepares to fall on the puck during the game against Denveron Oct. 21, 2016 at Munn Ice Arena.  The Spartans were defeated by the Pioneers, 2-1.
Junior goalie Ed Minney (45) prepares to fall on the puck during the game against Denveron Oct. 21, 2016 at Munn Ice Arena. The Spartans were defeated by the Pioneers, 2-1.

Junior goaltender Ed Minney sat on the bench his first two seasons on the MSU hockey team, playing the role of backup to former Spartan and current Rockford IceHog Jake Hildebrand.

After Hildebrand graduated, the Spartans had to look for someone to fill the void he left in goal, and it was Minney who got the call to start in goal for the Spartans' 2016-17 season.

Minney has not disappointed.

The 6-foot-5 goaltender from Wind Gap, Pa. is currently riding a streak of four games in which he has made 30 or more saves. In doing so, Minney has pushed his save percentage to a season-high .899.

In the Spartans’ last two games, they were out-skated and outshot by then-No. 11 Minnesota, but Minney consistently made key saves to give MSU a chance at securing a victory, including recording a career-high 40 saves in the first game of the two-game series.

“(Minney is) finding a level of consistency,” head coach Tom Anastos said. “He’s never played this much since he’s been here, so that’s part of his process to learn how to handle that and to perform on a consistent basis, which he’s done pretty much for the past four consecutive games.”

Minney said he believes his solid play as of late increases his confidence.

“I think my confidence is rising,” Minney said. “I think with that comes confidence within our team. Hopefully, for them, they’re starting to get confidence in me, and when they get that kind of consistency it lets them play how they want to play and want they need to do to win games.”

Minney’s performance in goal goes beyond himself.

“It gives us a lot of confidence,” senior forward Joe Cox said. “I think it makes us feel a little bit more confident to be offense, step up in plays and things like that because you know Minney’s going to have our backs with saves. I think it just allows us to kind of be a little bit more offensive, which we need to be.”

Minney has played in 15 games so far in his Spartan career, holding an overall record of 4-6-2 when in goal. He has logged a total of 346 saves with a career goals-against average of 3.05. He’ll look to keep his momentum he has generated this season and improve those numbers Sunday when the Spartans face Northeastern. 

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