The University of North Dakota men’s and women’s hockey teams are backstopped by two outstanding goalies. Currently, both teams’ goaltenders are playing out of their minds. Both goaltenders are coming off multiple game shutout streaks. And finally, both goalies helped their team secure important points this past weekend. Let’s meet the goalies.
Cam Johnson, sophomore, Troy, Michigan
For the men’s team, the Fighting Hawks are led by their sophomore goalie, Cam Johnson (7-0-1, 1.20 GAA, .955 save percentage). This past weekend, Johnson and the Fighting Hawks swept the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (3-0 W, 3-0 W).
For those keeping track at home, the Fighting Hawks have now won back-to-back-to-back shutouts. With Johnson in goal, UND has once again become the number one defensive team in the National Colligate Hockey Conference.
Johnson was injured on October 16, 2015, and missed 10 games with a lower-body injury. Johnson returned to action on November 21, 2015, against St. Cloud State Huskies, relieving starting goalie Matt Hrynkiw. During Johnson’s absence, Hrynkiw went (9-2-1, 2.11 GAA, .911 save percentage). Since relieving Hrynkiw in St. Cloud, Johnson’s season has taken off.
Since his return, Johnson has been one of the better goalies in the country (6-0-0, 0.93 GAA, .969 save percentage). Breaking it down further, over the last six games, Johnson and the Fighting Hawks have given up three goals in six games. For Johnson, that translates to (6-0-0, 0.50 GAA, .983 save percentage).
This past weekend, Johnson stopped all 78 shots he faced.
According to Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, Johnson’s scoreless streak of 218 minutes, 38 seconds is the longest by a UND goalie in 62 years and is the second-longest all-time. That’s impressive by anyone’s standards.
Shelby Amsley-Benzie, senior, Warroad, Minnesota
The UND women also have an outstanding goalie. This past weekend, senior goalie, Shelby Amsley-Benzie stopped all 67 shots she faced and led the Fighting Hawks to a series win over the No. 1-ranked Wisconsin Badgers. That was the first time the Badgers had been shutout in back-to-back games since October 13-14, 2012.
The Fighting Hawks end the first half of the season on a high note and look forward to the challenge of the stretch run during the second half of the season.
“We knew that we are just as good of a team as anyone out there,” Amsley-Benzie said, “We’ve had some setbacks in the first half, but we know it’s time to get it together. We were going to do anything it took to get a few points out of this weekend.”
Much like Johnson, Amsley-Benzie (9-5-2, 1.56 GAA, .929 save percentage) is smoking hot right now. The senior from Warroad Minnesota has shutouts in three of her last four games and given up one goal in four games. That translates to (2-1-1, 0.25 GAA, .990 save percentage).
Amsley Benzie is one of the top goalies in the WCHA, and with every game, the All-American Amsley-Benzie adds to her historic career totals. With her shutout on Saturday, Amsley-Benzie now has 20 for her career. Amsley-Benzie is UND’s all-time leader in games played 95, wins 60, goals-against average 1.70, save percentage .929 and shutouts 20. (Link to career Stats)
