University of Minnesota Athletics
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Goaltender
/ Men's HockeyJack LaFontaine: Hobey Baker Award and Mike Richter Award Finalist Video
3/24/2021 7:28:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Before the No. 2 Gopher men's hockey program kicks off its 38th NCAA tournament run this weekend, take a look at body of work that Minnesota senior goaltender Jack LaFontaine has already put together this season.
*A native of Mississauga, Ontario, LaFontaine has been named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, the Mike Richter Award and is one of three Gopher Hockey finalists for the Senior CLASS Award. The alternate captain has already been recognized as the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, a First Team All-Big Ten selection and the Most Outstanding Player of the 2021 Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
*The goaltender has emerged as one of the top players in college hockey this season and has produced one of the best seasons by a goaltender in the 100-year history of the Gopher Hockey program. He currently leads the nation with 21 wins (21-6-0) while he leads all-regular NCAA goaltenders with a .936 save percentage and ranks second nationally among the group with a goals against average of 1.74. He also ranks tied for second in the NCAA with five shutouts and has even added a pair of assists to Minnesota's high-powered offense. His statistics for save percentage and goals against average this season would stand as the best performances in University of Minnesota history.
*The Carolina Hurricanes prospect has shined against some of the best competition in the country this season with 14 games against nationally ranked opponents and a 10-4 record in those contests. LaFontaine is coming off an overtime win over No. 7 Michigan in the Big Ten semifinals and a title-clinching victory over No. 5 Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game as Minnesota won three games in three days to take the conference playoff crown.
*LaFontaine has backstopped Minnesota to its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2017 as the Gophers locked up the Big Ten's automatic qualifying bid and a No. 1 regional seed in the upcoming national tournament. Minnesota leads the nation with 23 wins this season (23-6-0) while the 'U' ranks fourth in scoring offense (3.79 goals per game) and is seventh in scoring defense (2.00 goals per game). Nationally ranked all season long, the Gophers have kept themselves in the top-five of both national polls since the beginning of December including the program's first No. 1 ranking in both polls since Nov. 11, 2014.
*The senior backstopped the Maroon & Gold to a 10-0-0 record to start the season (Minnesota's best start since 1939-40) while the team enters the NCAA tournament having won eight of its last nine games. LaFontaine has also performed well on the road with a 12-1-0 record away from 3M Arena at Mariucci including an NCAA-best 9-1-0 mark in true road games and a 3-0-0 record in neutral site action.
*A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and an English major, LaFontaine helped Minnesota set a new program record with a 3.35 cumulative grade point average as a team in the fall of 2020, while the men's hockey team recorded a term grade point average of 3.46, which ranks second in program history after last spring's 3.64.
*LaFontaine participates in Minnesota's pen pal program with young fans, the annual Skate with the Gophers program, and the Rink Roots program. He also contributes to the program's annual Teddy Bear toss to benefit Masonic Children's Hospital on campus.
*The Carolina Hurricanes selected LaFontaine in the third round (75th overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He previously was named the BCHL's Top Goaltender for 2018-19 as a member of the Penticton Vees and was named the 2016 NAHL Midwest Division Goalie of the Year with the Janesville Jets.
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