Forget about the two shutouts in the MIAC tournament, the nine wins or the 2.05 goals against average.
All are impressive, but St. Olaf goalie Thomas Lalonde deflects credit for his success the way he knocks away a puck during an action-packed game.
“I really believe my team deserves the credit,” Lalonde said. “We’ve worked really hard to have success in the postseason, and the team makes the job of a goalie easier night after night. And it extends to the coaching. This group works hard and deserves credit, too.”
Lalonde, who has shared goaltending duties this season with fellow talented goalie Lukas Haugen, said everyone on the ice plays a role in making he and Haugen look good.
He talks about the defense and its ability to keep opposing players on the outside, and credits the forwards for their ability to bring the puck out and help limit scoring chances. Lalonde also points to the time spent in practice working on striking that right balance between offense and defense.
“It’s a whole team effort,” Lalonde said.
Lalonde has started 14 games for the Oles (13-11-3) and it’s not necessarily anything he’s done on the ice that has helped him have success. A lot of it comes down to something that simply does not show up on the stat sheet.
“I’m focused on having as much fun as possible, and all of us on the team have bought into that,” Lalonde said. “I’m trying to enjoy every minute because it’s going to come to an end for all of us one day. I’m remembering to have fun playing hockey and that’s a big factor in playing well and having a great season.”
St. Olaf has had a great season. The fifth-seeded Oles play second-seeded Bethel for the MIAC championship tonight. The Royals (18-5-3) are hosting the game for the first time since 2007 and are ranked 15th in the country.
It’s the second time in three seasons that St. Olaf is in the final. And just like in 2022, the Oles will have to win on the road to be champs and punch a ticket to the NCAA tournament.
The magnitude of the moment isn’t lost on Lalonde.
“Our goal all year was to give ourselves a chance to play a game for a conference championship. We aren’t taking it for granted,” Lalonde said. “We know how hard it is to get here and Bethel deserves to be here as much as we do. We recognize the moment is special and recognize we still have a lot of wood to chop to win a championship.”
Lalonde is from Canada and played his high school hockey in Minnesota. He fell in love with playing goalie the first chance he had to put on gear as a youth player.
“When you are 5 or 6, there is no automatic goalie. Everyone gets a turn,” Lalonde said. “I was a forward most of the year, but when it was my turn to be the goalie, I remember wearing the equipment around the house the night before and it looked cool. I won my first game 10-1, and I remember loving every minute of it. I’ve been a goalie ever since.”
It’s a position he enjoys because of everything that comes with playing it.
“Its one of hardest positions to play in all of sports,” Lalonde said. “I love the chaos during the game and you feel a real thrill every game. It’s not easy making saves and there is never a dull moment.”
This St. Olaf team is in the MIAC final, in part, because of the experience it has. Lalonde was part of a talented freshmen class that came in two seasons ago and has stuck together.
Connor Kalthoff, the points leader with six goals and 14 assists, is one of those juniors. Cody Sherman, who ranks second in points with seven goals and 12 assists, is also a junior. Jonathan Young, another junior, leads the team in goals scored (10) and ranks sixth in points (14).
But the Oles also have great senior leadership from players like Jonathan Panisa (5 goals, 11 assists), Troy Bowditch (7 goals, 8 assists) and Noah Heisler (1 goal, 14 assists).
“We are a veteran group and the experience factor is really key this time around,” Lalonde said. “We feel like a well-rounded complete team, and even though we have been here before, we are as hungry as ever.”
And that’s the thing about Lalonde and the Oles. They aren’t satisfied with having experienced being a champion before.
“It was an amazing experience two years ago, but that can’t be the end of our goals. It has to be the beginning of something special,” Lalonde said. “Our hunger to achieve it again is what keeps us going. And the hunger to win it for the new guys is what inspires us to work hard and give everything we have night in and night out.”
