One easy step from redshirt to Gophers star

With two experienced goaltenders returning for another Gophers hockey season, coach Brad Frost initially planned to redshirt Alyssa Grogan this year. That would give the freshman from Eagan a chance to adjust slowly to the college game without sacrificing a season of eligibility.

The unpredictable nature of sports, though, means athletes often have to shift on the fly. Frost changed his mind, and Grogan found herself standing between the pipes Oct. 10 -- against top-ranked Minnesota Duluth, on the road, the night the defending national champions raised their latest title banner. So much for easing into things.

Grogan stopped 36 shots and emerged with a 4-3 overtime victory. Last Friday, she faced another No. 1 team on the road and blocked two Wisconsin chances in a shootout, giving the Gophers a 1-1 tie and a shootout point. Not bad for a woman who expected the only shots she would see this season would be from her teammates in practice.

"I'm living the dream," said Grogan, who is 2-0-1 with a goals-against average of 1.31 and a save percentage of .932. "I was recruited as a redshirt, and even though I wanted to play, I was OK with taking a year to grow. I thought it would be beneficial in the long run.

"I was so pumped for that first game in Duluth. I'm sure I was shaking quite a bit in overtime. But I really wanted to prove to myself, my coaches and my teammates that they could rely on me and make me a vital part of this team."

With Grogan and sophomore Jenny Lura now rotating in goal, the second-ranked Gophers are 5-2-1 and have outscored their opponents 33-13. Lura's numbers -- a 3-1 record, .934 save percentage and 1.30 GAA -- are nearly identical to Grogan's, giving the Gophers a powerful one-two punch.

Frost wouldn't typically plunge a rookie into such deep water so quickly. The coach anticipated senior Kim Hanlon and Lura would share goaltending duties. But late last spring, he had begun to rethink the idea of shelving Grogan.

A three-time all-state pick at Eagan, she led the U.S. women's team to a 5-0 record and the gold medal at the world under-18 championships in January. Grogan's .930 save percentage and 1.00 GAA -- along with her 26 stops in a 5-2 victory over Canada for the title -- earned her honors as the tournament's best goaltender and cemented her reputation as an unflappable big-game goalie.

In May, Frost told Grogan to be ready to compete for playing time this year.

"We needed to figure out who our best goalies were and play them," Frost said. "It became clear early on that Alyssa belonged in the lineup. Her attitude is one of a certain intensity, but she's very laid-back at the same time. Nothing seems to faze her."

Not even that first college start at UMD. Frost felt secure in putting Grogan on the spot; he knew her ability to handle demanding situations, and he had seen her take on her teammates in practice without hesitation.

Best of all, when Frost told Grogan she would start, he got just the answer he was looking for.

"She just said 'OK,"' Frost recalled, laughing. "She has this carefree attitude, and she likes the pressure. The only way we were going to see what we had was to put her out there, and she has played very well."

Grogan plays a hybrid style in the net, grounded in athleticism, quickness, sound positioning and enough nerve to challenge shooters. While the competition for playing time continues -- Frost said his goalie decisions will be made on a week-to-week basis -- she is grateful for the gracious assistance that Hanlon and Lura have lent her as she hones her craft in practice.

Grogan also benefits from a stout Gophers defense that is allowing an average of 19.6 shots per game, less than half as many as the 41.9 shots the Gophers are taking. As much fun as it is to watch her team, she said, it's beyond thrilling to play with them.

"After the Duluth game, [Frost] joked that he thought he would throw me to the lions and see how I did," Grogan said. "But I was more excited than nervous.

"I didn't even know if I'd see any ice time this year. To be able to not only get on the ice, but to be part of these big games, it's great. I couldn't be happier."

Rachel Blount • rblount@startribune.com