Shibrowski likely to be Patterson's backup

Looks like the Gophers coaching staff has decided to rely extensively on Kent Patterson again next season in the nets.

When Alex Kangas, a senior, reinjured his hip in mid-December, Patterson turned into the Ironman. he played every minute the rest of the season. And he did well. He earned all-WCHA second team honors and was the team MVP.

The Gophers signed Adam Wilcox, a goalie for Green Bay of the USHL, last November, presumably to come in this coming fall and back Patterson up.

Now it looks like that won't happen. On Monday, Michael Shibrowski of Des Moines, another USHL goalie, committed to the U for next season. So what's up?

An insider said the Gophers will have three goalies next season. The usual number.

Patterson, of course, will be the main goalie. Shibrowski, who is definitely on his way, will be his backup. And Jake Kremer apparently will remain the practice goalie. Why mess with the practice goalie?

What that means is, the 6-0, 171 Wilcox will play in the USHL another season. Might not be such a bad move. At least Wilcox will play a lot more -- and presumably develop more -- rather than watch Patterson stop shots.

Alex Fons, a former Hopkins goalie, also is gone. He came in as a freshman in the middle of last season when the Gophers were down to two healthy goalies with no guarantees for the 2011-12 season.

The 6-2, 186-pound Shibrowski appears to be a walk-on, because the USHL web site story on him says he "committed" to the Gophers rather than "signed."

Shibrowski has been around.

As a high school senior at Benilde-St. Margaret's he was 1-1-0 with a 3.50 goals-against average before leaving for more playing time with a midget hockey team in Kansas City. His first year out of high school, he split his season between the Owatonna Express of the NAHL (14-4-2, 3.09 GAA, .895 save percentage) and Colorado College, where he was a backup.

Then last season at Des Moines, Shibrowski had a breakout season when he was the Bucs' MVP and had a 21-16-5 record (wins-losses-overtime loses), a 2.59 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. He also had four shutouts.

A third USHL goalie who has committed to the Gophers is Joel Vienneau of Muskegon. He has not signed. Maybe Vienneau will come in with Wilcox for the 2012-13 season.

Vienneau, 19, is a big goalie at 6-3, 194 from Hearst, Ontario. He struggled with Muskegon, an expansion team.

Here are Shibrowksi's USHL stats compared with Wilcox's and Vienneau's -- and Patterson's:

W L OTL GAA Save pct.

Shibrowski 21 16 5 2.59 .912

Vienneau 15 8 4 3.70 .889

W L T GAA Save pct.