Who is Jake Kremer, the backup goalie?

Jake Kremer is a twisted ankle or a cold away from being the Gophers' goalie.

Yes, if anything happens to Kent Patterson, an injury or an illness, Kremer, in his third season as the team's practice goalie, is now next in line.

Kremer is a 6-1, 194-pound junior who played high school hockey at Eden Prairie.

He committed to the Gophers in May of 2008 after a stellar season in the North American Hockey League for the Bismarck Bobcats.

An '08 story on the NAHL website on Kremer quoted his coach Byron Pool saying, "Jake is a perfect example of a player whose work ethic carried him to the next level. He works as hard as any player in any league.

"I'm real excited for Jake. I think he will make it real hard for the Gophers not play him."

Not that hard so far.

Kremer has not given up a goal in 3-1/2 periods but faced only two, five and four shots. That's 11 total.

In the 2007-08 season with the Bobcats, Kremer was the team MVP. He had a 17-24-5 record, a 0.91 save percentage and a 3.30 goals-against average.

He led the NAHL with 1,475 saves and played 2,691 minutes and 29 seconds, the second most in the league.

His last Bobocats' game may have been his best. Kremer made 49 saves in a 1-0 victory.