Matt Snow may not be flashy playing between the pipes, but the St. Thomas Academy goalie did stand out Wednesday night in the Schwan Cup Gold Division championship game.

Snow made 20 saves to lead the Cadets to their first Gold Division title with a 3-0 victory over Burnsville at Ridder Arena. The victory also preserved St. Thomas Academy’s undefeated season. The Cadets are 10-0-0 and ranked No. 3 in the Class 2A coaches poll.

The senior said his goaltending style does what it’s supposed to do: give the Cadets their best chance to win. 

“My style is just whatever gets the job done,” he said. “No matter what it takes.”

Snow has been getting it done in his two seasons starting for St. Thomas Academy. He posted a 10-2-1 record as a junior, splitting time with Charlie Hallett. That impressive campaign set the groundwork for Snow’s 7-0-0 record and his sparkling 1.63 goals against average - which is eighth best in the state - while again sharing goaltending responsibilities with fellow senior Hallett.

Snow started and won all three games in the Schwan Cup, where his no-nonsense, workmanlike was apparent - unlike the beard he attempted to grow for the Schwan’s Cup. 

“I was getting a hard time for it,” Snow said with a laugh. “So I shaved it and left a little mustache.”

The Cadets clung to a lead not much thicker than Snow’s mustache after two periods as St. Thomas Academy led 1-0 on a power-play goal by Alec Broetzman. Snow stopped 12 shots in the first period and five in the second, but only made three saves in the third as the Cadets clamped down defensively.

St. Thomas Academy ramped up on offense beginning in the second period and finally broke through with goals from Broetzman and Peter Tufto in the third.  

“I think we found our legs and we played with a lot of energy in the second and third periods,” Cadets coach Tom Vannelli said. 

Snow’s consistency in goal, especially during the back-and-forth action in the first period, was the difference in the game, Vannelli said.

“(Snow)’s not overly acrobatic,”Vannelli said. “He’s very steady, and that’s what it took tonight."

It also took perseverance. St. Thomas Academy began competing in the Gold Division in 2008, but never won a title until Wednesday night. 

“It’s been a long time coming,” said defenseman Seamus Donohue, the Cadets senior captain. “The boys really wanted it, and it was nice to come out on top finally.”

Donohue, who has committed to Air Force, assisted on the Cadets’ first goal and made a number of key defensive plays in his own zone to keep the Blaze off the scoreboard. 

Snow said he is content with how St. Thomas Academy played in the Schwan Cup, but the Cadets are not satisfied with just winning this tournament.

“It’s a great feeling,” Snow said. “But it’s just the start.”


St Thomas Academy won the Schwan Cup Gold Division championship with a 3-0 victory over Burnsville at Ridder Arena on Dec. 31. Photo by Chris Juhn

First Report

Senior forward Alec Broetzman tallied two goals for St. Thomas Academy, and senior goaltender Matt Snow made 20 saves to earn the shutout as the Cadets claimed the Schwan Cup Gold Division championship with a 3-0 win over Burnsville on Wednesday night at Ridder Arena. 

Broetzman scored both goals on slick passing plays while St. Thomas Academy (10-0-0) had a man advantage. His second goal was nearly identical to the first as he poked in a shot from just outside the Burnsville crease. 

Senior forward Peter Tufto scored the third goal on a blistering wrist shot with 2:07 to play in the third period, cementing the victory for the Cadets, who are ranked No. 3 in the Class 2A coaches poll. 

The lone bright spot for Burnsville (5-6-1) was senior goaltender Dyllan Lubbesmeyer, who made a spectacular 29 saves in the losing effort for the No. 9-2A Blaze.

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