Four Anoka-Hennepin student-athletes named finalists for top boys hockey awards

(03/07/19) Finalists for the 2019 Mr. Hockey and Frank Brimsek awards were announced on Feb. 22, and four Anoka-Hennepin student-athletes are in the running for player and goalie of the year honors in boys hockey.

Bryce Brodzinski, a senior at Blaine High School (BHS), and Charlie Schoen, a senior at Andover High School (AndHS) were named finalist for the Mr. Hockey Award. Brennan Boynton, a senior at Champlin Park High School (CPHS), and AndHS senior Ben Fritsinger were both named finalists for the Frank Brimsek award, which is given to the top goaltender in the state.

Brodzinski and Schoen are two of just 10 finalists for Mr. Hockey while Boynton and Fritsinger are two out of just three finalists for the Frank Brimsek Award.

Brodzinski, who has committed to the University of Minnesota to play hockey, led the state with 44 assists to go along with 32 goals during the regular season. He has picked up a point in every game this season and will lead the Bengals into Boys’ State High School Hockey Tournament as the No. 2 seed on March 7 at the Xcel Energy Center. BHS will take on White Bear Lake High School in the first game of the Class AA Tournament at 11 a.m.

Schoen recently signed to continue his academic and athletic career at Arizona State University and has helped the Andover Huskies to a historic season in 2018-19. Schoen helped his team to a Northwest Suburban Conference championship and finished the regular season with 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points, to lead the Huskies.

Boynton finished his senior season with a record of 17-5-0 in goal for CPHS. The Rebels advanced to the section 5AA semifinals behind a stellar season from Boynton. He finished the year with four shutouts and tied for second-best in the state with a .940 save percentage in 2018-19.

Fritsinger finished the regular season with a state-best 1.31 goals against average and the eighth-best save percentage of .932. He ended the year with a record of 19-2-1 and was a key component on a team that has allowed just 37 goals against this season.

Both awards are presented by the Minnesota Minute Men. Winners will be announced at the Mr. Hockey Awards Banquet on March 10 at the St. Paul RiverCentre.