Minnetonka head coach Sean Goldsworthy is undefeated. 

The new skipper of the Skippers is officially 1-0 to start the season, as Minnetonka rallied from a 2-0 first-period deficit to earn a 5-4 overtime win over St. Thomas Academy on Friday night at the Bloomington Ice Garden. 

“If I’m playing for percentages, I’m going to retire now,” Goldsworthy joked after the game, adding that the spirit of the high school game helped draw him back to coaching. 

“High school kids are emotional, they play with a ton of passion, you’ve just got to learn to corral it,” Goldsworthy said. 

“If you do that and keep your focus, there’s a lot of talent on the ice, so you can do some fun things.”

Winning in overtime certainly counts as a “fun thing.”

Junior defenseman Josh Luedtke tallied the winning goal at the 4:48 mark of the period, dropping below the Cadets’ blue line and rifling a wrist shot past St. Thomas Academy goaltender Muzzy Donohue. 

“Our (defensive) coaches stress jumping up in the play and my forward Nic Henry made a great play on the wall,” Luedtke said with a game-winning grin.

Juniors Ryan O'Neill and Roby Christy started the scoring for the Cadets (0-1) in the first period before Minnetonka’s Luke Loheit cut the lead in half to enter the second frame. Junior Brendan McFadden and senior Blake Holmes also scored for the Cadets, ranked No. 5 in the latest Class 2A state coaches’ poll.

In addition to Loheit and Luedtke, the Skippers got goals from junior Jack Bayless, sophomore Teddy Lagerback, and senior Joe Molenaar. 

Making a mark outside of the goal column was sophomore forward Bobby Brink, a Denver commit who recorded two assists and played a pivotal role in the face-off circle for the No. 4-2A Skippers (1-0). 

“I played last year, so I learned from the older guys,” Brink said after the game. 

“I was a little more timid last year, but I feel pretty confident now.”

Brink scored 10 goals and totaled 30 points last season as a freshman. 

“Bobby’s special, he’s gifted,” Goldsworthy said. 

“He can do a lot with and without the puck. He plays like a college player right now.