Gophers goaltender Justen Close has had a stellar career at the University of Minnesota, and this season could be his best one. Close is closing in on the all-time shutouts record at the U.

Close has a 17-7-5 record this season and is in the top 10 nationally in both save percentage (sixth at .926) and goals-against average (10th at 2.25). 

***Click the video box above to hear full comments from Bob Motzko and Justen Close.***

Close is coming off back-to-back shutouts in the Gophers’ most recent weekend series sweep against Penn State.

“Let him keep playing,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said to members of the media at the Gophers media availability Wednesday afternoon.

The shutouts against Penn State moved Close into a tie for all-time shutouts for the Gophers with 13.(Adam Wilcox and Kellen Briggs also have 13 shutouts.)

“It’s definitely pretty wild to me, very fortunate to play for this program,” said Close to KSTP’s Chris Long. “Think back the last few years and played with a lot of good players on a couple of good teams, right place, right time I guess,” said Close.

On Wednesday, Close was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2024 Mike Richter Award, which has been given annually to the top goalie in Division I men’s hockey.