NEW ULM — Two goaltenders with the New Ulm Steel NA3HL hockey team had different experiences last Saturday night.

Drew Schenkenberg made his first start in goal for the Steel as they downed Granite City 5-3.

Schenkenberg, who was picked up on waivers from the Rochester Ice Hawks, was then chosen to start because normal starter in nets, Ryan Kenny, had left for Boston for a three-day stint with the Northeast Generals of the NAHL.

Both had good experiences.

Schenkenberg, who played high school hockey for Irondale, was starting his second season with the Ice Hawks when he was waived last week.

“I was a little confused when I got put on waivers,” Schenkenberg said. “There was some miscommunication with my management, but at that point, it was the right move for me to be out of Rochester. I was a little surprised, but I was not going to worry over it.”

When he was released, Schenkenberg had posted a 4-9 record along with a 5.89 goals against average for a team that had a 4-25 record and mired in last place in the Central Division.

He said he knew that something else was going to come up and that happened when the Steel picked him up.

“I was really happy,” Schenkenberg said.” I wanted to play here since the beginning of the season, so I was thrilled about being on the team.”

Schenkenberg said that when he got here, he immediately noticed a culture change in the lockerroom.

“I noticed right away in just how the player here carry themselves,” he said. “Intensity is up in the practices, and they are looking for success from each other. They want team success. It is a big culture change.”

Schenkenberg said that when he was told he was starting because of Kenny’s call-up to the Generals, he wanted to make sure that the players playing in front of him were comfortable with him.

“Being as good of a goalie as Kenny is, I had to fill a big role of being able to make the saves that were needed for us to come out with a win.”

Schenkenberg had 35 saves against Granite City.

He also said that when the Steel got down 3-1, there was still a positive mindset in the lockerroom.

Meanwhile, 1,440 miles to the east, Kenny was in Boston with the Generals and getting his feet under him at the NAHL level. While Kenny did not play in any of the three games he was out there, he said he learned a lot.

“I learned a lot from (Generals goalie) David Fessenden and Marko Sturma — the way that David plays the puck. I really developed from my time there,” he said. “They are two very good goalies who will go far in their careers.”

Kenny also kept in touch with the Steel.

“I was scratched Saturday against Philadelphia, and I was on my phone the entire game. I had to make sure the guys were doing good.”

Kenny is back now as the Steel have two road games this weekend playing at Rochester Friday and at Granite City on Saturday.

CHARGERS STILL LEAD SERIES: Despite New Ulm Cathedral’s win Monday night against Minnesota Valley Lutheran in boy’s basketball, the Chargers still hold a 58-15 lead in the series according to stats from New Ulm Sports Central.

MVL built that big series lead by winning 22 straight games beginning Jan. 29, 1999 with a 64-51 win over the Greyhounds before Cathedral snapped that streak on Feb. 12, 2010 by downing MVL 76-74 according to New Ulm Sports Central.

NEW TEAMS IN CLASSIC: There will be four new teams this summer in the Upper Midwest Classic. Las Vegas returns after a two year absence. St. Michael is new, along with Hopkins. The Mankato Americans and Mankato Nationals are also in the Classic. They are all verbal commitments.

The New Ulm Legion committee is hoping to have 20 teams in the Classic this year.

MORRIS NOT AT TWINS CARAVAN MONDAY: The Minnesota Twins announced Wednesday that Jack Morris will NOT be in New Ulm on Monday for the Winter Caravan at the Best Western Plus.

Morris has been moved to a different caravan location.

Tickets for the Caravan are $13 and can be bought at KNUJ, Nicklasson Athletic or the Chamber of Commerce.

Twins players scheduled to attend are Jorge Polanco and Robby Grossman along with broadcaster Cory Provus.

The program begins at 6 p.m and there is an autograph session after the program. However fans are limited to one autograph per player per person.