Red Knights ready to ride remarkable run into postseason

The 2015-2016 regular season concluded with some entertaining games this past week.  When assessing this year what is known is that one team stood above the rest and that was the Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights.  The Stillwater Ponies earned their way to the second spot in an impressive season.  There was a bit of a stumble for the Blaine Bengals who rose to the top in the end ranking third and performed as expected.  There were 392 goals scored by those three teams and they allowed just 148 against making for a productive quotient in the win column.

After the top three teams there were the clubs that had the task of beating up on each other and it took its toll in the win loss column.  The emergence of Minnetonka at the 4th slot was impressive and they delivered a balanced scoring output with terrific goaltending.  The Wayzata Trojans round out a top five and were a team of peaks and valleys with the peaks outweighing the valleys propelling them up the ladder.

The rest of the field stayed in or lurked in the top ten much of the season and were in some cases, victims of schedules and weaker conferences that may have had more Class 1A games than top ten games like some of the others on a weekly basis.  It has been said here and is appears to be true that the section playoffs will be dramatic this year and the state tournament could have some traditional names absent with fresh faces in the field this year.  That will make for an entertaining three weeks of high school hockey.

Given the State of Hockey’s overall mood right now, the notion of sectional playoffs and a fantastic state tournament is welcomed by all with open arms.

1. Benilde-St. Margret’s (24-0-1)

Last Week:  W 4-2 Wayzata, W 5-2 St. Louis Park

The Red Knights completed the season with an unbeaten record.  Their one tie to Lakeville North (4-4) was the only blemish.  The Red Knights notched 135 goals on the season which were the most in the Class 2A this year.  Senior leadership and a cohesive locker room have been key to the Red Knights’ season. They had plenty of offensive contributors as eight players notched 20 points or more this season.  Offensive leader, Cade Gleekel, went down with an injury early in the Wayzata game this past week and his return is uncertain at this point.  The Red Knights prevailed in the Wayzata game and also defeated St. Louis Park in a hard fought contest to close out the season.  Goaltender Ryan Bischel posted a 23-0-1 recored with a 2.09 goals against average and a .912 save percentage for veteran coach Ken Pauly’s team.  The Red Knights have the depth and character to overcome the Gleekel injury, yet the Mr. Hockey semifinalist will be missed in their post season run.  Overall, it was a year that not many predicted for the Red Knights. Although they were considered to be a very good hockey team, an unbeaten season was not expected.  They have exceeded all expectations at this stage of the season but perhaps their own.

2. Stillwater (23-1-1)

Last Week:  W 5-2 White Bear Lake Area, W 3-2 Holy Family Catholic

There is only one team that won more games in Class 2A hockey than the Stillwater Ponies and that was Benilde-St. Margaret’s.  While it can be debated that the Ponies schedule was not loaded with a lot of top ten teams, a total of 5 games, Stillwater, did take care of business with teams they were expected to this year.  Two players captured more than 50 points with junior Noah Cates (20g-34a-54pts) and senior Jackson Cates (20g-33a-53pts) working the impressive one-two punch.  Jackson is slated to play his college hockey for Mel Pearson and the Michigan Tech Huskies.  Wins over White Bear Lake and a tough battle with Holy Family Catholic capped off a offensively productive season for the Ponies who tallied 128 goals and allowed a Class 2A low 42 goals against.  This team was recognized as an offensively talented edition this year but the level of defensive play was what stood out even more for this offensively entertaining team.  Matt Doman’s team has already accomplished their first goal by capturing the Suburban East Conference title making it their first conference hockey title in school history.  They now have their sights set on another section championship and first-ever state title.

3. Blaine (21-4-0)

Last Week:  W 4-1 Robbinsdale Armstrong, W 5-0 Roseville Area

It was a 21-win regular season for the Bengals who are winners in their last eight games.  Blaine has two Mr. Hockey semifinalists and 78 point players in Luke Notermann (28g-50a-78pts), and Riley Tufte (47g-31a-78pts).  Tufte’s 47 goals is nothing short of impressive and he has scored a major portion of those goals while playing five-on-five.  Notermann is a gifted set-up man and the two have been difficult for other teams to contain this year.  The Bengals spread 4 losses throughout the schedule and are in position to make a second straight State Tournament appearance and 12th in school history.  The Bengals scored 129 goals this season with Notermann and Tufte accounting for 75 of them.  Goaltender Ridge Gerads took the starting goaltender reigns and posted a 15-3-0 record with a 1.94 goals against average and sterling .926 save percentage.  Coach Chris Carroll’s team has the talent with their top guns to be an issue for any team it faces this season.

4. Minnetonka (18-6-1)

Last Week:  W 6-1 Edina, W 6-1 Duluth East

The Skippers closed out the season with a 4-0-1 record and outscored their opponents 31-8 in those games.  There is no doubt the Lake Conference still is the best high school hockey conference in Minnesota.  It may not be the largest, but it certainly presents 8 games a year that are challenging.  Minnetonka captured the conference title with a 6-1-1 record which is speaks for itself.  Coach Brian Urick challenges his team with a tough non-conference schedule as well.  Minnetonka had 16 games among teams in the MNHockeyMag CrankyApe.com Top-10 this year, including high-end Class 1A Hermantown, finishing 9-6-1 in those games.  A tough Section 2AA with Eden Prairie, Holy Family, and Prior Lake stands in the way of the Skippers and the State Tournament.  They are looking to make their sixth appearance in school history and first since 2010.  This year has seen a bit of a resurgence for the Skippers and Urick has maintained his patient approach to sticking with his plan and putting players in position to succeed.  Senior Brendan Skarda (17g-19a-36pts) led the Skippers in points and more impressively has posted (6g-6a-12pts) in his last five games.  Goaltender Thomas Hanson is 15-6-1 on the season with a 2.24gaa and .919 save percentage.  He could hold the keys to the Skippers potential trip to St. Paul this year.

5. Wayzata (16-8-1)

Last Week:  L 4-2 B-SM, W 7-0 Hopkins

The Trojans finished second in the Lake Conference this season with a 6-2 record.  Wayzata posted a 7-2 record in their last nine games and those losses were to Minnetonka and B-SM, both rated ahead of them.  Coach Pat O’Leary’s team maintains their structure and is able to strike when needed.  When playing the Trojans, most teams know they have to earn their scoring chances. Their 10-7-1 record against teams that have been ranked at some point in the MNHockeyMag CrankyApe.com Top-10 this year, including Class 1A powers Hermantown and Beck, is impressive and the volume of high end games has teed up the Trojans as a legitimate state tournament contender.  They share a section with Benilde-St. Margaret’s which could set up some interesting drama and a potential date at Mariucci Arena in the section final.  The Trojans also have Edina in their section who they have turned aside three times.  Can they do the unthinkable and beat Edina four times in one year?  It is hard to imagine a team that has ever accomplished the feat of defeating Edina four times in one year, if ever.  North Dakota recruit Mark Senden (7g-26a-33pts) leads his team with Colin Schmidt (12g-12a-24pts) standing second.

6. Grand Rapids (18-6-1)

Last Week:  W 4-1 Duluth Denfeld

A late season surge by the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks propelled them to the sixth position in the final MNHockeyMag.com rankings this year.  They are 10-1 since Dec. 7 and have won five straight since losing to Wayzata by a score of 3-2 on Jan. 22.  Coach Trent Klatt’s Thunderhawks have gotten better throughout the year and finished the season with a power play that connects at a 28.6 percent clip.  The power play illustrates the high end talent this team has.  North Dakota recruit Mitchell Mattson (17a-29a-46pts), Alex Adams (16g-19a-35pts), and Jonah Bischoff (14g-18a-32pts) lead a team that has five players with 30 points or more this year and a sixth that has 29 points.  They wild card to earning their first State Tournament berth since 2007 may lie in goaltender Gable Holum (13-1-0).  It has been a successful first season for Klatt behind the bench and the drive down 169 to St. Paul is certainly a solid possibility for the Thunderhawks who have put together a terrific regular season.

7. Holy Family Catholic (19-5-0)

Last Week:  W 5-2 STMA, W 5-4 St. Cloud Cathedral, L 3-2 Stillwater

The Fire had a breakout year and their path to the upper echelon to the Class 2A was a welcome addition.  The Fire were ranked second for a few weeks with the MNHockeyMag.com and tumbled to seven after losing to Grand Rapids and Stillwater in the last seven days of the season.  The Wright County Conference games that are peppered with Class A opponents represented 11 of their 24 games against such opponents, the second most of any team in the top ten only to Bemidji’s 13 games.  The Fire posted a 9-4 record against Class 2A opponents and were 4-5 against teams that have been ranked in the MNHockeyMag top 10 at some point this season including Class A power Breck.  Head coach Noel Rahn’s team was stingy defensively allowing just 45 goals against his season which is a winning formula for playoff hockey.  Goalies Jaxson Stauber (9-1-0, 1.24gaa) and Jared Moe (10-4-0, 2.12gaa) are an impressive duo that can be relied upon.  Offensively Will Garin (24g-23a-47pts) and Matt Anderson (9g-26a-35pts) are playing like the DI recruits that they are.  With Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, and Prior Lake in the hunt for the Section 2AA title, the Fire have every reason to believe they could make their first trip to the State Tournament.

8. Lakeville North (19-5-1)

Last Week:  W 4-1 St. Thomas Academy, W 8-2 Eastview, W 7-6 Prior Lake

The Panthers are among the hottest teams in the Class 2A with 8 straight wins and a 14-1 mark in their last 15 games including the thrilling 3-2 win at Bayfront Park in Duluth on Hockey Day Minnesota.  Since then it was 4-1 wins over St. Thomas Academy, 8-2 over Eastview, and 7-6 over Prior Lake.  Coach Trent Eigner’s team is one win away from the 20-win club.  With 133 goals scored and just 54 goals allowed this year, the Panthers continue their formula of success which is stifling defensive zone play and creative offensive production that starts in transition.  St. Cloud State recruit Ryan Poehling (20g-34a-54pts) leads the team offensively and Bowling Green bound Max Johnson leads in goals with (27g-19a-46pts).  Buzz Eigner has notched 3 shutouts and owns a record of (13-3-1) and will be called upon in the playoffs.  With the perfect season of 2015 firmly behind them, this year’s edition has been able to forge their own identity and appear comfortable with it heading to the post season.  A Section 1AA title would mark the 3rd straight state tournament appearance and 10th overall.  They will have a tough run in their section with Farmington among other teams ready to take a run at the Panthers.

9. Bemidji (21-2-2)

Last Week:  W 4-1 Thief River Falls

Much like he team one slot ahead of them, the Bemidji Lumberjacks have put together a solid close to the season by winning 10 straight and 14 of their last 15 games.  They are known as a defensive team and are in allowing just 47 against his year.  With 119 goals for the Lumberjacks  have a knack to score and in bunches.  Coach Wade Chiodo’s team is 2-0-1 against teams that have been ranked in the top ten of the MNHockeyMag.com including a win over Class 1A big dog Hermantown.  Still, they are 12-0-1 against Class 1A teams and while the 21 wins are impressive indeed, there were not as many grinding top ten games as the teams ranked ahead of them to justify being slotted higher.  Bemidji, is the defending Class 8AA champions and a top ten team that can do some damage if they qualify for the tournament a second straight time.  Alex Pollock (15g-25a-40pts) and Brady Tatro (14g-24a-38pts) lead their team offensively and goalie Matt Fitzgerald (17-2-2, 2.05gaa) has been solid in goal for the Lumberjacks who will have a challenge waiting in the section playoffs this year.

10. Centennial (18-6-1)

Last Week:  W 7-3 Totino-Grace, W 7-2 Spring Lake Park, W 7-1 Irondale

Five wins in a row and a 12-1 record in their last 13 has been impressive for the Centennial Cougars to complete a successful regular season.  They found their goal scoring groove by beating tier last five teams by a combined 39-8.  Ritch Menne’s Cougars have tallied 114 goals this season and have allowed just 63 against.  They finished one point shy of the Northwest Suburban North Conference title behind Blaine.  The Cougars defeated Blaine and tied Elk River/Zimmerman in conference action this year while posting a 2-5-1 record against teams that were ranked in the top ten this year.  Tyler Nyman lit it up this year with (18g-30a-48pts) and Lucas McGregor (13g-21a-34pts) finished second in points and assists for the Cougars this season.  Nathan Fellows (12-5-1, 2.43gaa) took the majority of the minutes in the crease but Travis Allen (6-1-0, 2.68) was equally effective when called upon.  Centennial is in search of their 4th state tournament appearance and 3rd in 4 years out of the Section 5AA.  Some quality teams will be standing in their way yet if they continue to light the lamp, the Cougars will be in the final mix with their rival Blaine.

Others Receiving Consideration:   Prior Lake,  Edina, Eden Prairie, Hill-Murray,  Duluth East, Elk River, Farmington, Moorhead, St. Michael Albertville, Rochester John Marsall, Rogers

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top Ten – 2/15/16 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Red Knights poised to run the table, Ponies giving chase

Week 12 of the CrankyApe.com rankings represents the last week of the regular season.  We will have one more final ranking that will come out next week and then our attention will focus on the sectional and state tournament action.  The Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights still have a zero in the loss column and have not moved from the top spot for weeks.  Stillwater reclaimed the second spot after Holy Family Catholic was tripped up and that opened up a slot for Blaine to move up to No. 3.

There are a number of teams that could be considered for the 8-10 slots this week with Eden Prairie being dropped like it’s hot.  There are legitimate reasons for that yet the Eagles are 0-3-1in their last four games with the 3 losses accounting for half of their season losses.  There could be a number of upsets in sectional play and a potential state tournament field that could be peppered with some variety this year which would be great for the game.

1.  Benide-St. Margaret’s (22-0-1)

Last Week:  W 5-1 Chaska, W 5-3 Eden Prairie

This Week:  at Wayzata (2/11), vs St. Louis Park (2/13)

The Red Knights defeated a motivated Eden Prairie team on the road this past week in an entertaining 5-3 game.  After jumping out to a 3-0 lead, the high flying Red Knights held off the Eagles who rallied to pull within one at 4-3 in the third period.  Mr. Hockey finalist Cade Gleekel scored a pair of goals to help lead his team to the win before a packed house.  B-SM also dispatched the Chaska Hawks 5-1 to open the week and remain unbeaten.  The win over Eden Prairie improves the Red Knights record to 7-0-1 against teams that have been in the MNHockeyMag CrankyApe.com Top-10 this season.  Two big sectional games are up next with Wayzata on deck this week and natural rival St. Louis Park each standing in the Red Knight’s way with an unbeaten regular season this year.

2.  Stillwater (21-1-1)

Last Week:  W 6-1 Forest Lake, W 3-1 Woodbury

This Week:  at White Bear Lake (2/11), vs Holy Family Catholic (2/13)

It was a pair of wins in Suburban East Conference for the Ponies who defeated Forest Lake and Woodbury.  The Ponies close out the season with two more games games.  One is at White Bear Lake and and the second is at home when the Ponies host Holy Family Catholic.  The White Bear Lake game could be a preview to a sectional matchup with the season finale being a re-match with Holy Family Catholic from the St. Louis Park Holiday Classic game which resulted in a Fire win over the Ponies.  That loss represents the only loss of the season for the Ponies who have won nine straight and are 13-0-1 since losing to Holy Family Catholic.

3.  Blaine (18-4-0)

Last Week:  W 5-0 Irondale, W 7-1 Coon Rapids

This Week:  vs Champlin Park (2/8), vs Armstrong/Cooper (2/10), vs Roseville Area (2/13)

The Bengals have climbed back to the third slot this week by turning aside Irondale and Coon Rapids, a pair of teams they are expected to beat.  Featuring two Mr. Hockey finalists in Luke Notermann and Riey Tufte, the Bengals are going to be an issue for a number of teams come sectional time and perhaps beyond.  They have won five straight and are 8-3 against teams that have been ranked in the MNHockeyMag CrankyApe.com Top-10 this year and that is plenty of reason to have them in the elite of the rankings for their body of work by owning the most wins against the fewest losses of top teams this year.

4.  Holy Family Catholic (17-4-0)

Last Week:  at Hopkins (ppd), W 5-0 Duluth Marshall, L 5-3 Grand Rapids

This Week:  at St. Michael Albertville (2/9), vs St. Cloud Cathedral (2/11), at Stillwater (2/13)

A 10-game winning streak was snapped by the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks this past weekend as the Fire fell by a score of 5-3 in an outdoor game at Grussendorf Park in Grand Rapids on Hockey Day Minnesota.  The night before Holy Family Catholic stopped the Marshall School, Duluth with a 5-0 win at Amsoil Arena.  For the season, Holy Family is now 4-3 against teams ranked among the MNHockeyMag CrankyApe.com Top-10, placing them among a majority of the teams battling it out this year in the top-10 – proving there is incredible balance among a number of teams thus far.

5.  Minnetonka (16-6-1)

Last Week:  T 3-3 Eden Prairie, W 7-3 Wayzata

This Week:  at Edina (2/11), vs Duluth East (2/13)

The Skippers are 3-1-1 in their last four and 8-2-1 since Jan. 2.  Moreover, Minnetonka is 3-2-1 against top-10 teams in that span as well.  Wins over Eden Prairie, Edina, and Wayzata were impressive to go along with a tie against  Eden Prairie in their last six games. Their  losses to Wayzata and Benilde-St. Margaret’s are nothing to be ashamed of as  It has been a rough schedule in January for Minnetonka who have promoted their case as a top five team with big wins over the last five weeks.  Minnetonka is 6-5-1 against top-10 teams in the MNHockeyMag.com CrankyApe.com rankings to date.

6.  Wayzata (15-7-1)

Last Week:  W 5-1 Edina, L 7-3 Minetonka

This Week:   vs Benilde-St. Margaret’s (2/11), at Hopkins (2/13)

Which team are the Trojans is the question.  Are they the one that was a convincing 5-1 winner over Edina?  Or, are they the team that lost in convincing fashion to Minnetonka 7-3 – all in the span of one week.  They Trojans have the most losses and fewest wins among the top seven teams this week, yet are 8-5-1 in games against teams that have been in this top-10 at some point this year, tying them with Blaine and Eden Prairie for the most wins in that category.  The belief here is that Wayzata is the team that has won the eight games and they had a six-game winning streak snapped that included wins against Edina (2), Minnetonka, Grand Rapids, and Eden Prairie.  Wayzata will look to hand the B-SM Red Knights their first loss on the season this week and will close out the regular season with a Section 6AA opponent in Hopkins.

7.  Grand Rapids (17-6-1)

Last Week:  W 8-3 Hopkins, W 5-2 Holy Family Catholic

This Week:  at Duluth Denfeld (2/12)

One game is on the schedule for Grand Rapids, at Duluth Denfeld, and Trent Klatt’s edition will be preparing for the competitive Section 7AA playoffs.  If the Thunderhawks take care of business against Denfeld and win their first sectional game, this is a 20-win team and when all is said and done that will be a short list of teams this year.  Consider that the Thunderhawks are 11-2-0 since Dec. 29 when they picked up play after the Edina Holiday Classic and have a respectable 4-5-1 against  MNHockeyMag.com CrankyApe.com Top-10 teams this year, they are in the same class as a number other top-10 teams this year.  A head-to-head win by Wayzata is the difference in the Thunderhawks standing in seventh again this week.

8.  Lakeville North (16-5-1)

Last Week:  W 4-1 Lakeville South, W 3-2 Duluth East

This Week:  vs St. Thomas Academy (2/9), vs Eastview (2/11), at Prior Lake (2/13)

The Panthers are 2-3-1 against top ten teams from this year in this ranking system.  They have two additional losses to Section 1AA opponent Farmington by scores of 1-0 and 5-3.  Lakeville North handed Benilde-St. Margaret’s their only tie on the season which is a feather in their cap and are 11-1-0 since Jan. 5 while cleaning house on the South Suburban with the exception being Farmington.  A test in the St. Thomas Academy Cadets opens the weekend with two conference games featuring Eastview and Prior Lake closing out the regular season campaign for the Panthers.

9.  Bemidji (20-2-2)

Last Week:  W 6-4 Brainerd, W 11-0 Warroad, W 5-4 Sartell-St. Stephen 

This Week:  vs Thief River Falls

The Lumberjacks have won nine games in a row and are just the second 20-win team this season only to B-SM.  Bemidji has posted a 1-0-1 record among the top-10 teams which fewest such games among the top-1o.  Still, they have scored an impressive 120 goals and have allowed just 46 against this year.  Their two losses have come in overtime to Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (4-3), and Moorhead (3-2).  One final game with Thief River Falls remains for the Lumberjacks. 

10.  Eden Prairie (15-6-2)

Last Week:  T 3-3 Minnetonka, L 5-2 Benilde-St. Margaret’s

This Week:  vs Hopkins (2/11), at Edina (2/13)

The Eagles are 0-3-1 in their last four games and are clinging to the top-10 this week.  There is no question Eden Prairie is a top-five team but going 2-4-2 in their last eight games is tough to justify remaining among the top teams.  All of their losses are to top -10 teams in these rankings and they are 8-6-2  for the season against top-10 teams tying them with Blaine and Wayzata for the most wins in that category.  The Eagles are a good team and if they can re-focus their energy on the next 3-4 weeks of hockey can be considered a state title contender still this year.  We have said it before here, there is a reason for the tough patch for this team and  that is understandable.

Others Receiving Consideration:  Farmington, Elk River/Zimmerman, Edina, Duluth East, Hill-Murray, Centennial, Prior Lake, Lakeville South

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top Ten – 2/9/16 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Trojans on the move while Hornets, Panthers climb back in

Two weeks remain in the regular season with the majority of the teams at or near 20 of their 25 games played.  The Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights had a big week topping Minnetonka in a well-played game, earning a 4-2 win, and hold onto the top spot again, something they have not relinquished since taking over in week three.

The surging team this week is the Wayzata Trojans, winners of five in a row, including four against top-10 teams, since the middle of January.  The Edina Hornets climbed back in the top-10 and last year’s defending state champion Lakeville North Panthers also settled in at No. 10.

1. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (20-0-1)

Last Week:  W 4-2 Minnetonka, W 12-0 Bloomington Kennedy, W 10-1 Chanhassen

This Week:  at Chaska (2/4), at Eden Prairie (2/6)

The Red Knights defeated the Minnetonka Skippers in a marquee match-up last week at the St. Louis Park Rec Center.  Utilizing their depth, the Red Knights are finding ways to win each night.  B-SM went on to light up two Metro West Conference opponents in wins over Bloomington Kennedy and Chanhassen by scores of 12-0 and 10-1 respectively.  The Red Knights continue Metro West play this week when they face Chaska and then it is Eden Prairie to close out the schedule for the week.  With 116 goals on the season, the Red Knights are the highest-scoring team in the Class 2A as Cade Gleekel (20g), Auggie Moore (15g), and Jacob Holmers (14g) pace the way in goal scoring.

2. Holy Family Catholic (16-3-0)

Last Week:  W 7-0 Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato, W 4-1 Delano

This Week:  at Hopkins (2/2), at Duluth Marshall (2/5), at Grand Rapids (2/6)

The Fire have won 9 straight since a Dec. 17 loss to Wayzata.  This week, they picked up wins over Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (7-0) and Delano (4-1).  They have three Class 2A opponents this week starting with Hopkins, then they travel north this weekend for games against Duluth Marshall, and the talented Grand Rapids Thunderhawks.  All are away from the friendly confines of the Victoria Arena and will provide a solid test for the Fire who have allowed 31 goals against on the season with a pair of goaltenders sharing the duties in goal.  Jared Moe (9-2-0, 1.69, .929), and Jaxson Stauber (7-1-0, 1.30, .931) have been steady manning the pipes this year giving their team a chance every outing.

3. Stillwater (19-1-1)

Last Week:  W 4-0 Mahtomedi, W 8-1 Mounds View

This Week:  vs Forest Lake (2/4), at Woodbury (2/6)

The Ponies topped Mahtomedi, ranked No. 5 in the CrankyApe.com top-10 last week, and hammered Mounds View to put them on the cusp of a 20-win season.  They bring a high octane offensive approach to the table and are second to the Red Knights with 111 goals scored this season in Class 2A. .  Luke Manning (20g), Noah Cates (19g), and Jackson Cates (18g) lead the team in goals.  They captured their first Suburban East Conference hockey title with three conference games remaining.  Forest Lake and Woodbury represent two of those SEC games this week.

4. Blaine (16-4-0)

Last Week:  W 6-3 vs Maple Grove, W 10-1 vs Andover

This Week:  vs Robbinsdale Armstrong (2/2), vs Irondale (2/4), at Coon Rapids (2/6)

The Bengals climbed two slots from the sixth to the fourth on the strength of three straight wins.  In the process, they leap-frogged Minnetonka and Eden Prairie, each of which have won and lost some big games over the past two weeks.  Like the other top teams in our rankings, the Bengals are putting the puck in the net with 102 on the season.  Riley Tufte (33g), and Luke Notermann (21g) account for 53% of the Bengals goals.  Three games are on the schedule this week for the Bengals who will look to finish strong heading into sectional tournament in a couple of weeks.

5. Wayzata (14-6-1)

Last Week:  W 4-1 Hopkins, W 4-2 Eden Prairie

This Week:  vs Edina (2/4), vs Minnetonka (2/6)

The Wayzata Trojans could be peaking at the right time after earning five straight wins in the past two weeks.  They accomplished that after stumbling to a 1-4-1 mark from the middle of December to the middle of January.  The Trojans have gotten back to their defensive ways in allowing just six goals against over the course of their streak.  Consider that they have won four of their five games against top-ten teams in that time and are 8-5-1 against teams that have been ranked in both the Class 1A and Class 2A rankings of the CrankyApe.com rankings and they have one impressive resume.  Mark Senden leads the Trojans in points (4g-21a-25pts) and Colin Schmidt leads in goals with 10.  The Trojans have allowed just 43 goals against this year and position themselves as a legitimate threat in the Section 6AA that features both B-SM and Edina among the top teams.

6. Minnetonka (15-6-0)

Last Week:  L 4-2 B-SM, W 9-0 Hopkins

This Week:  vs Eden Prairie (2/4), at Wayzata (2/6)

The Skippers are 7-2 in their last nine games with both losses coming at the hands of teams ranked above them in B-SM and Wayzata.  Minnetonka picked up a win over an Edina team which may be turning the corner this year, and then crushed Hopkins 9-0 to close out their week.  A challenging week is on deck for Minnetonka which faces off against Eden Prairie and Wayzata.  Things won’t get any easier for the Skippers who will see Edina and Duluth East to close out the 2016 regular season.  Brendan Skarda leads a hard working group in scoring for the Skippers (12g-14a-26pts)

7. Grand Rapids (15-6-1)

Last Week:  W 5-3 Moorhead

This Week:  vs Hopkins (2/5), vs Holy Family Catholic (2/6)

The Thunderhawks have clawed their way to a respectable No. 7 position in the top-10.  They are 7-2 in their last nine games after falling to highly regarded Hermantown on Jan. 5.  Since then, the Thunderhawks’ only blemish was at the hands of Wayzata by a score of 3-2.  That was not a loss to be ashamed of as the Trojans have launched themselves to top-5 status this week with an impressive run.  Only one game was scheduled for Grand Rapids last week and that was a 5-3 win over Moorhead.  Hopkins and Holy Family Catholic are waiting in the wings for the Thunderhawks this week and Rapids will close out the regular season with one game next week against Duluth Denfeld.  Goaltender Gabe Holum has taken the bull by the horns and is now 11-1-0 on the season with his only loss coming to Wayzata.  Holum has a 1.99 GAA with three shutouts this year.  The sophomore goalie is as advertised and gives the Thunderhawks a chance to win every game he plays.

8. Edina (13-7-2)

Last Week:  W 4-3 Eden Prairie, W 5-0 Academy of Holy Angels

This Week:  at Wayzata (2/4), vs Minnetonka 2/11)

The Hornets are back and earned their way in with a big win over Eden Prairie and followed that up with a solid win over the Academy of Holy Angels.  The addition of freshman and University of Minnesota recruit Ben Brinkman to the blue line has paid dividends for the Hornets who have moved Clayton Phillips, another U of M recruit to forward.  It will be the moment of truth for the Hornets who take on Wayzata and Minnetonka, each for the third time this year, and have yet to solve either club going 0-4 in those games.  Sammy Walker (18g-16a-34pts) and Ben Copeland (14g-19a-33pts) lead the Hornet in points and goals this year.  Goalie Charlie de Grood flies under the radar for Edina and has been impressive.  The senior goalie is 12-7-2 on the season, has four shutouts, and has put together a .907 save percentage.  de Grood was the difference in the Eden Prairie game and is also a big reason why his Hornet team is welcomed back into the top ten this week.  They could fall out as fast as they returned if they stumble in their games this week.

9. Eden Prairie (15-5-1)

Last Week:  L 4-3 Edina, L 4-2 Wayzata

This Week:  at Minnetonka (2/4), vs B-SM (2/6)

The Eagles dropped both of their games last week and are 2-3-1 in their last six games.  There is a legitimate reason for the Eagles’ slide and it is understandable with some of the challenges the club is facing.  They have been in all of their games during the six-game stretch, losing in overtime to Minnetonka and to Edina 4-3 and Wayzata 4-2.  Expected wins over Bloomington Jefferson and Hopkins have been delivered to go along with a tie to St. Thomas Academy.  Casey Mittelstadt (19g-30a-49pts), Micheal Graham (13g-25a-38pts), Nolan Sulivan (16g-18a-34pts), and defenseman Nicky Leivermann (9g-21a-30pts) lead a potent offensive attack for the Eagles.

10. Lakeville North (14-5-1)

Last Week:  W 13-0 Apple Valley, W 2-1 (OT) Rosemount

This Week:  at Lakeville South (2/4), at Duluth East (2/6)

The defending state champs are back in the top-10 after some time away on the strength of a 9-1 record over their last 10 games.  The Panthers are 2-3-1 against teams that are ranked among the top-10 in the CrankyApe.com rankings this year and the volume of top-10 games among the teams placed ahead of them plays into the consideration as to why they are not any higher.  Add to that two losses to Farmington in section play and the Panthers may not even get the top seed.  Some losses that Farmington has endured keep them from the top-10 and this slot is the Panthers’ for this week.  The Panthers will take on crosstown rival Lakeville South and Duluth East at the much anticipated Hockey Day Minnesota event in Duluth.  Ryan Poehling (15g-27a-42pts), Henry Enebak (13g-25a-38pts), and Max Johnson (24g-13a-37pts) are the offensive leaders for the Panthers this year.

Others Receiving Consideration:  Duluth East, Farmington, Centennial, Hill-Murray, Bemidji, Elk River/Zimmerman, Lakeville South, St. Thomas Academy, Prior Lake

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top-10 – 2/1/16 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Red Knights still rule while Skippers test top-5 waters

Week 10 saw no change among the top three teams with Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Holy Family Catholic, and Stillwater holding serve.  Minnetonka continued is ascent to the top of the pack as they checked in at the No. 4 spot.  Blaine is 2-2 in its last four games and fell to No. 6 this week.  Wayzata and and Centennial continued to move up this week by earning big victories.

1.  Benilde-St. Margaret’s (17-0-1)

Last Week:  W 2-1 (ot) Farmington, W 5-2 Bloomington Jefferson

This Week:   vs Minnetonka (1/26), vs Bloomington Kennedy (1/28), at Chanhassen (1/30)

After having a week off, the Red Knights traveled to Schmitz-Maki Ice Arena and faced a solid Farmington team.  The game was a 2-1 overtime win for the Red Knights as they needed almost the entire overtime period to get it done.  Cade Gleekel scored his 17th of the season with :24 remaining on the clock.  B-SM then went on to defeat Bloomington Jefferson 5-2 in a Metro West Conference game.  They have a non-conference game against Minnetonka which always brings plenty of energy and emotion between those two rivals on Tuesday.  Then, it is back to Metro West Conference play for the Red Knights who are tuning up for the stretch run of their schedule.

2.  Holy Family Catholic (14-3-0)

Last Week:  W 7-1 Orono

This Week:  at Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (1/26), vs Delano (1/28)

The Fire won their only game last week with a 7-1 win over Orono at the Victoria Recreation Center.  They will face a pair of Wright County teams next week as the Fire continue their assault on the rest of the conference.  Holy Family Catholic topped Delano 4-3 earlier this season and face a Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato team that is 14-4 this year.  Fire wins over Minnetonka, Lakeville North, Stillwater, St. Tomas Academy, and Prior Lake provide enough signature victories for the Fire to hold onto the number two slot this week.

3.  Stillwater (17-1-1)

Last Week:  W 7-0 East Ridge, W 5-2 Hill-Murray

This Week:  vs Mahtomedi (1/28), vs Mounds View (1/30)

The Ponies delivered an impressive win over Hill-Murray and established themselves as the team to beat in the Section 4AA.  What is more impressive is the Ponies averaged 5.6 goals scored per game over the last 5 games.  This offensively entertaining team has outscored opponents 99-35 this year.  They are behind Holy Family Catholic due to their head-to-head loss to the Fire earlier this year.  While two top-ten victories over Lakeville North and Hill-Murray are quality wins, the Ponies will close out the season with just four games against teams ranked in the CrankyApe.com Top-10 at some point this season.  Two of those games will have come against Holy Family Catholic.  Stillwater has taken care of business against teams they are expected to and are setting themselves up for what could be a memorable post season run.

4.  Minnetonka (14-5-0)

Last Week:  L 4-0 Wayzata, W 5-2 Edina

This Week:  at Benilde-St. Margaret’s, vs Hopkins (1/30)

One would think a loss to Wayzata would send he Skippers back in the top ten this week.  But, they do reside in the rugged Lake Conference where top teams take turns beating up on each other.  With a 4-3 overtime win and a second win against  Edina this year added to the Skipper ledger, Minnetonka lands in the fourth slot this week.  They are 6-5 against teams that have been ranked in the CrankyApe.com Top-10 this year.  The Skipper schedule calls for five of their last six games against top ten teams at one point this year making for one of the most difficult schedules this year and they have fared quite well.

5.  Eden Prairie (15-3-1) 

Last Week:  T 2-2 St. Thomas Academy, W 7-1 Bloomington Jefferson,  W 5-2 Hopkins

This Week:  vs Edina (1/28) vs Wazata (1/30)

The Eagles finished the week 2-0-1 after losing to Minnetonka in overtime last week.  They tied St. Thomas Academy with Michael Graham out of the lineup due to illness.  A convincing win over Boomington Jefferson and grinding 5-2 win over Hopkins teed up a big week of hockey for the Eagles this week when they take on Edina and Wayzata.  The Eagles are 8-1-1 in their last ten and continue to be on the short list of legit state title contenders this year.

6.  Blaine (14-4-0)

Last Week:  L 5-2 Hill-Murray, W 4-1 Anoka

This Week:  vs Maple Grove (1/28), vs Andover (1/30)

A 5-2 loss to open the week didn’t help the Bengals cause as they fell out of the top five in the CrankyApe.com rankings for the first time this season.  The Bengals avenged a 6-3 loss to Anoka earlier in the season with a 4-1 win this past Saturday. Blaine continues their run through Northwest Suburban Conference teams with home games against Maple Grove and Andover this week. The one-two punch of Luke Notermann (19-32-51) and Riley Tufte (29-21-50) continue their productive season. 

7.  Wayzata (12-6-1)

Last Week: W 4-0 Minnetonka, W 3-2 Grand Rapids

This Week:  vs Hopkins (1/28), at Eden Prairie (1/30)

Three wins against quality opponents in their last three games have propelled the Trojans to the 7th slot this week.  After going on a rough 1-4-1 stretch that tossed the Trojans from the top ten, they have righted the ship by defeating Edina for the second time this year which is huge for sectional implications.  Wins over Minnetonka and Grand Rapids, two ranked opponents, are enough to keep Wayzata relevant.  They are still behind Minnetonka despite picking up the win against the Skippers as they have more ground to make up in their climb to the top five from their rough 6 game stretch.  Wayzata has a key contest with Minnetonka scheduled on Feb. 6.

8.  Centennial (13-5-1)

Last Week:  W 2-1 White Bear Lake, W 3-2 Maple Grove, W 3-2 Moorhead

This Week:  vs Elk River/Zimmerman (1/28), vs Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz (1/30)

The Cougars have won 7 straight and moved up to the No. 8 position this week with a 3-2 win on the road over Moorhead, a team that had won five straight.  Centennial will have a two key games this week with Elk River/Zimmerman and Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz.  What is an impressive is Centennial’s 7-1-0 in Section 4AA games including a solid win over Blaine a week ago.  With two more sectional games on the schedule, the Cougars have a chance to shore up their position in the section playoffs.   

9.  Elk River/Zimmerman (12-6-1)

Last Week:  W 3-2 Andover, L 4-2 Maple Grove

This Week:  at Centennial (1/28), at Duluth East (1/30)

The loss to the Maple Grove Crimson has the Elks standing at 1-2 in their last 3 games.  While they are 5-2 in their last 7 games including a win over Lakeville North, the Elks have been playing well enough to maintain a spot among the top-10.  They have a tough week away from home with games scheduled against Centennial and Duluth East.  The Elks are 3-0 among Section 7AA teams so far this season and have played the fewest  games against opponents from within the section.  The Duluth East game will play large in the discussion for where teams will play out in the section seedings.

10.  Grand Rapids (14-5-1)

Last Week:  W 5-4 (ot) Duluth Marshall, L 3-2 Wayzata, W 7-3 White Bear Lake

This Week:  vs Moorhead (1/30)

The Thunderhawks opened he week squeaking past Duluth Marshall in overtime and then lost to Wayzata before a packed house at the IRA Civic Center this past Friday.  Grand Rapids climbed right back on the horse and took down White Bear Lake 7-3 the following day to close out last week.  Just one game is on the schedule next week with Moorhead slated for Grand Rapids with three remaining on the season.  Don’t look now, but the season is just three weeks away from the final week and Grand Rapids is a team with a lot of talent that has developed over the long haul, positioning itself for a post season run in the competitive Section 7AA.     

Others Receiving Consideration:  Hill-Murray, Farmington, St. Thomas Academy, Edina,  Lakeville North, Moorhead, Bemidji, Prior Lake

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top Ten – 1/26/16 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Fire putting the heat on BSM while Skippers sail upward

It is anyone’s guess as to who the top ten teams really are anymore this year.  What is known is the Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights have earned the top billing and continue to do so for six consecutive weeks by pulling away from the field with a 15-0-1 record.  While they were idle last week, the rest of the top ten teams took turns in winning and losing big games along the way.  Making the big move was Holy Family Catholic as they surged to the number two slot.  Not far behind is Stillwater, who like Holy Family, is feasting on its conference games.

The Minnetonka Skippers have been workmanlike in climbing the ladder earning the fifth slot this week with a hard fought overtime win over the Eden Prairie Eagles.  Wayzata defeated Edina for the second time this year and knocked the Hornets out of the top ten yet are 2-4-1 in their last seven games which keeps the Trojans from the top ten this week.  From week to week, the top ten remains a work in progress with plenty of movement and certainly offers a lot of opportunity for discussion.  Centennial and Hill-Murray are the two newest teams to enter the top ten this week. Hill-Murray’s decisive 7-1 win over Wayzata a few weeks back coupled with a four game unbeaten streak propelled them past the Trojans to the No. 10 slot this week.   All of the movement signifies what should be a dramatic section and state playoff run for all teams this year proving it will be wide open.

1. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (15-0-1)

Last Week:  Off
This Week:  at Farmington (1/19), at Bloomington Jefferson (1/23)

The Red Knights had the week off to work on their game, not that it needed much, but they will be asked to come off their break against a very good Farmington team this upcoming week that cracked the top ten in the No. 9 position.  A passionate Schmitz-Maki Arena will await the Red Knights with some of the best fans in high school hockey.  B-SM will return to Metro West Conference play when they invade the Bloomington Ice Garden and face-off with the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars.

2. Holy Family Catholic (13-3-0)

Last Week:  W 4-0 Mound Westonka
Last Week:  vs Orono (1/21)

The Fire are winners of six straight and 11 of their last 12.  Questions surround this team more from curiosity among fans in high school hockey that have not seen the Fire play over the course of the season.  The Wright County Conference does not do them any favors with Fire being the only Class 2A team in the conference.  Their win over Stillwater combined with solid wins over Minnetonka, St. Thomas Academy, Lakeville North, and Prior Lake is enough to propel them to the second slot in the ranking this week.  They have just one game this week, against Orono, and will finish the final stages of the season with Class 2A madcaps against Hopkins, Duluth Marshall, Grand Rapids, STMA, and a re-match with Stillwater.  That stretch will say a lot about where this team stands in the elite of the Class 2A.

3. Stillwater (15-1-1)

Last Week:  W 6-1 Park of Cottage Grove, W 7-3 Roseville, W 3-1 Cretin-Derham Hall
This Week:  vs East Ridge (1/21), at Hill-Murray (1/23)

The Ponies moved up from the fifth spot to the third this week with three wins.  They outscored their Suburban East Conference opponents by a combined 16-5 last week continuing their offensive surge this year and are running away with the conference which would be their first conference title in school history.  They have an East Ridge team that has played solid defensive hockey and will present the Ponies with some potential goal scoring challenges.  A huge section 4AA game is on the schedule this week with Hill-Murray who is 5-0 against section opponents.  The Ponies are 4-0-1 and a win would position them for a potential top seed if they take care of business the rest of the way.

4. Blaine (13-3-0)

Last Week:  L 6-2 Centennial, W 4-2 Elk River/Zimmerman|
This Week:  at Hill-Murray (1/19), at Anoka (1/23)

The Bengals are slotted two spots ahead of Eden Prairie as both clubs hold identical records.  Even though the Bengals were worked by Centennial last week, the win over Elk River carries a lot of credibility.  Blaine has defeated both Minnetonka and Blaine already this year and has added signature wins over Edina, and Duluth East.  Two tough games are on deck this week for the Bengals and both on the road at Hill-Murray and Anoka.

5. Minnetonka (13-4-0)

Last Week:  W 4-1 Hopkins, W 4-3 (ot) Eden Prairie
This Week:  vs Wayzata (1/21), vs Edina (1/23)

The Minnetonka Skippers have gone about their business in coach Brian Urick’s typical workmanlike fashion.  They have defeated St. Thomas Academy, Hermantown, Edina, and Eden Prairie in their march to a top five ranking this week.  They were topped by Grand Rapids by a score of 5-2 to open the season.  The play for the Skippers since the first of the year has been impressive with 9 wins in their last 10 games including 5 in a row.  The upcoming schedule is a grinder with Wayzata (twice), Edina (twice), B-SM, Hopkins, EP, and Duluth East on the calendar.  That could be the toughest final 8 games anyone has on the schedule.

6. Eden Prairie (13-3-0) 

Last Week:  W 4-2 Wayzata, L 4-3 (ot) Minnetonka|
This Week:  at St. Thomas Academy (1/19), vs Bloomington Jefferson (1/21), at Hopkins (1/23)

The Eagles were stopped in overtime by Minnetonka in Lake Conference play this past Saturday and were chasing the game from the opening face-off having never led. Two of their three losses have been in overtime to B-SM and Minnetonka.  The other was a 5-2 loss at the hands of the Blaine Bengals.  A steady week for the Eagles should keep them on track as they are indeed one of the top teams in the state and on the short list as a title contender this year.

7. Elk River/Zimmerman (11-5-1)

Last Week:  W 4-3 Totino-Grace, W 7-2 Anoka, L 4-2 Blaine
This Week:  at Andover (1/21), vs Maple Grove (1/23)

The Elks fell to a quality Blaine Bengal team last week for the second time this season.  All five of their losses have come to teams that have been in the top-10 this year. Blaine (2), Edina, Eden Prairie, B-SM.  They have defeated Grand Rapids and Lakeville North to hold a 2-5-1 record against those teams with the tie coming to this week’s #10 Centennial Cougar club.  Two Northwest Suburban Conference games are on tap for Elk River this week who carry a 2-0-0 Section 7AA record and the Andover game will double as a conference-section game.

8. Grand Rapids (12-5-1)

Last Week:  W 5-1 Cloquet-Esko-Cartlton, W 3-0 Hibbing/Chisolm
This Week:  at Marshall School, Duluth (1/19), vs Wayzata (1/22), vs White Bear Lake (1/23)

It has been 4 straight wins for the Thunderhawks since they were hammered by Hermantown 5-0 a couple of weeks back.  They posted a 5-2 win over Minnetonka in the early part of the year and followed that up with a controlling 6-4 win over Edina right after that.  They are 3-5-1 against teams that have been ranked in the top-10 at some point this year including Class A power Hermantown.  That is not enough to propel the Thunderhawks to top-five status this week.  Do not count this team out as they have the talent to win the big prize in St. Paul.

9. Centennial (10-5-1) 

Last Week:  W 6-2 Blaine, W 5-0 Andover)
This Week:  at White Bear Lake (1/19), at Maple Grove (1/21), at Moorhead (1/23)

The Cougars had a rough holiday run where they were 0-3-1 over a four game stretch.  Since then, they have bounced back with four straight wins over the past two weeks.  The have three games against teams that will provide a variety of games with non-conference games against White Bear Lake and Moorhead and conference foe Maple Grove.  Tyler Nyman (8-17-25) and Matthew Jennrich (8-11-19) pace the way offensively for the Cougars.

10. Hill-Murray (11-4-1) 

Last Week:  W 3-1 Tartan, W 1-0 St. Thomas Academy
This Week:   vs Blaine (1/19), vs Henry Sibley (1/21), vs Stillwater (1/23)

On the strength of a 3-0-1 record in the last four games, the Pioneers have landed back in the top ten. They have quality wins over Wayzata (7-1) and St. Thomas Academy (1-0).  They also tied Edina 3-3 after losing a close game 5-4.  They have a huge game with No. 4 Blaine to open the week and close out with No. 3 Stillwater in a critical Section 4AA tilt.

Others receiving consideration:  Wayzata, Edina, Bemidji, Farmington, Lakeville North, St. Thomas Academy

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top-10 – 1/19/16 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Red Knights strengthen grip on top spot, Elks among those trending upward

The top five stayed in the same spots this week with some minor shuffling among the 10th-6th ranked teams.  The biggest drop was experienced by Grand Rapids who fell from 6th to 9th this week after losing to Hermantown 5-0.  Elk River/Zimmerman moved up one spot from No. 7 to No. 6 and Minnetonka moved up from No. 8 to No. 7 this week.  Edina also moved up one slot from No. 9 to No. 8.

There are plenty of quality games this week featuring No. 2 Blaine against No. 6 Elk River, No. 3 Eden Prairie vs No. 7 Minnetonka and Wayzata, and No. 10 Bemidji facing Class 1A No. 1Hermantown.

1. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (15-0-1)

Last Week:  W 5-3 St. Thomas Academy, W 5-2 Chanhassen, W 6-3 Bloomington Jefferson

This Week:  Off

The Red Knights have the week off before resuming play on Jan. 19 at Farmington.  Certainly, Schmitz-Maki Arena will be rocking with some of the best fans in the game.  The Red Knights’ Cade Gleekel has been outstanding in leading his team offensively (16g-22a-38pts) from the forward position with Nick Austin (7g-14a-21pts) creating offensive opportunities from the blue line and defending really well.  B-SM picked up an impressive win over St. Thomas Academy and back-to-back Metro West victories over Chanhassen and Bloomington Jefferson last week.

2. Blaine (12-2-0) 

Last Week:  W 5-1 Andover, W 6-2 Maple Grove    

This Week:  vs Centennial (1/14), at Elk River (1/16)

The Bengals have won 5 straight games including wins over Eden Prairie (5-2), White Bear Lake (5-0), Duluth East (5-2), Andover (5-1), and Maple Grove (6-2).  Luke Notermann (17g-28a-45pts) and Riley Tufte (25g-19a-44pts) have pulled away from the field in scoring with defenseman Tanner Vescio (0g-17a-17pts) leading the defensemen in points and placing third on the team.  Their game with Centennial this week always brings a great game and will be a challenge and they follow that up with Elk River which will be a great challenge.

3. Eden Prairie (12-2-0)

Last Week:  W 7-0 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, W 4-1 Duluth East

This Week:  at Wayzata (1/14), vs Minnetonka (1/16)

The Eagles won back-to-back games before shellacking Cloquet-Esko-Carlton and then defeating Duluth East in a game that had a big hit and subsequent scare to Duluth East’s Nathaniel Benson.  It factored into the outcome of the game as the building took on a cerebral distracted feel as the full house at the EP Community Center had the Hounds defenseman and all of the players in their thoughts and prayers.  Reports are positive from the team that Benson will be able to get back on the ice and when it initially appeared as though it may be much worse.  Eden Prairie continues to pile up the wins and have lost their only games to the two teams ahead of them in the rankings. The Lake Conference schedule begins this week and two high end opponents await the Bengals in Wayzata and Minnetonka.

4. Holy Family Catholic (12-3-0)

Last Week:  W 4-3 Delano, W 6-1 New Prague

This Week:  at Mound-Westonka (1/12),

There are plenty of quality wins on the Fire ledger this year including resume victories over Lakeville North, Stillwater, St. Thomas Academy, Wayzata, Minnetonka, and Prior Lake.  Their losses have been to Edina in the first game of the season, Breck, and Wayzata.  If there is such a thing as quality losses those would be it.  Even at number four in this ranking and being as high as that in others, one gets the feeling that Holy Family Catholic is flying under the radar.  With how they have performed, the Fire are now putting together their final ten games looking to get their playoff game on and dialed in.  Will Garin (16g-14a-30pts), Ethan Mesler (9g-12-21pts), and defenseman Matt Anderson (3g-18a-21pts) are the offensive leaders on the Fire who have nine players with 10 or more points through 15 games this season.

5. Stillwater Area (12-1-1)

Last Week:  W 4-1 Woodbury, T 0-0 White Bear Lake

This Week:  vs Park of Cottage Grove (1/12), vs Roseville (1/14), at Cretin-Derham Hall (1/16)

The Ponies skated to a rare 0-0 tie with White Bear Lake and defeated Woodbury last week.  The tie did little to impact the large lead that Stillwater has in the Suburban East Conference as they are ahead of second place White Bear Lake by two points with two games in hand at this point of the season.  Stillwater is searching for their first ever conference title in school history this year with designs on bigger things to come.  Section 4AA big-dawgs White Bear Lake and Hill-Murray will be waiting in line to stop those pans for the Ponies this year.  Three conference games pave the way this week for Stillwater with the grind of the SEC in full swing.  Three players have notched over 20 points for Stillwater who are led by Noah Cates (13g-17a-30pts), Luke Manning (14g-14a-28pts), and Jackson Cates (8g-13a-21pts).

6. Elk River-Zimmerman (9-4-1)

Last Week:  W 7-1 Andover

This Week:  at Totino-Grace (1/12), at Anoka (1/14) vs Blaine (1/16)

With an impressive 7-1 win over the Andover Huskies, the Elks are now 2-0 in section 7AA games and currently hold the keys to the top seed.  They opened the season with 5 straight wins and then went on to lose three straight all to quality opponents.  Since the Edina Holiday Classic, the Elks have posted a 4-1-1 record with their lone loss coming to B-SM in a 3-2 game.  Three Northwest Suburban Conference foes are scheduled this week that closes out with two tough games against Anoka and Baine.

7. Minnetonka (11-4-0)

Last Week:  W 4-1 Academy of Holy Angels, W 6-3 Blake School

This Week:  at Hopkins (1/14), at Eden Prairie (1/16)

Two more wins were recorded by the Skippers who are 7-1 in their past eight games including wins over Hermantown, Bloomington Jefferson, and Edina in that run.  The Skippers open Lake Conference play this week with two games on the road at Hopkins and Eden Prairie.  Brendan Skarda (9g-10-19pts) and Joe Molenaar (7g-11a-18pts) are the Skippers leading scorers on a team with seven players who have notched 10 points or more in their 15 games played.  Goalie Thomas Hanson is 8-4 with a 2.31gaa and .918 save percentage.

8. Edina (9-5-2)

Last Week:  T 3-3 Hill-Murray

This Week:  at Hopkins (1/11), vs Wayzata (1/16)

After a stretch of going on a 2-4-1, the Hornets defeated and tied Hill-Murray and earned a convincing win over White Bear Lake in their last three games.  A rare Monday game is on the schedule at Hopkins this week and then Edina closes out the week with a home game against Wayzata.  Ben Copeland (10g-11a-21pts) and Sam Walker (9g-12a-21pts) lead the Hornets offensively.  Goalie Charlie deGrood has posted a 7-5-2 recored with 3 shutouts and a .902 save percentage.  The Hornets typically tune up their game in January and are ready to go for the playoffs.

9. Grand Rapids (10-5-1)

Last Week:  L 5-0 Hermantown, W 4-3 (ot) Duluth East, W 9-0 Andover

This Week:  at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (1/12), at Hibbing/Chisholm (1/14)

The Thunderhawks were hammered by Hermantown, a high end Class A team, and that dropped them a couple notches to the ninth slot this week as that was the only loss recorded last week among teams in the top-10.  A Drake Anderson overtime goal was enough to defeat Duluth East last week and a 9-0 win over Andover has the Thunderhawks back on the winning track.  A big game will be played on Tuesday at Cloquet with Cloquet-Esko-Carlton.  Mitchell Mattson (13g-19a-32pts) leads the Thunderhawks in goals and points.

10. Bemidji (11-1-2

Last Week:  W (6-1) Crookston, W 4-2 St. Cloud Tech

This Week:  at Moorhead (1/12), vs East Grand Forks (1/14(, at Hermantown (1/16)

The Lumberjacks are sweeping through Mariucci Conference play and will continue with games against Moorhead and East Grand Forks this week.  Bemidji tied East Grand Forks in December and shutout Moorhead earlier this year.  The week is capped off against Hermantown who are 12-1-1 this year.  Three players have collected over 20 points this year with Brady Tatro (11g-12a-23pts), Alex Pollock (9g-13-22pts), and Nick Leitner (7g-15a-22pts) leading the charge of nine players in double digits in points this year for the Lumberjacks through 14 games played.

Others receiving consideration:  Farmington, Lakeville North, Hill-Murray, St. Thomas Academy, Wayzata, White Bear Lake,

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top Ten – 1/11/16 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Bengals hot on the Red Knights’ trail, Elks take giant leap

Most teams are at the midway point of their schedule having played a dozen or so regular season games this year.  The Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights held serve this past week and maintain the top spot in the CrankyApe.com top-10 with a 2-0-1 record at the St. Louis Park Holiday Classic.  The Blaine Bengals seized the 2nd slot this week and Eden Prairie landed in the 3rd position after capturing the Schwan Cup Gold Division title.  Elk River was the big mover this week as they went from the 12th spot to 7th after having an impressive St. Louis Park Holiday Classic.

1.  Benilde-St. Margaret’s (12-0-1)

Last Week:  T 4-4 Lakeville North, W 3-2 Elk River, W 4-3 (ot) Maple Grove

This Week:  vs St. Thomas Academy (1/5), vs Chanhassen (1/7), vs Bloomington Jefferson (1/7)

The Red Knights battled through the Sports Authority St. Holiday Classic with a pair one-goal wins over Elk River/Zimmerman and Maple Grove in overtime.  Those came after opening the three-day event with a 4-4 tie against Lakeville North.  Three games are on deck for B-SM this week with St. Thomas Academy in non-conference action and Chanhassen and Bloomington Jefferson all waiting in the wings with Metro West Conference play.  It is a benefit for the Red Knights to play in the SLP Holiday Classic as they wind up having ten of their last eleven games played out at the friendly confines of the St. Louis Park Rec Center.  They opened the season with five away games.

2.  Blaine (10-2-0)

Last Week:  W 5-2 Eden Prairie, W 5-0 White Bear Lake, W 5-3 Duluth East

This Week:  at Andover (1/7), at Maple Grove (1/9)

The Bengals posted an impressive 5-2 win over Eden Prairie and delivered a pair of five-goal games in wins over White Bear Lake (5-0) and Duluth East (5-3) sticking with their 5.25 average per game.  Luke Notermann (12g-26a-38pts) and Riley Tufte (22g-15a-37pts) are on a 3-point-per-game pace and tearing it up this year.  Two conference games are on the schedule this week for the Bengals.

3.  Eden Prairie (10-2-0)

Last Week: W 2-0 Burnsville, W 4-2 Hill-Murray, W 4-3 Minnetonka

This Week:  vs Cloquet-Esko Carlton (1/8), vs Duluth East (1/9)

The Eagles swept the Schwan Cup Gold division with wins over Burnsville, Hill-Murray and Minnetonka.  Each of those three teams were in the most recent CrankyApe.com top-10. However, there is a fine line between the bottom half of the top-10 and the next 10 to 15 teams and that proved itself out last week as Minnetonka debuted in the top-10 this week.  Eden Prairie bounced back from their 5-2 loss to the Blaine Bengals two weeks ago.  That loss places them one notch blow Blaine in this week’s rankings.  This week takes a northern flair for the Eagles as they play host to Cloquet-Esko Carlton and Duluth East.

4.  Holy Family Catholic (10-3-0)

Last Week:  W 5-3 Stillwater, W 4-2 Lakeville North, W 5-2 Prior Lake

This Week: at Delano (1/5), at New Prague (1/7)

A three-game sweep at the Sports Authority Holiday Classic and posting 8 wins in their last 9 games is enough to propel the Fire to top-four status this week in the rankings.  Quality wins over Stillwater, Lakeville North, and Prior Lake capped off a fantastic New Year’s week for Noel Rahn’s hockey cub.  They have earned signature wins over Minnetonka and St. Thomas Academy this year.  The Fire head back to conference play this week with games at Delano and New Prague.

5.  Stillwater Area (11-1-0)

Last Week:  L 5-3 Holy Family Catholic, W 8-2 Maple Grove, W 6-2 Moorhead, L 4-1 Forest Lake

This Week:  vs Woodbury (1/7), vs White Bear Lake (1/9)

After losing their first game of the season to Holy Family Catholic, the Ponies came back and hammered Maple Grove (8-2) and put a solid game together against Moorhead (6-2) to round out the St. Louis Park Holiday Classic playing some very good hockey last week.  The busy week was capped off with a 4-1 Suburban East Conference win over Forest Lake.  Woobury and  White Bear Lake will travel to the St. Croix Rec Center to face-off with the Ponies this week and if they take care of business could enter the second half of the season with just one loss which is impressive.

6.  Grand Rapids (8-4-1)

Last Week:  W 5-2 Forest Lake, W 6-5 Brainerd

This Week: vs Hermantown (1/5), vs Duluth East (1/7), vs Andover (1/9)

All four of the Grand Rapids’ losses have come to teams that were ranked in the top-10 including its lone tie.  The Thunderhawks got past Brainerd in a tightly-contested 6-5 game last week and handled Forest Lake in a sectional game improving their record to 2-1.  This week will be a big week for Thunderhawks fans with three games on the menu at the IRA Civic Center.  All three games are against Section 7AA teams and will take them a long way in their seeding and positioning with three wins to a top one or two seed come playoff time.

7.  Elk River/Zimmerman (8-4-1)

Last Week:  W 3-1 Prior Lake, L 3-2 Benilde-St. Margaret’s, W 4-2 Lakeville North

This Week:  vs Andover (1/5)

The Elks had a solid week at the St. Louis Park Holiday Classic.  Wins over Prior Lake and Lakeville North can be considered signature wins this year and they played Benilde-St. Margaret’s tough as well.  That effort last week lifted the Elks to the 7th spot in this week’s rankings.  The Elks have one game this week when they face Andover with Section 7AA implications.

8.  Minnetonka (9-4-0)

Last Week:  W 3-2 Centennial, W Edina (3-2), L Eden Prairie (4-3)

This Week:  vs Academy of Holy Angels, vs Blake School

The Skippers earned the 8th spot this week with an impressive showing at the Schwan Cup.  They opened the Gold Division with a pair of 3-2 wins over Centennial and Edina and then were stopped by Eden Prairie by a score of 4-3.  They closed out the week with a 9-4 win over Totino-Grace and are 6-1 in their last seven games with signature wins over Hermantown and Edina.

9.  Edina (9-5-1)

Last Week:  T 1-1 St. Thomas Academy, L 3-2 Minnetonka, W 5-4 Hill-Murray, W 6-1 White Bear Lake

This Week:  at Hill-Murray (1/9) at Hopkins (1/11)

The Hornets are 4-4-1 in the last nine games and opened the Schwan Cup Gold division with a regulation tie and subsequent shoot-out win over St. Thomas Academy.  They followed that up with a loss to Minnetonka and outlasted Hill-Murray with a 5-4 win.  A non-conference 6-1 victory over White Bear Lake closed out the up and down week for Edina.  This is a team that is 2-4 against ranked teams and over the past three weeks have played well enough to stay in the top-10 yet not great enough to be in the top five.  Never count the Curt Giles led edition out in the end as they will always factor in the final say.

10.  Bemidji (9-1-2)

Last Week:  L 4-3 (ot) Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, W 6-0 Marshall School, Duluth, W 6-2 Delano

This Week:  at Crookston (1/5), at St. Cloud Tech (1/9)

The Lumberjacks were stopped cold in the opening round of the Hilltopper Classic by Cloquet-Esko-Carlton in overtime. They rebounded with a pair of wins that combined or a 12-2 margin righting the ship.  The Jacks have allowed four goals against just twice this year and will continue to ride that strength throughout the year.   

Others Receiving consideration:  Farmington, St. Thomas Academy, Hill-Murray, Wayzata, Lakeville North, Eagan, Cloquet-Esko-Carlton

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Red Knights defend top spot but Lumberjacks are climbing

There are plenty of teams that can be considered in the top ten this week.  Many have posted solid wins yet a number have been defeated as well making for a tricky evaluation process for week six.  The top three teams make it pretty easy on the decision making process with all holding serve and winning all of their games this past week.  Two losses in three games by Blaine and Edina sent them tumbling and the St. Thomas Academy Cadets are surging after a convincing 5-0 win over Wayzata  Edina falls out of the top ten for the first time in recent memory, dating back to the pre-fab five era some eight years ago.  Bemidji catapulted to the fourth slot and have yet to lose this year.

With holiday tournaments slated for the upcoming week, there is certain to be major shakeups in the top ten from week six to week seven.  Happy Holidays to all of our viewers on the MNHockeyMag.com. Thank you for logging on each week and viewing all of our original content and live streaming games.  Your support has been remarkable and appreciated by all at MinnesotaHockeyMagazine.com.

So without further ado, here is a look at this week’s top ten.

1. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (10-0-0)

Last Week:  W 4-3 vs Blaine, W 6-1 vs Moorhead, W 6-3 vs Hopkins
This Week:  Sports Authority St. Louis Park Holiday Classic (12/28 – 12/30)

The Red Knights have darted to the top spot with a 10-0 record while averaging five goals per game.  Cade Gleekel (10-12-22) and Auggie Moore (8-12-20) pace the Knights offensively.  With quality wins over Grand Rapids (4-3 ot), Hill-Murray (5-1), Eden Prairie (6-5 ot), and Blaine (4-3), the Red Knights own one of the better groups of defensemen in the game right now with Nick Austin (4-9-12) leading the charge. Note that the Red Knights have had to work the extra session capture wins twice and own three one-goal wins as well.  Ken Pauly’s team usually gains confidence as the season wears on and that could be a great formula for the Red Knights as they head into the Sports Authority Holiday Classic at St. Louis Park next week.

2. Eden Prairie (7-1-0)

Last Week:  W 5-2 Elk River Zimmerman, W 6-3 Grand Rapids, W 6-4 Edina
Next Week:  at Blaine (12/23), Schwan Cup Gold Division (12/28-12/30)

It was an impressive Edina Holiday Classic for the Eagles who went 3-0 for the first time in 10 years at the three-game, round robin event.  By the time the third period rolled around in each game, the Eagles were in cruise control as they finished their opponents off.  The Eagles have a big test at Blaine this week before they participate in the Schwan Cup Gold division to open play after Christmas. It is evident the Eagles have two productive lines working right now with Casey Mittelstadt (7-13-20), Michael Graham (8-10-18), Nolan Sullivan (9-9-18) and Cole Lawrence (4-13-17) being key components.  Hunter Johannes has been an effective power forward for the Eagles who have had a great physical presence in all three zones.

3. Stillwater Area (8-0-0)

Last Week:  W 4-3 Bloomington Jefferson, W 8-1 Mounds View
This Week:  Sports Authority St. Louis Park Holiday Classic (12/28-12/30)

The Ponies are a smooth 8-0 on the season and will see competition the likes of Maple Grove and Moorhead.  Their season opening victory over Lakeville North (6-5) is the only ranked opponent the Ponies have played this year and with a deep field at the Holiday Classic they will have a great feel as to how good they are.  Wins over Bloomington Jefferson and Mounds View last week lifted the Ponies record to 8-0 with Luke Manning (9-12-21) tearing it up offensively.  TJ Sagissor (11-7-18) leads his team in goals and Noah Cates (7-11-18) has been equally productive.  The Ponies are handling teams they should be and are outscoring their opponents 46-17 this year.

4. Bemidji (7-0-2)

Last Week:  T 1-1 East Grand Forks, W 6-4 Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz, W 5-0 Roseau
This Week:  Hilltopper Classic (12/29-12/31)

It is well known the Lumberjacks are a quality defensive team.  They allow just 1.67 goals against per game and have a penalty kill that is shut down at 96 percent.  Add to that a team that scores 4.67 goals per game and the Lumberjacks have handled teams they are expected to and went toe-to-toe with Grand Rapids in an entertaining 1-1 tie early on this year. This is a 23-win team from last year which has the potential to improve on that which says a lot.  Brady Tatro (8-10-18) paces five players that have scored in double digits.  The Hilltopper Classic is next on the schedule for the Lumberjacks.

5. Wayzata (8-3-0)

Last Week:  W 6-4 Holy Family Catholic, W 2-1 Buffalo, L  5-0 St. Thomas Academy
This Week:  Schwan Cup Tournament (12/28 -12/30)

The next three teams are interchangeable and have taken turns beating each other.  Wayzata gets the nod at five with signature wins over Edina, Hill-Murray, Breck, and Holy Family Catholic.  Their losses have been to Hermantown, Duluth East, and St. Thomas Academy.  The Trojans are playing a tough schedule as usual and had won six straight before being stopped by St. Thomas Academy.  Which way the Trojans go in the top ten next week will be determined by how they perform at the Schwan Cup Gold Division tournament this upcoming week.

6. St. Thomas Academy (7-2-1)

Last Week:  W 8-2 Henry Sibley, W 2-1 Tartan
This Week:  Schwan Cup Gold Division (12/28 -12/30)

The Cadets delivered their most impressive win over the season and in convincing fashion over the Wayzata Trojans by a score of 5-0.  However, losses to Minnetonka and Holy Family Catholic place them in the sixth slot.  It is the nature of the win over Wayzata that helps but the losses and tie to Eastview keep the Cadets in at six this week where they make their top ten debut.  There will be no lack of competition when it comes to the Schwan Cup for the Cadets next week and they will be tested.

7. Holy Family Catholic (7-3-0)

Last Week:  L 6-4 Wayzata
This Week:  Sports Authority St. Louis Park Holiday Classic (12/28 – 12/30)

It was a quiet week for the Fire and, despite a loss to Wayzata, stay put in the seventh spot.  They have an opening round game against No.3 Stillwater to open the Holiday Classic in St. Louis Park this upcoming week.  Wins over Minnetonka, and St. Thomas Academy are resume type wins that has earned them the respect of our ranking committee and they will look to build on that later in St. Louis Park.

8. Blaine (7-2-0)

Last Week:  L 4-3 B-SM, W 3-2 Minnetonka, L 6-3 Anoka
This Week:  vs Eden Prairie (12/23), at White Bear Lake (12/29)

The Bengals have lost two of three games in the past week and tumbled to the eighth slot in the week six rankings.  A one-goal loss to Benilde-St. Margaret’s was followed up by a solid win over Minnetonka.  Then, in North Suburban Conference play, the Bengals were clipped by Anoka.  That is a 17-win Anoka team from last year and a team that can beat anyone on any given night as was proven with the Bengals.  Blaine will face a quality Eden Prairie team this week with White Bear Lake waiting in the wings to close out the 2015 calendar year.

9. Lakeville North (4-2-0)

Last Week:  W 6-0 Apple Valley, W 6-0 Rosemount
This Week:  vs Lakeville South (12/23), Sports Authority St. Louis Park Holiday Classic (12/28- 12/30)

After starting the season 1-2, the Panthers are winners of three straight.  A big 4-3 overtime win against Grand Rapids have propelled the Panthers to a pair 6-0 wins against South Suburban Conference foes.  They have Lakeville South this week to go with the St. Louis Park Holiday Classic.  Their opening round opponent is top ranked Benilde-St. Margaret’s and that alone will prove to be worth the tournament billing.

10. Grand Rapids (6-4-1)

Last Week:  W 6-4 Edina, L 6-3 Eden Prairie, L 6-2 Elk River
This Week:  None. (vs. Forest Lake 12/29)

We really had a tough time finding the No. 10 team in this week’s top ten.  The reason being is we are getting into the teams with 3-4 losses, yet have quality wins as well.  Grand Rapids lost two of three games at the Edina Holiday Classic but was impressive in its win over Edina.  They were equally unimpressive in their loss to Elk/River-Zimmerman who could stake claim to this spot as could Edina and the next seven teams on this list.  What is known about the Thunderhawks is they have high end forwards with solid goaltending and are developing for the long haul.  Wins over Minnetonka and Edina and a tie with Bemidji are enough to keep them in the top ten one more week.  Grand Rapids hosts its own tournament this week at the IRA Civic Center.

Others Receiving Consideration:  Prior Lake, Edina, Minnetonka, Elk River/Zimmerman, Farmington, Hill-Murray, Anoka, White Bear Lake Area, Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top Ten – 12-23-15 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

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Red Knights rise, Ponies and Trojans on the ascent

One-third of the way through the schedule, the Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights have pulled away from the pack.  At least, the Red Knights have pulled away somewhat.  Overtime was required for B-SM to get past Eden Prairie and a two-goal third period rally to top previously unbeaten Blaine kept the Red Knights record perfect this season.

The Eden Prairie Eagles only fall one spot after the tough loss to the Red Knights.

Moving up three slots to third this week is Stillwater who has not lost yet.  They have one top-10 win this year and it was a big one against the pre-season number one Lakeville North.  Blaine held steady at number four this week and Wayzata crept up four slots to fifth this week

The Duluth East Greyhound are in free-fall mode and tumbled out of the top ten with three straight losses last week to Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, St. Michael-Albertville, and Centennial.

1. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (8-0-0)

Last Week:  W 4-2 vs Woodbury, W 6-5 (ot) vs Eden Prairie, W 4-3 vs Blaine

This Week:  vs Moorhead (12/18), at Hopkins (12/22)

The Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights you have repelled all eight of their opponents this year.  They topped Woodbury last week and delivered a thrilling 6-5 overtime win over last week’s number one team Eden Prairie.  Blaine was handed their first loss of the season on Tuesday night with a Red Knight third period rally on goals by Jerry Calengor and Nick Austin.  With an impressive 4-0 record against teams that have been ranked in our top-10 this year, B-SM has been playing solid hockey from the opening face-off.  This week they cap off their four-game homestead with the Moorhead Spuds and travel to Hopkins for a Section 6AA game on Tuesday.

2. Eden Prairie (4-1-0)

Last Week:  W 4-0 Cretin-Derham Hall, L 6-5 (ot) Benilde-St. Margaret’s

This Week:  vs Elk River (12/17), vs Grand Rapids (12/18), at Edina (12/19)

The Eagles swapped spots with Benilde- St. Margaret’s after B-SM won their game in overtime last week.  A win over Cretin-Derham Hall opened the week for the Eagles who are preparing for the Edina Holiday Classic that present three games in three days against high end teams in Edina, Grand Rapids, and Elk River at Braemar Arena.  All six games can be viewed on the MNHockeyMag.com.

3. Stillwater (6-0-0)

Last Week:  W 7-1 Hastings, W 4-2 East Ridge, W 7-2 Park of Cottage Grove

This Week:  vs Bloomington Jefferson (12/17), at Mounds View (12/19)

The Ponies vaulted to the second spot in this week’s top-10 with a resume win in the opening week over Lakeville North.  They have been scoring goals in bunches averaging 5.67 per game.  While they only have one game against a top ten team it is the way in which they are defeating other teams that propels them to the third slot.  The high scoring Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars will present an interesting match-up for the Ponies and a conference game with Mounds View is scheduled of this week.

4. Blaine (6-1-0)

Last Week:  W 4-2 Centennial, W 5-2 Elk River, L 4-3 Benilde-St. Margaret’s

This Week:  at Minnetonka (12/17), vs Anoka (12/19)

The Bengals have a challenging schedule and have earned wins over solid teams including Edina, Centennial and Elk River.  The one-two punch of Luke Notermann (8g-15a-23pts) and Riley Tufte (14g-8a-22pts) is proving to be near impossible to contain this year considering their production has come in just seven games played. Blaine saw a 3-2 lead slip away in the third period against B-SM that resulted in their first loss of the season this past Tuesday.  Two games are on deck this week with Minnetonka and Anoka waiting in the wings.

5. Wayzata (6-2-0)

Last Week:  Win 2-1 Breck, Win 3-1 Anoka

This Week:  at Holy Family Catholic (12/17), vs Buffalo (12/19), at STA (12/22)

After a tough road trip that included back-to-back losses to Hermantown and Duluth East, the Trojans rebounded with four straight wins and have gotten back to their defensive ways.  In their four consecutive wins, Wayzata has allowed just 3 goals against and defeated two solid teams in Hill-Murray and Breck – a team ranked second in the Class A rankings.  The Trojans will face-off with Holy Family Catholic this week with a home game against Buffalo and a game at St. Thomas Academy before they take a break and open the Schwan Cup.

6. Edina (5-2-0)

Last Week:  None

This Week:  vs Grand Rapids (12/17), vs Elk River (12/18), vs Eden Prairie (12/19)

Edina will take to the ice after a long break.  They will have to hit the ground running with three tough games in three straight days against high end teams at the Edina Holiday Classic that include Grand Rapids, Elk River and rival Eden Prairie.

7. Holy Family Catholic (7-2-0)

Last Week:  W 9-0 Waconia, W 6-1 Hutchinson, W 7-3 St. Thomas Academy

This Week:  vs Wayzata (12/17)

32 goals in five games and five straight wins have lifted the Fire to the seventh spot in this week’s top ten.  They took apart St. Thomas Academy 7-3 last week and crushed teams they were expected to beat.  Wins over Maple Grove, Lakeville South, and Minnetonka have added to their impressive start to the season.  There is only one game for Holy Family Catholic this week and it is a big test for their offensive surge against the Wayzata Trojans who have been defensively stout of late.

8. Lakeville North (2-2-0)

Last Week:  L 5-3 Farmington, W 4-3 (ot) Grand Rapids

This Week:  at Apple Valley (12/17), at Rosemount (12/19)

There is not a lot of sample size for the Panthers but enough to make it difficult to rank this team.  A 1-2 start after losses to Stillwater 6-5 and Farmington 5-3 knocked them down in the rankings.  The win over Grand Rapids actually keeps the Panthers in the top-10 this week which was a quality victory.  If the Farmington Tigers had not lost to Edina and Eden Prairie by a combined score of 12-1, they would have displaced the Panthers this week.  South Suburban games with Apple Valley and Rosemount are on deck this week.  The Panthers are the best 2-2 team in high school hockey.

9. Grand Rapids (5-2-1)

Last Week:  W 5-0 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, L 4-3 Lakeville North (ot)

This Week:  at Edina (12/7), at Eden Prairie (12/18), vs Elk River (12/19)

The Thunderhawks won a key Section 7AA game against Cloquet-Esko-Carlton and had a tough loss in overtime to Lakeville North last week.  Their two losses this year came to teams that were ranked number one at some point this year.  The always humbling Edina Holiday Classic is next with three difficult games in a row at Braemar Arena.

10. Bemidji (5-0-2)

Last Week: W 8-3 Warroad, W 7-2 Rogers, T 1-1 East Grand Forks

This Week:  vs Brainerd (12/19), vs Roseau (12/22)

The Lumberjacks are getting it done this year as expected.  They tied Grand Rapids and handled Moorhead so far this season.  Another difficult game is on their schedule this week with Brainerd and they play host to Roseau before heading to Duluth for the Holiday tournament.

Others receiving consideration:  Farmington, Elk River-Zimmerman, Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, Minnetonka, Centennial, Hill-Murray, St. Michael-Albertville, Brainerd, White Bear Lake,  St. Thomas Academy,  Duluth East.

The post CrankyApe.com Boys Class 2A Top Ten – 12/16/15 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Eagles soar to the top while Ponies debut in a fluid top ten

This week, Class AA features a new number one team in the Eden Prairie Eagles who seized the top spot after the Lakeville North Panthers were defeated by the Stillwater Ponies to open the season last week.  The Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights vaulted past three teams and landed in the number two slot after a productive week of victories.  Meanwhile, Duluth East fell one notch to third this week.  Stillwater debuted at No. 5 with their 3-0 start and win over Lakeville North.  Watch out for Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz who is about to crack the top ten.

1. Eden Prairie (4-0-0)

Last Week:  W 5-1 at Farmington, W 5-3 vs Maple Grove
This Week:   W 4-0 vs Cretin-Derham Hall, at Benilde-St. Margaret’s (12/11)

The Eagles earned the top spot in this week’s rankings by defeating some solid hockey teams early in the year.  Cole Lawrence (3g-9a-12pts) leads the offensive charge for his team with highly touted prospects Casey Mittelstadt (5g-4a-9pts) and Michael Graham (3g-6a-9pts) joining Lawrence atop the Eagles offensive leader board.  Wins last week included stopping Farmington and Maple Grove.  The Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders gave the Eagles some push back but were eventually worn down in a 4-0 loss at the Eden Prairie Community Center.  Up next is a clash with No. 2 Benilde-St. Margaret’s this Friday night and it can be seen streaming live on the MNHockeyMag.com.

2. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (6-0-0)

Last Week:  W 7-0 at Burnsville, W 5-1 at Hill-Murray
This Week:  W 4-2 vs Woodbury, vs  Eden Prairie (12/11)

The Red Knights opened the season with a 4-0 start on the road with impressive wins over Grand Rapids, Burnsville, and Hill-Murray.  They returned home to face the hard working Woodbury Royals and skated off with a 4-2 win on Tuesday night.  B-SM has outscored its opponents 33-9 so far this year and goals are coming from numerous sources.  One constant has been Cade Gleekel (6g-7a-13pts), who leads the way offensively for the Red Knights. Balance, depth, creativity, and puck movement have been the key to the Red Knight formula who could very well be the most entertaining team to watch in high school hockey.

3. Duluth East (4-0-0)

Last Week:  W 6-0 at Cambridge-Isanti, W 2-0 at Apple Valley,
This Week:  W 6-5 vs Andover, at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton

Even though the Hounds have been perfect to start the season, they battled through a 2-0 win over the Apple Valley Eagles last week and a 6-5 slugfest with Section 7AA rival Andover Tuesday night.  Waiting in the wings this weekend is one of the Hounds biggest rivals, the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton Lumberjacks.  Regardless of the situation, when those two teams play it is a battle to the finish.  Duluth East fell one spot from second to third in this week’s rankings not for anything they didn’t do as the Hounds won their games, but it was more about what the Red Knights did against some high end competition the past two weeks.

4. Blaine (4-0-0)

Last Week:  W 12-3 vs Totino Grace, W 4-3 (ot) at Edina
This Week:  at Centennial (12/10), vs Elk River/Zimmerman (12/12)

26 goals in the Bengals first three outings were enough to put the Edina Hornets on notice when the two teams met this past Saturday at Braemar Arena.  The Bengals rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period and forced overtime.  Riley Tufte scored his 8th goal of the season in overtime to lead Blaine to the victory.  Key Northwest Suburban Conference games are on deck this week for the Bengals who will be challenged by neighbor and rival Centennial and the 3-0 Elk River/Zimmerman Elks.  Luke Notermann entered the season on the MNHockeyMag.com short list of Mr. Hockey finalists and he is looking every bit the part with (7g-10a-17pts) to lead his team.

5. Stillwater Area (4-0-0)

Last Week:  W 6-5 at Lakeville North, W 5-2 at Roseville Area, W 5-1 vs CDH
This Week:   W 7-1 at Hastings, at East Ridge (12/10), at Park of Cottage Grove (12/12)

It is hard to ignore their season-opening 6-5 victory over the defending state champion Lakeville North Panthers last week.  The Ponies did not celebrate too long as they were charged with facing a solid Roseville Area Raider team two days later and the Ponies came through with a 5-2 win.  Stillwater also turned aside the challenge from the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders in Suburban East Conference play by a score of 5-1.  They continue their run through the SEC with games this week that has resulted in a 7-1 thrashing of Hastings, East Ridge, and Park of Cottage Grove.  The Ponies have scored 23 goals in four games with TJ Sagissor (9g-3a-12pts) leading his team in goals and Luke Manning (4g-7a-11pts) is right behind in points.

6. Lakeville North (1-1-0)

Last Week:  L 6-5 vs Stillwater Area, W 10-1 Shakopee
This Week:  at Farmington (12/1), vs Grand Rapids (12/12)

The big news of last week centered around the Panthers opening season loss to the Stillwater Area Ponies.  The two teams were among the last to get their seasons started yet the game did not disappoint.  The Pony win did put the league on notice that the Panthers can be defeated and that Stillwater is to be contended with.  It was Shakopee that felt the wrath of the Panthers who lit them up for 10 goals in their 10-1 win late last week.  Farmington and Grand Rapids are on deck this week.  Both games will present solid challenges for the Panthers.

7. Bemidji (3-0-1)

Last Week:  W 5-0 vs Moorhead
This Week:  W 7-3 at Thief River Falls, at Warroad (12/10), at Rogers (12/12)

The Lumberjacks win over Thief River Falls yielded 3 goals against which are the most allowed by Bemidji this season.  A quality win over St. Cloud Apollo, which is a high-end Class 1A team, a tie with No. 8 Grand Rapids, and a stout 5-0 win over Section 8AA rival Moorhead have illustrated that the Lumberjacks will be factor throughout the season. Games with Warroad and Rogers are slated for this week.  Circle the calendar for a game on 12/19 that features a Section 8AA matchup with Dave Aus’ Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz.

8. Grand Rapids (5-1-1)

Last Week:  W 8-2 at VMIB, W 5-3 at Roseau, W 5-2 at Warroad
This Week:  W 5-0 Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, at Lakeville North (12/12)

After starting the season 1-1-1 including a 4-3 overtime loss to No. 2 Benilde-St. Margaret’s, the Thunderhawks have won four straight games cleaning up on Iron Range and Mariucci Conference opponents.  A successful road trip concluded with a 5-3 win at Roseau and a 5-2 win over Warroad this past weekend and the Thunderhawks continued their winning ways with a 5-0 win over CEC to open this week.  Grand Rapids averages 4.57 goals scored per game with North Dakota recruit Mitchell Mattson averaging two points- per-game 4g-10-14pts).

9. Wayzata (4-2-0)

Last Week: W 7-1 vs Andover, W 2-0 at Hill-Murray
This Week:  vs Breck School (12/10), vs Anoka (12/12)

The pattern has been to win two, lose two, win two for the Trojans.  Their resume is impressive with wins over Edina (4-2), Hill-Murray (2-0), Maple Grove (3-2), and Andover (7-1).  There are two teams on the schedule this week that will determine if the pattern will continue and will present a test for the Trojans.  Anoka is 3-1 to start this season and the Breck School is a top rated Class A power.  Billy Duma (3g-4a-7pts), and North Dakota bound Mark Senden (0g-6a-6pts) lead the way offensively for the Wayzata.

10. Edina (5-2-0)

Last Week:  W 3-0 at Cretin-Derham Hall, W 4-1 at Centennial, L 4-3 (ot) Blaine
This Week:  None

The Hornets take the week off, and at 5-2 could make an argument that they are an eventual top five team this year, yet at this stage the two losses move them down the ladder.  Their win over Cretin-Derham Hall was a key Section 6AA victory for the Hornets.  They went on to handle Centennial and saw a two-goal third period lead dissipate against Blaine that turned into a 4-3 overtime loss for the Hornets.  One thing Edina will learn when the gauntlet of teams face-off at the Edina Holiday Classic that include Eden Prairie, Elk River, Edina, and Grand Rapids is where not only Edina but the other three teams stand.

Others receiving consideration:  Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz, Eastview, Elk River/Zimmerman, Hill-Murray, St. Thomas Academy.

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top Ten – 12/9/2015 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.