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The post Section 3AA Gallery : St. Thomas Academy vs. Eastview appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

STA grinds out win over Eastview to head back to state

The St. Thomas Academy Cadets will make their return to the State Tournament. After a brief one season absence, the Cadets earned a trip to Xcel Energy Center with a steady 3-1 win over the Eastview Lightning at Ridder Arena on the campus of the University of Minnesota on Thursday night.

The Lightning (14-13-1) were not impressed by the long resume the Cadets have built this season, ranked No. 3 in the MNHockeyMag.com rankings much of the season behind just Edina and Lakeville North.

Senior Tommy Hutsell opened the scoring at 8:08 of the first period taking a terrific behind the back pass from fellow senior Cole McDevitt and beat Cadet senior goalie Matt Snow for the 1-0 lead.

St. Thomas Academy (24-4-0) owns one of the better possession games in high school hockey and was taken out of it in the first period by the Lightning who displayed a passive yet equally opportunistic forcheck shutting down the high octane offensive producers of the Cadets.

Staying patient, the Cadets were rewarded late in the first period to even the game at one with just 1:07 remaining in the period by senior Alec Broetzman. It was his sixth goal of the section playoffs and 10th point.

The goal energized the Cadets who went work in the second period and took control of the tempo, pace, and scoreboard. After a number of near misses from offensive zone faceoffs in the second period, the Cadets delivered the eventual game winner from a terrific draw by junior Will Jerry.

He pushed the puck through traffic from the right faceoff dot as Colorado College recruit and senior Christiano Versich eluded his coverage and found a puck low in the slot to hammer home for the 2-1 lead beating junior goalie Andrew Stern at 2:45.

Eastview responded in the early going of the third period with a number of chances but Snow made some key and difficult saves from screens, back door, and deflections to preserve the lead. Peter Tufto, a high scoring senior for the Cadets was a benefactor of a loose puck at the Eastview blue line and accelerated past the defense and fired a shot through the five hole of stern for the 3-1 lead with just 3:36 showing on the clock.

Stern made 23 saves in the game and the Lightning delivered a game that forced the Cadets out of their comfort zone. In the process, the Cadets were able to change their game, adjust to the game plan that was being executed before them and deliver their ninth state tournament appearance in school history and first at the Class 2A level.

The post Cadets march on to St. Paul appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Experience, insight help Hill-Murray top Eastview

[ Box Score ] | [ Game Sheet ]

SAINT PAUL ­– No player on the Eastview Lightning girls’ hockey team has ever played in the state tournament, so the reigning state champion Hill-Murray Pioneers made sure to show them what “the Tourney” is all about.

The Pioneers welcomed the Lightning to State with a 6-1 victory in the Class 2A State quarterfinal at the Xcel Energy Center on Thursday afternoon. With the win, second seeded Hill-Murray will play the winner of the Edina-Buffalo game, on Friday in the state semifinals.

The shock of playing at the Xcel Energy Center can often intimidate teams, so Hill-Murray coach Bill Schafhauser tried to ensure the atmosphere didn’t overwhelm his team as it may have affected Eastview.

“To reign in the level of focus you need in the first game, it’s not easy,” Schafhauser said. “Sometimes we tend to forget they’re kids.”

The Pioneer offense found early success in the offensive zone with 13 shots in the first period, but the Pioneer defense also suffocated the Eastview offensive attack. With little opportunity to fire on the Pioneer net, the Lightning didn’t register their first shot until almost nine minutes into the game.

Part of this success was because of Hill-Murray’s familiarity with Eastview star forward Natalie Snodgrass. Pioneer defender Mekenzie Steffen is a teammate of Snodgrass’ on a U-18 team, and Steffen made sure to give her team insight on the Lightning forward.

“We knew that Natalie Snodgrass was one of their top scorers so we made sure to watch her all game and I think we did a great job,” Pioneer forward Laura Anderson said.

While the Pioneers held Snodgrass and the Lightning attack to only one goal, they found little trouble finding the Eastview net. Pioneer Lexi Klein opened the scoring as she took the pass from teammate Kate Smith and buried the puck right past the shoulder of Eastview goaltender Kaitlyn Pellicci and gave the Pioneers their first of six goals.

With a 6-1 victory to start the tournament, the Pioneers feel their dominance has impeccable timing.

“I think we’re peaking at the right time and everything is going well,” Anderson said.

The post Pioneers bottle up Lightning appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

1.  Lakeville North Panthers (20-3-1, 15-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Duluth East (W 3-2 ot), vs Eagan (W 4-3)
This Week:  at Prior Lake (2/11)

The Panthers continue their winning ways as they eked one out against the Duluth East Greyhounds in overtime.  They closed out the week with a 4-3 victory over the Eagan Wildcats that improved the Panther conference record to 15-1-0 and is good for the conference title.  They have one game left against Prior Lake and if North can pick up the win, they would close out the regular season with a 19-0-1 run.  Currently, the Panthers have won 13 in a row since their tie with the Blaine Bengals on December 27th.  Wins over Duluth East, Burnsville (2), Eastview, Eden Prairie, Hill-Murray, Eagan (2) and Bloomington Jefferson (2) are enough to dispel the difficulty of schedule argument that is floating around and with their last loss coming on December 7th, to St. Thomas Academy, the Panthers have earned the top spot for the third straight week.

2.  Edina Hornets (18-4-1, 5-0-1)

Last Week:  vs Wayzata (W 3-1), vs Hopkins (W 4-0)
This Week:  at Minnetonka (2/13), at Eden Prairie (2/15)

The Hornets are in the midst of a seven game unbeaten streak (6-0-1) and have been getting it done in the Lake Conference.  A huge win over Wayzata gave the Hornets sole possession of first place with two games remaining.  They were in post season form in a well played game as they took down Hopkins 4-0.  The Hornets close it out with a pair of road games this week.  The first tilt is at the difficult to play Pagel Activity Center against the Minnetonka Skippers and  the season finale is against the Eden Prairie Eagles on Saturday at the EP Community Center.  Contributions have been felt from all three lines and that will be key to a potential State Tournament run.  This team is playing very well right now and things are coming together as the seniors are playing bigger an the underclassmen are stepping up the effort.  Edina’s goaltending has been rock solid as Andrew Rohkohl has not allowed more than one goal against in a game since their 3-3 tie with Wayzata and that is a span of six straight games.

3.  Hill-Murray Pioneers (20-3-0, 11-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Blaine (W 4-3), vs Richfield (W 13-1), vs Simley (W 7-1)
This Week:  at Tartan (2/13), vs Moorhead (2/15)

The Pioneers have won 11 of their last 12 games.  The loss came to St. Thomas Academy on January 23rd. In that span, Hill-Murray has wins over four ranked opponents  that include Wayzata (3-2), Edina (6-1), White Bear Lake (6-5 ot), and Blaine (4-3).  It certainly helps improve their case at the number three position.  The Pinoneers do not top Edina in this ranking as they split with them and lost to Lakeville North.  Edina’s conference schedule and strength of schedule is the deciding factor between the two and three slot.  Hill-Murray closes out the regular season campaign with a game at Tartan and then host the Moorhead Spuds on Saturday.  This team is indeed a State Title contender although, they will have to work to get through the Section 4AA this year especially with the surging White Bear Lake Bears and Roseville Raiders lurking.

4.  Wayzata Trojans (17-5-1, 5-1-1)

Last Week:  vs Edina (L 3-1), vs Minnetonka (W 6-0)
This Week:  vs Totino Grace (2/11), vs Hopkins (2/15)

A loss to he #2 ranked Edina Hornets does not move the Trojans down a spot in this week’s top ten.  They played a fantastic high school hockey game and a win wold have moved them up in the rankings.  The Trojans bounced back with a 6-0 win over the Minnetonka Skippers this past Saturday.  Games against Totino Grace and Hopkins round out the regular season as they prepare for the Section 6AA tournament and will likely be the top seed.  They are 7-3-1 in their last ten games and have been a steady team all year long.

5.  Blaine Bengals (18-4-1, 14-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Robbinsdale Armstrong (W 10-3), vs Hill-Murray (L 4-3), vs Elk River Zimmerman (W 4-3) vs Champlin Park (W 8-0)
This Week:  vs Andover (2/11), vs Maple Grove (2/15)

It has been an interesting year for the Blaine Bengals who lost last week and actually moved ahead of the Burnsville Blaze because Burnsville suffered a loss as well.  The Bengals loss was to the #3 Hill-Murray Pioneers and the Blaze fell to  Bloomington Jefferson, a fine club in their own right but not a top five team at this point,  3-2 in overtime. The Bengals have quietly carved through the Northwest Suburban Conference and only have four losses on their ledger, all to top ten teams and yes, that includes East Grand Forks the top team in Class A.  A busy week that featured four games in six days.  Blaine picked up a big win over Elk River/Zimmerman that solidified the Bengals hold on first place in the conference race. The Bengals are 9-1-0 in their last ten with their most recent loss at the hands of the Hill-Murray Pioneers last week.  The face the surging Andover Huskies and the tough to play Maple Grove Crimson this week.

6.  Burnsville Blaze (16-6-1, 12-3-0)

Last Week:  vs Prior Lake (W 6-1), vs Bloomington Jefferson (L 3-2 ot)
This Week:  at Bloomington Kennedy (2/11), vs Lakeville South (2/15)

An overtime loss to the once ranked Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars stunned the Blaze and dashed any hope of catching the Lakeville North Panthers for the South Suburban Conference title.  The Blaze are 7-2-1 in their last ten and have been consistent defensively all year long, especially in their last ten games where they have posted 2.30 goals against average.  The Blaze are 6-6-1 in games against top ten opponents with a split against Edina, loss to Wayzata, loss to Hill-Murray and a pair of losses to Lakeville North that keeps the Blaze beneath those teams as they have a 1-5 record against the top four teams this year.  A gritty and underrated Bloomington Kennedy team (11-10-0, 3-5-0) are on the schedule this week and they finish up the regular season against the Lakeville South Cougars.

7.  White Bear Lake Bears (17-5-1, 13-2-1)

Last Week:  vs Hastings (W 9-1), vs East Ridge (W 4-2), vs Roseville (W  8-2)
This Week:  at Forest Lake (2/11), vs Cretin-Derham Hall (2/13)

It has been a steady rise for the Bears this year and they land at #7 this week up a notch from #8 as the Duluth East Greyhounds fall out of the top ten with a pair of losses.  For the Bears it has been a seven game winning streak as they have been cleaning up in the Suburban East Conference.  The first two wins to kick off the streak were against the highly regarded Hermantown Hawks (4-1) and the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks in back-to-back efforts that started the ball rolling.  During that seven game streak the Bears have out-scored their opponents 40-12.  Jake Wallin has been lights out and he has amassed (9g-13a-22pts) during that seven game streak.  He can present a major problem with the Section 4AA as he now has (38g-31a-69pts) to lead his club and all Class AA scorers.  The Bears have a tough game at Forest Lake on Tuesday and a win clinches the SEC title for the Bears.  A loss sets up a major showdown for the conference title with the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders on Thursday.  That game can be seen on the MNHockeyMag.com streaming simulcast with Sports Radio 105 The Ticket.

8.  Elk River Elks (15-6-0, 11-3-0)

Last Week:   vs Anoka (W 3-1), vs Blaine (L 4-3), vs Centennial (W 3-1)
This Week:  at Anoka (2/11), vs Champlin Park (2/13), vs Robbinsdale Armstrong (2/15)

Despite a loss to #5 Blaine, the Elks move up.   A number of teams lost ahead of them as well.  A three game week is on tap for the Elks with the Northwest Suburban Conference Schedule closing in a fury.  The Elks are 2-3-0 in their last five.  At one point Elk River reeled off eight straight wins and have hit the rough patch of late.  They have three winnable games this week and could finish with an 18 win campaign which is very impressive.  Their record against top ten teams is 3-4-0 this season.

9.  Eastview Lightning (17-5-1, 9-5-1)

Last Week:  vs Lakeville South (W 3-2), vs Rosemount (T 1-1)
This Week:  at Eagan (2/11), vs Prior Lake 2/13

The Lightning are 6-3-1 in their last ten games including a 3-2 win over Lakeville South and a 1-1 tie with Rosemount.  The Lighting have teetered in and out of the top ten and they land back this week at #9.  They have two difficult games this week with Eagan and Prior Lake to close out the season.  They are an impressive 7-0-1 in Section 3AA games and 9-5-1 in the South Suburban Conference and are in third place behind #6 Burnsville and #1 Lakeville North.

10.  Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders (16-5-2, 12-3-2)

Last Week:  vs Roseville (L 4-1), vs East Ridge (W 4-2)
This Week:  at Benilde-St. Margaret’s (2/11), vs White Bear Lake (2/13)

The Raiders maintain the tenth spot despite a loss to the Roseville Raiders by a score of 4-1.   Cretin-Derham Hall owns a 2-2 record against ranked teams this season and have two more tough games to complete their schedule.  They are 6-3-1 in their last ten games including 4-1-1 in their last six affairs.  On the schedule this week is a  non-conference affair with the Red Knights on Tuesday and that game can be seen live on the MNHockeyMag.com.  The Raiders also battle White Bear Lake in a huge Suburban East Conference game on Thursday.  With a White Bear Lake loss to Forest Lake, the game would be a winner take all for the conference title.   It can be seen streaming live on the MNHockeyMag.com and heard simulcast on Sports Radio 105 The Ticket.  The Raiders are an impressive 10-0 in Section 3AA play.

The post MHM Class AA Top Ten 2/10/2014 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

1.  Hill-Murray Pioneers (14-2-0, 6-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Tartan (W 9-2), vs White Bear Lake (W 5-4 ot), vs Henry Sibley (W 5-0)

This Week:  at St. Thomas (1/23) vs Mahtomedi (1/25)

The Pioneers whitewashed Classic Suburban conference foe Tartan by a score of 9-2 and needed overtime to sneak past chief rival White Bear Lake by a score of 5-4.  It was a Josh French goal at 9:15 of the third period to tie the game at four and Joey Anderson put away the game winning tally 54 seconds into the overtime session.  After losing back-to-back games to Edina and Lakeville North the Pioneers have responded with five straight wins including impressive wins over Edina and Wayzata.  It’s time for the hockey world to keep their eye on French who is a senior and the real deal and scores huge goals for his team.  He has picked up (6a-4a-10pts) in his last five games and is on a four game goal streak.  He also has three game winning goals to his credit this year as well.

2.  Lakeville North Panthers (14-3-1, 10-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Kennedy (W 6-4), vs Burnsville (W 5-4 ot)

This Week:  at Eastview (1/21),  vs Apple Valley (1/25)

The Panthers took care of business by defeating the Bloomington Kennedy Eagles and then looked ahead to the big show down with the Burnsville Blaze, a team they had beaten in week one of the season by a score of 5-2.  This most recent game was a 5-4 thriller that required a Jack Poehling goal with :52 left in regulate.  Ian Klotz closed the deal with the winner at 3:02 in overtime for the Panthers.  A notable aspect regarding  the Panthers is the balance they have offensively which proved to be too much against the Blaze.  Six players now have 20 points or more led by Jack Poehling’s (18g-19a-37pts).  Ten players have earned double digits in points this year as well.   A tough game with Eastview is on deck this week and will challenge their spot in the conference and rankings.

3.  Wayzata Trojans (12-4-1, 1-0-1)

Last Week:  vs Eden Prairie (W 1-0), vs Edina (T 3-3)

This Week:  vs Minnetonka (1/23) vs Prior Lake (1/25)

The Trojans opened the Lake Conference schedule with a well-played 1-0 win over the Eden Prairie Eagles as Jack Sorenson delivered the game’s lone goal late in the third period.  They had a Hornet team after the EP grinder which would test their mettle.  When Wayzata and Edina play, whether on the big sheet or at Braemar, they seem to bring the best out in each other.  Three second period goals changed things for the Trojans as they erased a 1-0 first period Edina lead.  The Hornets scrapped back with a third period goal to force overtime and the eventual tie.  The Trojans continue their play in the Lake Conference with a game against Minnetonka and then host Prior Lake in non-conference action.

4.  Edina Hornets  (12-4-1, 0-0-1)

Last Week:  vs Wayzata (T 3-3)

This Week:  vs Hopkins (1/23 live on Sports Radio 105), vs Minnetonka (1/25)

Let’s be honest earning a tie in one game, the only of a team’s week,  should not warrant moving up one spot in a top notch top ten like the MHM rankings.  However, the Burnsville Blaze lost, and while  it was to the #2 Lakeville North, it was still a loss and put Edina in position to move up.  The tie against the #3 Trojans propels the Hornets over the Blaze this week.  They have split with the Blaze and are 8-3-1 against teams that are ranked in the MHM top ten and that includes long-time #1 Breck in the Class A.  The fact that 12 of their games have been against difficult competition and fighting through it impressively says a lot about this team.  They are always a team to take seriously and will be a factor in the end as always.  They will look to take care of business against Hopkins and Minnetonka in Lake Conference play this week.

5.  Elk River Elks (12-3-0, 8-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Centennial (W 3-2), vs Champlin Park (W 4-1), vs Stillwater (W 4-1)

This Week:  vs Anoka (1/23), vs Coon Rapids (1/25)

While they are known to play in some close games, this team is still equipped, in the opinion of the MHM Rankings Committee, to be major contenders for the Section 7AA title despite their loss to Grand Rapids at the Edina Holiday Classic.  They are in the midst of the seven game winning streak that includes a 4-1 win over Stillwater as they successfully hosted an impressive Hockey Day Minnesota event.   The Elks haven’t lost in nearly a month since the Grand Rapids loss at the Classic on December 21st.

6.  Burnsville Blaze (11-5-0, 7-2-0)

Last Week:  vs Lakeville South (W 5-2), vs Lakeville North (W 5-4 ot)

This Week:  at Rosemount (1/21) vs Eden Prairie (1/23), vs Eastview (1/25)

The Blaze earned a split with the Lakeville teams this week in beating Lakeville South 5-2 and losing a heart breaker to Lakeville North 5-4 in overtime. The loss to Lakeville North stopped a run of four straight games and a period where they won 10 of 11 games.  All five of their losses have come to ranked teams in the top ten of the MHM at some point this season.  The Blaze 5-4 record against top ten teams puts them below Edina in the rankings, who has a better record in such games to go along with their split (Edina and Bville) in two games this year.

7.  Blaine Bengals (11-3-1, 8-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Duluth East (W 5-2) vs Champlin Park (W 7-4)

This Week:  at Minnetonka (1/21), vs Robbinsdale Armstrong (1/23), vs Osseo (1/25)

A huge win was delivered by the Bengals and it was on the road.  It was a much needed victory as the Bengals were stumbling with a 1-2-1 record going into actoin last week.  The Bengals are now 2-3-1 against teams ranked at some point in the Class AA or Class A MHM rankings.  Their week is a mix of non-conference an conference play leading off with Minnetonka followed by a pair of  NWSC games featuring Robbinsdale Armstrong and Osseo.  Blaine will look to keep pace in the conference with the Elk River Elks.

8.  Holy Family Catholic Fire (10-3-1, 5-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Orono (W 8-2) vs Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (Win 10-0)

This Week:  at  Delano (1/21),  vs Hutchinson (1/22), vs Roseau (1/24),

The Fire make their debut at #8 in the MHM rankings this week and for good reason. At this point, they should be the #2 seed of the Section 6AA.  Their only loss in sectional games was to Wayzata and that was in overtime.  They average 5.36 goals per game and just 2.14 against.  Noel Rahn’s team has won four straight and 9 of their last 10.  They are 1-1-1 against teams that have been ranked in the Class AA of the MHM and have the tie against Breck who has been #1 Class A for much of the year. They will be challenged  this week by the offensive game of the Roseau Rams and the Delano Tigers are a tough team to play against.

9.  Eastview Lightning (13-3-0, 6-3-0)

Last Week:  vs Prior Lake (L 5-3), vs Hastings (W 5-2), vs Rochester John Marshall (W 10-1)

This Week:  at Lakeville North (1/21), vs Woodbury (1/24), vs Burnsville (1/25)

The loss to the Prior Lake Lakers is a tough one, but at 8-7-1 the Lakers have been hit and miss this year.  Due to that , it isn’t enough to toss the Lightning from the top ten as a 13 win season to this point is impressive.  They responded to the loss big over Hastings and Rochester John Marshall.  They are 2-2 against top ten teams this year.

10.  Duluth East Greyhounds (12-4-1)

Last Week:  vs Blaine (L 5-2), vs Apple Valley (W 2-1), vs Maple Grove (T 2-2)

This Week:  at Forest Lake (1/21)

It was an underwhelming week for the Hounds yet they hold on to the final spot of the top ten by their finger nails.  A 1-1-1 week that included a loss to Blaine and a scare overtime win over Apple Valley.    The Hounds have one Section 7AA game against Forest lake this week.  They are 4-3 against the top rated teams in the MHM polls this year and subsequently fall in the number ten spot.

The post MHM Class AA Top Ten 1/20/14 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

1.  Hill-Murray Pioneers (11-2-0, 4-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Wayzata (W 3-2), vs Edina (W 6-1)

This Week:  vs Tartan (1/14), vs White Bear Lake (1/16), vs Henry Sibley (1/18)

The Pioneers vault to the top spot of the MHM  Class AA rankings for the second time this season and for good reason.  They ended an impressive 7 game winning streak of the Wayzata Trojans and in doing so, ended a two-game skid of their own.  More impressively, they routed the Edina Hornets 6-1 avenging a pair of 4-2 losses that date back to the Schwan’s Cup Gold Division final and the State Class AA State Final.  The Pioneers were 3-8 with the man advantage against the Hornets.  Mitch Slattery had (1g-3a-4pts) while Zach Mills (2g-1a-3pts) and Joey Anderson (2g).  While the Pioneers lost to Lakeville North, quality wins over Burnsville (5-3), BSM (7-3), STA (3-2), and Duluth East (6-3), to go along with Edina and Wayzata,  earns Hill-Murray the right for the top spot this week.  They continue their home-stand with a key face-off with Section 4AA rival White Bear Lake this Thursday at Aldrich Arena.

2.  Lakeville North Panthers (12-3-1, 8-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Eagan (W 4-2), vs Rochester Century (12-0), vs Prior Lake (W 2-0)

This Week:  at Bloomington Kennedy (1/14), at Burnsville (1/18)

It was a tough decision to keep the Panthers out of the top spot for this week as they may be the hottest team in High School Hockey.  They have not lost since December 7th and are 10-0-1 including winners of 5 straight.  What is holding them back is they have a tie with Blaine, which at the time was a top 5 team and not enough to challenge number of quality wins that Hill-Murray has.   Other key wins include Burnsville (5-2), Eden Prairie (7-0), Hill-Murray (3-0), and Eagan (4-2).  Both Eden Prairie and Eagan have not been ranked in recent weeks. The head to head with Hill-Murray is impressive yet, I can hear the MHM Nation ripping this move and it is rippable.  It was just too productive of a week or the Pioneers with a pair of big time wins to not put Hill-Murray the top spot.  To this moment, this author is having a tough time leaving the Panthers at number two, but feel as though this tough decision stands for the week.  The Panthers have a defining game agains the Burnsville Blaze on Saturday.

3.  Wayzata Trojans (11-4-0, 0-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Hill-Murray (L 3-2)

This Week:  at Eden Prairie (1/16) , vs Edina (1/8)

The Trojans were in the top spot last week but fell two notches to #3 after losing to the Hill-Murray Pioneers by as score of 3-2 last Thursday.  That loss stopped a seven game winning streak for the Wayzata.  They played well enough to win however, the steady improvement of the Pioneer game stopped the Trojans on a Josh French goal with :28 left in the third period.  Eight Trojan games have been decided by one goal this year and Wayzata is 5-3 in those games.  Two marquee match-ups are on the schedule for the Trojans this week as Lake Conference play begins.  The Eden Prairie game can be heard live on Sports Radio 105 the Ticket Thursday night and the Hornets will be buzzing around the Plymouth Ice Center on Saturday.

4.  Burnsville Blaze (10-4-0, 6-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Bloomington Jefferson (W 3-0)

This Week:  at Lakeville South (1/14) vs Lakeville North (1/18)

The Blaze stand-pat at #4 this week in the MHM rankings with a 3-0 win over the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars.  They continue to see their goals against drop and sport a 9-1-0 record in their last ten games including wins in their last three affairs.  Up next is a game with the Lakeville South Panthers and chance to make a statement against them on Saturday.  The Panthers captured game one between the two teams by a score of 5-2 earlier in the season  back on November 30th.

5.  Edina Hornets (12-4-0, 0-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Hill-Murray (L 6-1)

This Week:  at Wayzata (1/18)

The Hornets were thumped by the Hill-Murray Pioneers on Saturday which was the only game on the schedule for Edina.  They are in the midst of three weeks where they play one game a week on Saturday’s while the team focuses on its game and conditioning.  It is not abnormal for the Hornets to drop a few games at his time of the season and last Saturday was not an exception.  They did lose the special teams battle 3-0 against the Pioneers as the Hornets were (0-6) and the Pioneers were (3-8) with the power play.  At the end of the day, losing the special teams battle on a nightly basis will make a run to a championship more difficult for the defending champs.  The Hornets face Wayzata on the big sheet in Plymouth which always makes for an entertaining contest.

6.  Elk River (9-3-0, 6-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Blaine (W 6-4), vs Osseo (W 5-1)

This Week:  vs Centennial (1/14), at Champlin Park (1/16), vs Stilwater (1/18)

They are back in the MHM top ten and have stormed back to prominence with authority.  The Elks had an impressive week that opened with a 6-4 win over the Blaine Bengals.  They defeated Osseo and are the only undefeated team in the Northwest Suburban Conference at 6-0-0.  After three straight losses in the Edina Holiday Classic, the Elks bounced back with four straight wins of their own.  They own quality wins over Edina (3-1), Duluth East (3-2), and Blaine (6-4).  Their losses are to three quality opponents as Eden Prairie (3-1), Edina (6-3), and Grand Rapids (3-2).  It is a big week for the Elks as they play host to Hockey Day Minnesota and Stillwater will be their opponent.  It will be important to not look past the Centennial Cougars or Champlin Park Rebels this week for the Elks.

7.  Eastview Lightning (11-2-0, 6-2-0)

Last Week:  vs Rosemount (W 3-2), vs Eagan (W 3-2)

This Week:  at Prior Lake (1/14), at Hastings (1/16), vs Rochester John Marshall (1/17)

11-2-0 is an impressive record and the Lightning are tied for the fewest losses of the teams in the top ten.  They do not have a huge number of quality top ten wins but the 4-3 win to open the season over Lakeville North is legitimate.  The Lightning  have clearly taken care of business and are proving that the South Suburban Conference could very well be the most difficult  conference this season.  A pair of one goal games were added to their resume including a 3-2 victory over the Eagan Wildcats  who if not for 6 losses, would be a top ten type team. The Wildcats have won 7 straight and are proving to be on pace for the top seed in the Section 3AA.

8.  Blaine Bengals (9-3-1, 7-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Elk River (L 6-4)

This Week:  at Duluth East (1/14), vs Champlin Park (1/18)

To illustrate how this season has gone, one need look no further than the Blaine Bengals.  They have had two stints in the top spot of the MHM and are sliding down the rankings quickly.  Blaine is a quality team, but this season is proving unpredictable and on any night, teams are being beat.  Such is the point illustrated by the Elk River Elks who are a top contender for a section 7AA title and nothing to be ashamed  in losing to for the Bengals.  Blaine 1-2-1 in their last four games and do not have any quality wins over top ten ranked opponents this year.  To date, their record is 0-3-1 with one of those losses coming to the then top ranked East Grand Forks Green Wave by a score of 3-1.  Other losses to top ten AA teams include Wayzata (6-0), and Elk River (6-4).  Their tie was against Lakeville North (3-3), which is a quality top ten team in at number two is their only resume building win of top ten teams.  Another tough game is on the schedule as the Bengals who will look to pick up a quality win over the always tough to play Duluth East Greyhounds in Duluth.

9.  Duluth East Greyhounds (11-3-0)

Last Week:  vs Grand Rapids (W 5-0) vs Duluth Denfeld (W 3-0)

This Week:  vs Blaine (1/14), at Apple Valley (1/16), at Maple Grove (1/18)

The Hounds have been quietly impressive this year.  It is fair to say they have somewhat flown under the radar and now is the time they be recognized for a solid body of work thus far.  Their formula is effective every year and that includes a low goals against average and sizzling power play.  The Hounds average just 1.79 goals against and have a power play that works at 31% so far this year.  With a huge Section 7AA win over Grand Rapids by a score of 5-0, the Hounds have earned six straight wins since losing to Hill-Murray 6-3 in the Schwan Cup.  Quality wins include Wayzata (3-2), Breck (2-1),  Eden Prairie (3-1), and Grand Rapids (5-0).  They have a huge test with the Blaine Bengals this week and round it out with a test at Maple Grove on Saturday.  Also on the schedule is Apple Valley this Thursday.

10.  Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders (11-2-1, 8-0-1)

Last Week:  vs East Ridge (W 6-1), vs White Bear Lake (W 3-1)

This Week:   at Forest Lake (1/16), at Hastings (1/18)

Winners of four straight, the Raiders are proving in the first half of the season they are legitimate Section 3AA contenders and currently are the leaders of the Suburban East conference.  The win over White Bear Lake (3-1) at the TCF Bank Stadium was a resume builder and enough to propel Raiders to the top ten for this week as one of the hotter teams in the State.  They will look to keep pace in the Conference this week with a pair of games, first against Forest Lake and then against Hastings.

The post MHM Class AA Top Ten 1/13/2014 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

1.  Wayzata Trojans (11-3-0, 0-0-0)

Last Week: vs Benilde-St. Margaret’s (W 2-1), vs Holy Family Catholic (W 3-2 ot)

This Week:  vs Hill Murray (1/9)

Pat O’Leary’s Trojans continue their impressive string of games as they are winners of 7 straight and are 8-1-0 in their last nine games.  The Trojans, along with the Lakeville North Panthers, are the two hottest teams in Class AA hockey.   While they didn’t blow anyone out last week, a 2-1 win over the Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights and a 3-2 overtime win over Holy Family were recorded in the win column for a successful week.  Chandler Lindstrand’s goal at 4:41 of the second period stood up as the game winner against BSM.  The Trojans continue to take care of business in the Section 6AA with wins over BSM and Holy Family. Both of last week’s wins improved the Trojans section record to 2-0 and improves their bid to defend as Section 6AA champions.  While they are not particularly lighting up the score column averaging 3.36 goals per game, the Trojans have been filthy defensively allowing just 1.5 goals against.  They have been playing with a ferocity that is expected of them and it has anointed them as the #1 team in the MinnesotaHockeMag.com rankings for this week.

2.  Lakeville North Panthers (9-3-1, 7-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Hill-Murray (W 3-0)

This Week:  at Eagan (1/7) at Rochester Century (1/9), vs Prior Lake (1/11)

The Panthers haven’t lost since December 7th and that was to the St. Thomas Academy Cadets by a score of 5-2.  Since then, they are 7-0-1 in their last 8 games and have earned quality wins over Burnsville (5-2), Bloomington Jefferson (4-2) and (5-1), Eden Prairie (7-0), Hill-Murray (3-0), and tied Blaine (3-3).  Their losses were to Eastview (4-3) to open the season, Minnetonka (4-2), and the STA game.  The Panthers have turned the entire high school hockey world’s heads with their play and to see what they are doing live and turning of the scoreboard is impressive.  They are playing some of the best hockey this state has to offer at this moment.  Averaging nearly 4.5 goals per game, the Panthers are led by Jack Poehling (13g-13a-26pts) who is a well rounded player that wins draws, battles in all three zones, and is terrific off the rush and closes around the net.  They use a pair of goalies in Will Dupont (6-1-1, 2.25, .897) and Jake Oettinger (3-1-1, 1.94, 928). What is impressive for Oettinger is he is a freshman that has earned wins against Hill-Murray, Eden Praire, and Bloomginton Jefferson.  He also has a tie with the Blaine Bengals.  Right now, the Panthers have earned the second slot of the Minnesota HockeyMag.com rankings on the strength of some major wins against top ten teams and the wins have not been because of a fortunate bounce.  This team is beating teams defensively and offensively night in an night out.

3.  Blaine Bengals (9-2-1, 7-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Andover (W 5-3)

This Week:  at Minnetonka (1/7), vs Elk River (1/9)

The Bengals rebounded from the 4-0 loss to the Wayzata Trojans with a sturdy 5-3 win over an underrated Andover Husky team.  They overcame 2-0 first period and 3-2 second period deficits to erupt for three goals in the third period to pick up the hard fought win. The Bengals once again are at the top of the Northwest Suburban Conference with a 7-0 record and have the depth to score from multiple sources. Three players are tied for the team lead in points.  Joey Lau (8g-14a-22pts), Brandon Noterman (8g-14a-22pts), and Tyler Cline (15g-7a-22pts) lead they way not only in production but with senior leadership.  They will need to keep the puck out of their own net as they have allowed 7 of their 28 goals against in their last two games if they would like to earn a trip to the State Tournament for the first time in two seasons.

4.  Burnsville Blaze (9-4-0, 5-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Edina (W 4-2)

This Week:  at Bloomington Jefferson (1/7)

Like many teams that open the season searching for an identity, the Burnsville Blaze certainly are playing as though they have found it.  Like most teams that are surging to the top, the Blaze are 7-1 in their last 8 games with quality wins over Edina (4-2), Minnetonka (3-0), St. Thomas Academy (3-2), Eastview (6-1), and Wayzata (1-0).  Their losses have come to top ten teams in Hill-Murray (5-3), Lakeville North (5-2), and BSM (5-4). Brock Boeser (12g-14a-26pts) proves to be a game changer every night and the emergence of Jack Ahcan (4g-11a-15pts) on the blue line has helped the Blaze maintain the puck and play the attacking game that they execute so well.  Goaltender Dyllan Dubbesmeyer (9-4-0, 2.08, .916) has posted three shutouts this year and has ben a back-bone to his team.  After starting the season 1-3, he and his team is 8-1 in their last 9 games.

5.  Edina Hornets (12-3-0, 0-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Cretin Derham Hall (W 5-2), vs Burnsville (L 4-2), vs White Bear Lake (W 5-1)

This Week:  at Hill-Murray (1/11)

The Hornets held down the top spot for the second time this season last week and were tossed from that perch after losing to the Burnsville Blaze by a score of 4-2 last Thursday for this week’s rankings.  They were solid in their win against Cretin-Derham Hall and delivered 3 second period goals to earn the victory over White Bear Lake.  The Hornets are 7-1 in their last 8 games and have earned a split with  Burnsville thus far.   Two of their three losses have come to teams that were ranked in the top ten at the time of their meetings.  All three of Edina’s losses have come away from the friendly confines of Braemar Arena where they are stand a perfect 6-0.  Miguel Fidler (11g-14a-25pts), Cullen Munson (10g-11a-21pts), and Tyler Nanne (4g-15a-19pts) are a trio of seniors who have paced the way for the Hornets this season.  They are joined by fellow senior goaltender Andrew Rohkohl (11-3-0, 2.05, .923) who has paced the way for the Hornets.  As they continue through their difficult schedule, the tilt at Aldrich Arena with Hill-Murray will be great test for the Hornets away from Braemar.  The game with the Pioneers is the second time this year.

6.  Hill-Murray Pioneers (9-2-0, 4-0-0)

Last Week:  vs Lakeville North (L 3-0)

This Week:  vs Wayzata (1/9), vs Edina (1/11)

The Pioneers have lost two straight games, the first being handed down by the Edina Hornets and the most recent a 3-0 loss to the surging Lakeville North Panthers.  They will have a chance to right the ship or slip into a legitimate slide as the second half of the season makes the turn.  It won’t be easy as #1 Wayzata and #4 Edina on the schedule.  One thing is certain with the Pioneers, it is always about the long term success with big goal of the state tournament in St. Paul in its midst.  With  26 state tournament appearances and three state titles to their credit, it has been a solid formula.  Make no mistake, the Pioneers will look to get in the win column this week against two difficult opponents.  Mitch Slattery (7g-12a-19pts) leads his team in points and Josh French (10g-8a-18pts) paces the way in goals.  Zach Mills is second in goals with (9g-2a-11pts) and Joey Anderson (10g-8a-18pts) has been his consistent self and is third on the team in points.

7.  Benilde-St. Margaret’s (9-3-2)

Last Week:  vs Wayzata (L 2-1)

This Week:  vs St. Thomas Academy (1/7), at Minnetonka (TCF Bank Stadium)

After going on a 5-0-2 in seven games that followed a pair of 7-3 losses to Hill-Murray and Holy Family Catholic, the Red Knights have delivered their share of wins during that time.   A solid 5-2 win over Eden Prairie was an impressive win to go along with their two wins over Moorhead (9-1, and 4-2).  The big test came in the form of the top ranked Wayzata Trojans and while moral victories don’t bode well for top ten rankings, the Red Knights did win in the regard that they played well on the big sheet and will need to in the Section 6AA finals should they qualify for the finals at Mariucc Arena.  BSM also won in the fact that they held a top 5 team to 2 goals and delivered in a defensive game.  This week once again will test the mettle of the Red Knights as they take on a top team in STA and then crosstown rival Minnetonka as they take it outside at TCF Band Stadium in s critical Section 6AA game.  Spencer Naas (19g-16a-35pts) makes a case for being the best player on the ice every night and pushing him is defenseman Ben Newhouse (4g-19a-23pts).  Wing Carter Roo (14g-8a-24pts has hit his stride with the Red Knights and has been key in offensive production to the Red Knight surge.

8.  Grand Rapids Thunderhawks (11-3-0, 1-0-0)

Last Week:  vs CEC (W 5-1), vs Hopkins (W 6-1)

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

It is a big week for the Thunderhawks who are coming off a pair of solid wins over Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (5-1) and Hopkins (6-1).  Avery Peterson (18g-18a-36pts) has been a man among boys on the ice and picked up (9g-9a-18pts) in his last 5 contests.  Hunter Shepard is (11-3-0, 2.68, .925) is key to their success and he presents problems for opposing teams in the net for Rapids.  After dropping a pair of games to Edina (4-3 ot), and Eden Prairie (7-4) at the Edina Holiday Classic, the Thunderhawks have won 6 straight with solid wins over Elk River (3-2), and Brainerd (3-1).  Currently, they are 4-0 against their section and a win over Duluth East would all but lock up the #1 seed.  Beating the Hounds will be easier said than done as they are always well coached and ready to play their sectional foes.  A solid Hermantown team comes first meaning the Thunderhawks do not want to get caught looking ahead to Thursday’s game as the Hawks are a very good hockey team.  The Thunderhawks will be closing out a 7 game home-stand this week.

9.  St. Thomas Academy (7-3-1, 2-1-0)

Last Week:  vs Totino Grace (W 3-1), vs Mahtomedi (W 8-2)

This Week: at BSM (1/7), vs South St. Paul (1/9), vs North St. Paul (1/11)

The Cadets stay put at the #9 slot for this week with two wins over un-ranked opponents.  They endured a pair of tough one goal losses in the Schwan Cup Gold Division with a 3-2 loss to Burnsville and 5-4 overtime loss to the Breck Mustangs.  Since then, STA has responded with three straight wins by a combined score of 17-6.  Tom Novak is on a tear over his last five games as he has collected big numbers for his Cadets squad (3g-9a-12pts) and will consistently be looked to for leadership in getting it done for his team.  A big test is on deck for the Cadets at the St. Louis Park Rec Center Tuesday night.  That game can be seen live streaming on bsmhockey.com.

10.  Eastview (9-2-0, 4-2-0)

Last Week:  vs Bloomington Kennedy (W 5-1)

This Week:  vs Rosemount (1/7), vs Eagan (1/11) at TCF Bank Stadium

After starting the season 3-0 with wins over Lakeville North, East Ridge, and Hopkins, the Lightning hit a bump in the road falling to Burnsville (6-1) and Bloomington Jefferson (4-1).  They have earned 5 straight wins and have a big South Suburban and Section 3AA game against the Eagan Wildcats outside at TCF Bank Stadium this Saturday at 8pm.  Zach Driscoll (9-2-0, 1.98, .923) has been his dependable and as advertised self in the goal this year.  Offensive balance is the key to the Lightning this year and that bears itself out with 7 players who have picked up 9 points or more in 11 games this year.

Others Receiving Votes:  Duluth East, Elk River/Zimmerman, Roseau, Cretin-Derham Hall, White Bear Lake, Eagan, Eden Prairie,

The post MHM Boys AA Top Ten 1/6/2014 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Eastview celebrates a goal in the 2013 Schwan’s cup championship game

MHM Thanks  NSC’s Barclay Kruse for the recap of the 2013 Schwan’s Cup.  Photo’s by Tim Kolehmainen.

Open division: Luverne 3, Bloomington Kennedy 1.

Gunnar Olson scored two goals, as Luverne led from start to finish in capturing the open division championship. Kendall Meyer saved 27 of 28 shots for the winners, including all 11 shots he took during a busy final period.

Bronze division: Rogers 4, Champlin Park 3.

Jacob Walker had two goals including the game winner at 15:12 of the third period as Rogers edged Champlin Park in a close game.  Nate Weber also had a big game for Rogers, with a goal and two assists.

Silver division: Eastview 3, Centennial 1.

Eastview broke open a tight 1-1 tie game with two goals within a four-minute span of the third period to beat Centennial 3-1 for the silver division championship. Cole McDevitt scored twice for Eastview, and Tommy Hutsell scored the game winning goal for the Lightning.

Gold division: Edina 4, Hill-Murray 2.

Edina’s Garrett Wait scored the game winning goal at 1:13 of the third period, breaking open a 2-2 game that was a tight as the score. Matt Masterman and Casey Dornbach tallied the other two goals for Edina. Josh Frech scored both Hill-Murray goals. Dylan Malmquist scored on an empty net with just one second left in the game, right after Edina successfully killed a Hill-Murray power play to secure the victory. It was Edina’s second Schwan Cup championship; the first came in 2008.

All tournament scores:

Boys’ Gold High School Division

Thursday, December 26 (Quarterfinals):

Game 1: Minnetonka 6, Prior Lake 3.

Game 2: Hill-Murray 6, Duluth East 3.

Game 3: Burnsville 3, St. Thomas Academy 2.

Game 4: Edina 4, Breck 1.

Friday, December 27:

Game 5 (consolation): Duluth East 4, Prior Lake 1.

Game 6 (consolation): Breck 5, St. Thomas Academy 4 (overtime).

Game 7 (Semi-final #1): Hill-Murray 5, Minnetonka 3.

Game 8 (Semi-final #2): Edina 4, Burnsville 3 (overtime).

Saturday, December 28:

Game 9 (consolation): St. Thomas Academy 6, Prior Lake 3.

Game 10 (consolation championship): Duluth East 2, Breck 1.

Game 11 (third place): Burnsville 3, Minnetonka 0.

Game 12 (championship): Edina 4, Hill-Murray 2.

Boys’ Silver High School Division

Thursday, December 26 (Quarterfinals):

Game 1: Stillwater 5, Lakeville South 2.

Game 2: Centennial 2, Hopkins 1.

Game 3: Roseville 6, Mounds View 3.

Game 4: Eastview 4, Andover 1.

Friday, December 27:

Game 5 (consolation): Lakeville South  6, Hopkins 2.

Game 6 (consolation): Andover 5, Mounds View 2.

Game 7 (Semi-final #1): Centennial 8, Stillwater 5.

Game 8 (Semi-final #2): Eastview 2, Roseville 1 (overtime).

Saturday, December 28:

Game 9 (consolation): Hopkins 5, Mounds View 3.

Game 10 (consolation championship): Andover 9, Lakeville South 1.

Game 11 (third place): Roseville 4, Stillwater 3.

Game 12 (championship): Eastview 3, Centennial 1.

Boys’ Bronze High School Division

Thursday, December 26 (Quarterfinals):

Game 1: Anoka 4, Holy Angels 3. 

Game 2: Rogers 5, Orono 3.

Game 3: Champlin Park 4, Chanhassen 1.

Game 4: Blake 8, Austin 0.

Friday, December 27:

Game 5 (consolation): Onono 5, Holy Angels 0.

Game 6 (consolation): Chanhassen 7, Austin 1.

Game 7 (Semi-final #1): Rogers 3, Anoka 2.

Game 8 (Semi-final #2): Champlin Park 6, Blake 2.

Saturday, December 28:

Game 9 (consolation): Holy Angels 12, Austin 0.

Game 10 (consolation championship): Onono 3, Chanhassen 0.

Game 11 (third place): Anoka 3, Blake 1.

Game 12 (championship): Rogers 4, Champlin Park 3.

Boys’ Open High School Division

Thursday, December 26 (Quarterfinals):

Game 1: Spring Lake Park 4, Minneapolis 1. 

Game 2: Luverne 1, St. Michael-Albertville 1. (Luverne won overtime shootout)

Game 3: Bloomington Kennedy 5, Irondale 1.

Game 4: Marshall 3, Winona 2.

Friday, December 27:

Game 5 (consolation): St. Michael-Albertville 4, Minneapolis 1.

Game 6 (consolation): Irondale 3, Winona 0.

Game 7 (Semi-final #1): Luverne 5, Spring Lake Park 3.

Game 8 (Semi-final #2): Bloomington Kennedy 6, Marshall 3.

Saturday, December 28:

Game 9 (consolation): Minneapolis 3. Winona 1.

Game 10 (consolation championship): St. Michael-Albertville 5, Irondale 1.

Game 11 (third place): Spring Lake Park 8, Marshall 1.

Game 12 (championship): Luverne 3, Bloomington Kennedy 1.

BOYS’ BOX SCORES

GOLD DIVISION

St. Thomas Academy       4   1   1   --   6   
Prior Lake               1   1   1   --   3   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: St. Thomas Academy - Hurley (Tufto)  1:10. St. Thomas Academy - Stang (McDonald)  8:33. 
St. Thomas Academy - Donohue 9:27. St. Thomas Academy - Gupta (powerplay) (Tufto, Weihrauch)  12:22. 
Prior Lake – Denman (Fellows)  14:18.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: St. Thomas Academy - Tufto (Hurley)  1:36. Prior Lake - Fellows (Hansen)  10:32. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Prior Lake - Pieper (powerplay) (Bump, Murphy)  4:12. St. Thomas Academy - Versich (emptynet) 16:03. 

Shots on goal:

St. Thomas Academy       --   35   
Prior Lake               --   25   

GOALIES
ST. THOMAS ACADEMY     MIN     S    SV
Charlie Hallett                51:00          25   22      

PRIOR LAKE            MIN     S    SV   
Nick Vidmar          50:59       34   29   

Breck                    0   1   0   --   1   
Duluth East              1   0   1   --   2 

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Duluth East - Altmann (Trapp)  0:14. 

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Breck - Blake (powerplay) (Sharp)  7:57. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Duluth East - Beaulieu (Rust)  11:44. 

Shots on goal:

Breck                    --   19   

Duluth East              --   28 

GOALIES
BRECK            MIN     S    SV   
Henry Johnson        51:00   28   26  

DULUTH EAST            MIN     S    SV   
Gunnar Howg              51:00   19   18   

Burnsville                  1   1   1   --   3   
Minnetonka               0   0   0   --   0   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Burnsville - Boeser (Borchardt)  9:49. 

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Burnsville - Borchardt (Boeser, Dockry)  1:22. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Burnsville - Ahcan (emptynet) (DiGregorio)  16:13. 

Shots on goal:
Burnsville                  --   31   
Minnetonka               --   19   

GOALIES
BURNSVILLE            MIN     S    SV  
Dyllan Lubbesmeyer   51:00   19   19  

MINNETONKA            MIN     S    SV
Jacob Berger               50:59   30   28  

Edina                       2   0   2   --   4  
Hill-Murray               1   1   0   --   2   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Edina - Masterman (Fidler, Munson)  8:22. Hill-Murray - French 9:44. Edina - Dornbach (Mismash, Foley)  11:35. 

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Hill-Murray - French (Slattery, Reifenberger)  8:25. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Edina - Wait (Meyer)  1:13. Edina - Malmquist(emptynet) (Fidler)  16:59. 

Shots on goal:
Edina                     --   17

Hill-Murray              --   36   

GOALIES
EDINA                     MIN     S    SV 
Andrew Rohkohl       51:00   36   34  

HILL-MURRAY            MIN     S    SV   
Sam Illgen                 50:07   16   13 

SILVER DIVISION

Mounds View              0   3   0   --   3  
Hopkins                       2   0   3   --   5   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Hopkins - Normandin (powerplay) (Bragg, Kimbrel)  6:38. Hopkins - Laven (Copouls)  15:58.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Mounds View - Anderson (Hunt, Dewitt)  0:23.
Mounds View - Honkanen (Hunt, Anderson)  3:29. Mounds View - Honkanen 7:18. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Hopkins - Laven (Copouls, ShoemakerGagnon)
  1:15.Hopkins - Sanford (Kimbrel, Normandin)  12:53. Hopkins - Bragg (emptynet) 15:39.

Shots on goal:

Mounds View             —   19 

Hopkins                     —   22  

GOALIES

MOUNDS VIEW            MIN     S    SV   
Brandon Smith              50:59   21   17              

HOPKINS                 MIN     S    SV  
Josh Kuehmichel      51:00   19   16

Andover                      3   2   4   --   9   
Lakeville South          0   0   1   --   1   
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Andover - Sitarz (Chorzempa)  0:51. Andover - Klingl

11:47. Andover - Vold (Tomberlin, Sitarz)  12:31. 

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Andover - Williams (Gunderson)  10:53. Andover -Tomberlin (Sitarz)  16:16. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Andover - Tomberlin (shorthanded) 0:22. Andover -Tomberlin (Chorzempa, Vold)  0:44. 
Lakeville South - Byers (powerplay) (Swanney, Lauderdale)  
2:08. Andover - Sitarz (powerplay) (Tomberlin, Chorzempa)  5:44. Andover - Williams (Mitchell)  15:42. 

Shots on goal:

Andover                  —   25 

Lakeville South          --   12   

GOALIES
ANDOVER            MIN     S    SV   
Ryan Olson           51:00   12   11              

LAKEVILLE SOUTH       MIN     S    SV  
Daniel Swail                  51:00   25   16   

Eastview                 1   0   2   --   3   

Centennial               1   0   0   --   1   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Centennial - Lovick 0:27. Eastview - McDevitt(powerplay) (Muehlbauer, Erickson)  16:59.

SECOND PERIOD – No scoring. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Eastview - Hutsell (Hodgen)  11:54. Eastview – McDevitt (Muehlbauer)  15:25. 

Shots on goal:

Eastview                 --   20   
Centennial               --   22   

GOALIES
EASTVIEW            MIN     S    SV  
Zachary Driscoll     51:00   22   21     

CENTENNIAL            MIN     S    SV   
lake Miller                 49:37   20   17   

Roseville                0   0   4   --   4   
Stillwater               0   1   2   --   3   

FIRST PERIOD – No scoring.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Stillwater - Heddle (Gosso, Sagissor)  0:32. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Roseville - Brausen (powerplay) (Colvard)
  1:04.Roseville - McCann (Irwin, Colvard)  8:06. Stillwater - Sagissor (Cates)  
10:22. Roseville - Colvard (McCann, Irwin)  12:33. Roseville - Arnold (Dorr, Anderson)
 13:54. Stillwater - Sagissor (Jungmann, Sagissor)  16:11

Shots on goal:
Roseville                --   11  
Stillwater               --   18   
GOALIES
ROSEVILLE            MIN     S    SV  
Ryan Hoag            51:00   18   15      
STILLWATER            MIN     S    SV 
Daniel Ahrendt       51:00   11   7    

BRONZE DIVISION

Austin                       0   0   0   --   0    
Holy Angels              5   4   3   --   12   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Holy Angels - Cover (Barnes)
  3:13. Holy Angels – Riley (Friendshuh, Larson)  6:25. Holy Angels - Sullivan (Larson, Riley)  
10:25. Holy Angels - Riley (Gazich)  13:42. Holy Angels - McNamara (powerplay) 16:30. 

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Holy Angels - Sullivan (McNamara, Friendshuh) 
 3:04. Holy Angels - Riley (Larson, Sande)  
11:26. Holy Angels - McNamara (Sullivan, Jordan)  12:50. Holy Angels - Sande (Riley)  15:11. 
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Holy Angels - Willner (Sande)
  1:02. Holy Angels -Jordan (Sande)  9:59. Holy Angels - Riley (Larson)  12:13. 
Shots on goal:
Austin                      --   10   
Holy Angels              --   48   

GOALIES
AUSTIN                  MIN     S    SV 
Connor Poczos          51:00   48   36      O
HOLY ANGELS            MIN     S    SV  
Zach Mains                51:00   10   10   

Champlin Park            1   0   2   --   3   
Rogers                        1   1   2   --   4   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Champlin Park - Plunkett 2:51. Rogers - Walker(Marchand, Weber)  16:18. 

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Rogers - Hellickson (powerplay) (Brown, Lorman) 16:41. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Champlin Park - Eggerichs (Aberwald) 
 1:05. Rogers -Weber (powerplay) (Hellickson)  11:35. Champlin Park - Aberwald (Eggerichs) 
11:55. Rogers - Walker (Weber, Marchand)  15:12. 

Shots on goal:

Champlin Park            —   36 

Rogers                      —   27  

GOALIES

CHAMPLIN PARK            MIN     S    SV

John Brey                        49:52   27   23   R

ROGERS            MIN     S    SV 

Jackson Nelson       51:00   36   33  

Chanhassen               0   0   0   --   0  
Orono                         1   1   1   --   3   
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Orono - Goulet (La Neave, Mc Cuskey)  15:29. 

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Orono - Flemmer 16:57. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Orono - Flemmer (Makarov)  11:35. 

Shots on goal:
Chanhassen               --   28   
Orono                        --   24   

GOALIES
CHANHASSEN            MIN     S    SV   
Erik Anderson              51:00   24   21   

ORONO                    MIN     S    SV   
Jonathon Flakne      51:00   28   28   

Blake                    0   1   0   --   1   
Anoka                    1   0   2   --   3   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Anoka - Neumann (powerplay) 15:20. 
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Blake - Cheniitz (Kossiila, Hartwell)  14:24. 
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Anoka - Neumann (powerplay) (Orn)
  4:12. Anoka -Peterson (Nikolaus, Lehn)  8:33. 

Shots on goal:
Blake                    --   30   
Anoka                    --   35 

GOALIES
BLAKE                 MIN     S    SV  
Jackson Norris       51:00   35   32 
ANOKA                  MIN     S    SV   
Robbie Goor          51:00   30   29   

OPEN DIVISION

Bloomington Kennedy      0   1   0   —   1

Luverne                             2   0   1   —   3   

FIRST PERIOD — Scoring: Luverne – Olson (powerplay) (Smedsrud, Meyer)  7:57.Luverne – Smedsrud (Sengvongxay)  15:29.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Bloomington Kennedy - Jensen (powerplay) (Roers,McWilliams)  6:52. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Luverne - Olson (powerplay) (Norman, Smedsrud)  7:24. 

Shots on goal:

Bloomington Kennedy      --   28 
Luverne                          --   31   

GOALIES
BLOOMINGTON KENNEDY    MIN     S    SV   
David Johnson                        50:21   31   28       

LUVERNE            MIN     S    SV   
Kendall Meyer        51:00   28   27   

Winona                   1   0   0   --   1  
Minneapolis              0   1   2   --   3  

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Winona - Sherod (Hammel)  3:52. 

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Minneapolis - Reyes (powerplay) (Taleen, Peterson) 10:50. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: Minneapolis - Taleen (shorthanded) (Christensen)  
7:34. Minneapolis - Christensen (emptynet) (Grassel)  16:41. 

Shots on goal:

Winona                   —   19 

Minneapolis              --   27   

GOALIES

WINONA            MIN     S    SV   

Cassidy Cyert        50:59   26   24   

MINNEAPOLIS     MIN     S    SV  
Walker Arp           51:00   19   18   

Irondale                        0   1   0   --   1   
St. Michael-Albertville   2   1   2   --   5   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: St. Michael-Albertville - Nelson (Hayes) 
 3:06. St.Michael-Albertville - Spetz (Bjorlin, Greenwood)  5:15. 

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Irondale - Eilefson (Meysembourg, White) 
 9:53. St.Michael-Albertville - Hayes (Fuerstenberg)  11:21. 

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: St. Michael-Albertville - Fuerstenberg (Spetz, Hayes)
 1:10. St. Michael-Albertville - Spetz (Bjorlin)  14:53. 

Shots on goal:
Irondale                    --   13   
St. Michael-Albertvill   --   39   
GOALIES
IRONDALE            MIN     S    SV  
Aaron Steiner        51:00   39   34   
STMA                   MIN     S    SV   
Kyle Hayden          51:00   13   12   

Marshall                        0   1   0   --   1  
 Spring Lake Park         4   4   0   --   8   

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: Spring Lake Park - Gagnon (Aanerud, Turnquist)  2:23. Spring Lake Park - Borman 6:55. 
Spring Lake Park - Aanerud (Bachmeier,Turnquist)  7:50. Spring Lake Park - Taylor (Turnquist, Bachmeier)  10:29.
 SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: Spring Lake Park - Richards (Turnquist, Hiemenz) 0:45. Spring Lake Park - Taylor (Richards, Turnquist)  4:03. 
Spring Lake Park - Sunell (Nystrom, Aanerud)  4:49. Spring Lake Park - Benson (Kroll, Nystrom) 9:56. Marshall - Buysse (Larsen)  10:57. 
THIRD PERIOD – No scoring.
Shots on goal:
Marshall                      --   13   
Spring Lake Park         --   26   

GOALIES
MARSHALL                     MIN     S    SV
Jason Campion                 51:00   26   18   
SPRING LAKE PARK       MIN     S    SV   
T Hirshi                            51:00   13   12   

The post 2013 Schwan Cup High School Boys Tournament Now in the Books appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

1.  Edina Hornets (10-2-0, 0-0-0)  The Hornets put together two quality weeks of wins to catapult to the top spot unseeding Hill-Murray in the MHM Class AA rankings.  The culmination of their last 6 wins in a row over those two weeks was the 4-2 victory at the Schwan’s Cup Gold Division final Saturday night.  The Hornets rallied from three goals down in the third period against Burnsville to capture a 4-3 overtime semifinal win to earn that right.  Edina opened the tournament with a 4-1 win over the #1 ranked Class A Breck Mustangs. This week they have three games that include a face-off with the 7-1-1 Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders,  a re-match with the Burnsville Blaze from the Burnsville Civic Center and that game can be heard on Sports Radio 105 the Ticket and seen right here on MinnesotaHockeyMag.com, and a stiff test with the White Bear Lake Bears.

2.  Hill-Murray Pioneers (9-1-0, 4-0-0) The Pioneers won 9 straight games before falling to the Edina Hornets in the Schwan’s Cup Gold Division final game by a score of 4-2.  That loss moved them down one slot to #2 this week.  The Pioneers have been scoring goals at an efficient clip and this week was no different leading up to the Edina game.  They opened the tournament with a quarterfinal round win over Duluth East 6-3.  They also topped Minnetonka 5-3 to set up their game with Edina.  The Pioneers are off all week until Saturday when they face the Lakeville North Panthers who have cracked the MHM top ten with a terrific run at the St. Louis Park Holiday Classic.

3.  Wayzata Trojans (9-3-0, 0-0-0)  In a season that is seeing teams jump in and out of the top ten and returning again, the Wayzata Trojans are the epitome of this trend.  After opening the seasonk in the top ten, they faded with three losses, all before December 7th.  Since then, they have won five straight games including three at the St. Louis Park Holiday Classic.  They opened with a 3-2 win over the Moorhead Spuds and followed that up with a 6-1 win over the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars.  The biggest test was with last week’s #3 Blaine Bengals and the Trojans passed with flying colors in earning a 4-0 win.  It was a win that featured a steady performance in all areas of the game.  They have two big Section 6AA games this week as they play host to the Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights on Thursday and then travel to Victoria to battle the Holy Family Catholic Fire on Saturday.

4.  Blaine Bengals (8-2-1, 6-0-0) The Blaine Bengals had an interesting week at the St. Louis Park Holiday Classic as the hammered the Maple Grove Crimson 9-3 in a quarterfinal game that doubled as a Northwest Suburban Conference game. They ran into a stiff challenge from the Lakeville North Panthers that ended in a 3-3 tie with the Bengals prevailing in the shootout.  Up next was the championship game with the Wayzata Trojans and that resulted in a 4-0 loss moving the Bengals down a notch to #4 this week.  They are still an incredibly deep team that puts pucks in the net and has the ability to light it up on any given night.  This week on deck for the Bengals is a conference game with the Andover Huskies on Saturday afternoon.

5.  Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights (9-2-2) Since losing two straight games a few weeks back, the Red Knights are 5-0-2 since.  Their week consisted of a 3-3 tie with Bloomington Jefferson that resulted in a shootout loss at the St. Louis Park Holiday Classic.  The Red Knights finished with back-to-back wins that included repelling the Moorhead Spuds 4-2 and handling the Eden Prairie Eagles 5-2.  One game is on the docket for the Red Knights this week and that is a Thursday night affair with the Wayzata Trojans.

6.  Lakeville North Panthers (8-3-1, 7-1-0) After starting the season 2-3, the Panthers have found their groove and are on a 6-0-1 run in their last 7 games.  This past week it was a successful St. Louis Park Holiday Classic that featured a 7-0 shellacking of last week’s #4 Eden Prairie Eagles, a 3-3 tie with the #3 Blaine Bengals, and a 5-1 win over the #8 Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars to take third place in the tournament.  The unbeaten string will be on the line as they have a huge test with the #2 Hill-Murray Pioneers this Saturday.

7.  Burnsville Blaze (8-3-0, 5-1-0)  The Blaze started the season 1-2 and are 7-1 since.  Their only conference loss was to #6 Lakeville North and wins this week in the Schwan’s Cup Gold Division against St. Thomas Academy by a score of 3-2 and Minnetonka 3-0 delivered a third place finish.  They were 17 minutes away fro the championship game and a rematch with the Hill-Murray Pioneers yet saw it slip away against Edina.  The Edina Hornets rallied for three goals in the third period and won in overtime to stop the Blaze winning streak at seven games.  This week, two tough games are on the schedule, the first with the #1 Edina Hornets in a re-match from last Saturday’s championship game.  That game can be heard live on Sports Radio 105 The Ticket and also seen streaming simulcast on MinnesotaHockeyMag.com  The Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars close out the Blaze week on Saturday.

8. Grand Rapids (9-3-0, 1-0-0)  The Thunderhawks played three games in a row this past weekend at home and won all three.  They opened play with a 5-4 win over Mahtomedi, followed that up with a 7-2 trouncing of St. Francis and topped Brainerd by a score of 3-1.  They are on a 4 game winning streak and face off with Cloquet-Esko-Carlton and have the scrappy Hopkins Royals on Saturday.

9.  St. Thomas Academy (5-3-1, 1-1-0) The Cadets staved off banishment to the Silver Division of the Schwan’s Cup with a win over Prior Lake in the 7th place game of the Schwan’s Cup Gold Division.  One goal losses to #7 Burnsville (3-2) and #1A Breck (5-4) could have gone either way yet a 2-3-0 run over the last five games puts them on the edge of the top ten.  They have a chance to improve their standing with games against Totino Grace and Mahtomedi this week.

10.  Eastview Lightning (8-2-0, 3-2-0) The Lightning put together three straight wins at the Schwan Cup Silver Division as they defeated Andover (4-1), Roseville (2-1), and Centennial (2-1) to run their winning streak to four games.  The Lightning are a deep team that had a dicey run two weeks back but have worked they way through it.  This is a team  that can beat anybody in high school hockey.  The Lightning face-off with the Bloomington Kennedy Eagles who are playing some solid hockey to date in their only game this week.

Others Receiving Votes:  Eden Prairie, Elk River, White Bear Lake, Eagan,  Duluth East, Cretin-Derham Hall,  Roseau, Bloomington Jefferson, Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz,

The post MHM Boys AA Top Ten – 12/30/13 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Featured Image:
Tyler Funk and the Hill-Murray Pioneers ascend to the top of this week’s MHM Class AA rankings.
(Photo/Tim Kolehmainen)

1.  Hill-Murray Pioneers (5-0, 2-0)  The Hill-Murray Pioneers have made a quick ascent to the top spot in the Class AA rankings.  This past week they had a key win over last week’s #3 St. Thomas Academy by a score of 3-2 lifted them to the #1 in this week’s rankings.  They did not overwhelm their opponents this last week yet added another one goal victory over Mahtomedi by a score of 4-3.  Two games are on deck this week for the Pioneers with South St. Paul and North High.   Next week, they open the Schwan’s Cup Gold Division with the Duluth East Grey Hounds.   

2.  Elk River/Zimmerman Elks (5-0, 3-0) A team that was respected coming into this season is plucking along nicely and  have turned aside all five of their opponents. In doing so, they picked up some quality wins.  The Elks have a great mix of offensive players in Andrew Zerban and Jake Jaremko.  The duo was big in their 6-3 win over the Maple Grove Crimson on Thursday night, a game that was heard on Sports Radio 105 The Ticket.  The Elks defeated Osseo 8-4 this past Saturday and have put up 27 goals in five games.  Up this week is a trio of games from Braemar Arena and the Edina Holiday Classic.  They Open with #4 Eden Prairie on Thursday, follow that up with #7 Edina and # 7 Grand Rapids on Thursday.  All games from the Holiday Classic can be seen on this website at MinnesotaHockeyMag.com.

3.  Blaine Bengals (6-1, 4-0) The Bengals were cruising along tossing and their opponents aside. The Bengals  ran into the #1 Class A team in the East Grand Forks Green Wave who earned a huge win on the road against the Bengals.  The Green Wave scored three unanswered third period goals and claimed the 3-1 win over the battle of number one’s.  For the Bengals, it was three games in a row.  They won two of them by picking up a win on Thursday of last week over Anoka by a 6-1 score.  Blaine responded after their Friday loss to the Green Wave with an 11-0 pounding over Anoka on Saturday.  The Armstrong Falcons are their only game this week.

4.  Eden Prairie Eagles (5-0, 0-0)  The Eden Prairie Eagles are proving that last year’s .500 season was an aberration.  They handed a pair of teams their first loss of the season last week as they defeated the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars 4-2 and handled the Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders 6-2.  If the season ended today, the Eagles would be the #1 seed in the section 6AA.  There is plenty of season left, yet the Eagles have been a team to notice this year.  They are a part of the Edina Holiday Classic this week, opening with the #2 Elk River/Zimmerman and then battle the #7  Grand Rapids Thunderhawks.  The Eagles round out the Holiday Classic with the well-known rivalry game against the #7 Edina Hornets.

 5.  St. Thomas Academy Cadets (3-1-1, 0-1)  The Cadets dispatched the Minnetonka Skippers by a score 4-1 to open their week.  Thye lost a close one with Hill-Murray 3-3.  Coupled with their tie against The Academy of Holy Angels, the loss to the Pioneers knocked them down a couple of pegs this week.  STA has the ability to rise in the rankings in the coming days, and the MinnesotaHockeyMag will not be surprised to see that happen.  One game is on the schedule this week for the Cadets as they travel to battle the Tartan Titans in Classic Suburban Conference play.  Next week, it is the Schwan’s Cup Gold Division with a tilt the Burnsville Blaze.

6. Edina Hornets (4-2-0 0-0-0) The Hornets were idle last week and moved up a few slots by not playing.  Many teams lost last week and have turned the top ten into a crap shoot.  They host the Edina Holiday Classic this upcoming Thursday and as mentioned on the Eden Prairie piece, the games can be viewed on MinnesotaHockeyMag.com.  The Hornets open with #7 Grand Rapids, and that game can be heard on Sports Radio 105 The Ticket.  They meet the #2 Elk River Elks and #4 Eden Prairie to round out the classic. 

7.  Grand Rapids Thunderhawks (4-1-0, 0-0-0) The Duluth Marshall Hilltoppers handed the Thunderhawks their first loss of the young season by a score of 6-4 this past Saturday. The parity in high school hockey is as good as it gets.  The Edina Holiday Classic is on the docket next for the Thunderhawks as they face #4 Eden Prairie, #7 Edina, and #2 Elk River/Zimmerman.

8.  Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights (5-2-0) The Red Knights had one game on their schedule this week and it was 6-1 win over the Hibbing/Chisholm Blue Jackets.  They have a tough test in the Maple Grove Crimson this week to go along with back-to-back tilts with the Moorhead Spuds and the Marshall School Duluth Hilltoppers.  The Red Knights will learn with these three games if they are contenders or pretenders. 

 9.  Burnsville Blaze  (4-3-0, 3-1) The record is not the sturdiest, however the Blaze are on a three game winning streak with quality wins over Wayzata (1-0), Eastview (6-1), and Eagan (3-1).  Their losses are nothing to be ashamed of this season Hill-Murray (5-3), Benilde-St. Margaret’s (5-4), and the Lakeville North Panthers (5-2).  Games with Apple Valley and Prior Lake will provide a great challenge.

10.  Eastview Lightning (4-1-0, 2-1-0)  The offensive minded Eastview Lightning have good balance up-front and are capable of beating any team on any night.  With a top notch goaltender in Zach Driscoll, the Lightning are in position to contend for back-to-back state tournament appearances.  Bloomington Jefferson and Lakeville South are next for the Lightning this week.

Others Receiving Votes:   White Bear Lake, Forest Lake, Maple Grove, Prior Lake,

The post MHM Boys AA Top Ten appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.