In both 2022 and 2023, the Royals lost to Maple Grove in the section championship game. The Crimson outscored the Royals 11-5 combined in those games.

After the game in both years, players cried and broke sticks in frustration. Head coach Dave Brown screamed expletives of disappointment.

This year, Rogers, ranked ninth in Class 2A, hoped to be on the other side of the score in the section championship game. Unfortunately, this year, the road to state for Rogers, a No. 3 seed in the section, ended abruptly in the section semifinals, with a 5-1 loss against 2-seed Centennial.

The 2023-24 season was especially significant for the Royals, as the program celebrated its 20th anniversary. Rogers has come a long way since the program played its first game back in 2003.

Five seasons ago, Brown, a former assistant coach with the Wayzata boys team that won the 2016 Class 2A title, became the head coach at Rogers. He has since compiled a record of 80 wins, 39 losses and eight ties for a winning percentage of .630. Yet, he and his team have failed to reach the state tournament, the ultimate goal for any high school hockey team in Minnesota.

Brown said the 2023-24 Royals were more experienced and deep than last year’s team and would come prepared for the section championship game, should they get there for a third year in a row.

“This year’s group has a good understanding that they want to play their best game that night and everything leading up to it is to build for the playoffs,” Brown said. “It’s not just the section championship. It’s the section quarter. It’s the semi. This year’s team has a demeanor to them that they stick together throughout the ups and the downs.

“Our skating ability wears teams down over the course of 51 minutes. Outside of premier programs, I think this group can skate with just about anybody, top to bottom.”

Rogers defenseman Jayden Kurtz (17) tries to steal the puck from Spring Lake Park forward Teddy Wackman (22) in the third period Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at the Rogers Activity Center in Rogers. (Photo courtesy of Jason Wachter)

Rogers continued to have success this season despite losing three key players on last year’s team to graduation.

Forward Sam Ranallo led the Royals in goals with 24 and points with 60 in 2022-23. Ranallo currently plays for the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League and has committed to play for the University of St. Thomas next season. He was nominated for the Minnesota Mr. Hockey award last season, as was defenseman Chase Cheslock.

Cheslock, who has the playmaking ability of NHLer Cale Makar and the size and grit of Tampa Bay Lightning player Victor Hedman, led all Rogers defensemen in points last season with 31. He scored only four goals, but made up for it with 27 assists, which was tied for second on the team. Cheslock was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the fifth round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft last summer, and like Ranallo, will play for the Tommies next season.

This season, Rogers had nine players on its roster with at least 20 points, including two defensemen. Seven averaged more than a point per game. Leading the offensive attack for the Royals junior defenseman Nolan Geerdes, who finished with a team-high 36 assists and 43 points. Junior forward Parker Deschene finished second in points with 42 (13 goals, 29 assists). Junior forward Keaton Weis led the team in goals with 19 (29 points), and senior forward and co-captain Brandon Swanson was second in goals with 17.

Six players scored at least 10 goals for Rogers this season. The Royals averaged 4.96 goals per game while maintaining a goals-against per game of 2.30.

“When we play as a team and not think about the points, we usually generate the most offense,” Swanson said. “There’s a ton of guys on the team that have stepped up. All the seniors stepped up this year [in] big roles with leading the team.”

Cade Chapman was Rogers’ starting goalie last season, but he graduated last spring. Chapman finished 2022-23 with a record of 16-7-3 with a goals-against average of 2.41, a save percentage of .897 with one shutout.

Rogers players celebrate a goal against Centennial on Jan. 20. (Photo courtesy of Erik Nelson)

Aiden Dietrich, a senior this year, was Rogers’ mainstay in net. In his first varsity hockey season, Dietrich had a record of 15-6-2 with a goals-against average of 2.24, a save percentage of .904 with three shutouts. Both his goals-against average and save percentage were better than Chapman’s last season.

“I’ve watched Cade for a couple years,” Dietrich said. “I’ve learned a lot by watching him. I’ve had a lot of fun this season. Our team is best defensively when we’re protecting in front of the net. We’ve done a good job of blocking shots. That’s been a big part of our defense.”

Rogers started section play with a 6-0 shutout of Coon Rapids, the sixth seed, before the season-ending loss to Centennial.

The Royals program will have to wait until next season to see if 2024-25 will be the time that Rogers finally breaks through to its first boys’ hockey state tournament.

The post Road To State Ends 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.