There wasn’t a lot of movement in the Minnesota Hockey Magazine’s Top Ten rankings in Class 1A this week, as most of the top teams enjoyed winning weeks. A few teams flipped places, including another notch for now No. 2-ranked Duluth Marshall and No. 5 New Prague, both of whom remain undefeated — the only two teams in the top 10 without a loss.

Duluth Marshall, unranked to begin the season, has surged behind an impressive 7-0-0 start that included a great victory over Class 2A powerhouse Grand Rapids last week. Meanwhile, New Prague already has four one-goal victories in six games this year.

They’re not the only two unbeaten teams left in Class 1A, however. Keep an eye on a few teams outside the top 10 who have yet to suffer a loss, such as Alexandria and Sartell-St. Stephen from Section 6A, Hutchinson in Section 3A, and a 7-0-0 St. Paul Como Park team that has allowed only 0.57 goals per game, albeit against a light schedule.

1. East Grand Forks (6-1-0)

Last week:          vs. Crookston (3-0 W)
This week:          at Bemidji (Tue), vs. Warroad (Fri)

East Grand Forks retained its top spot in the rankings based on a dominating home victory over Crookston, a game that harkened back to last season’s “defense first” mentality. The Green Wave allowed only seven shots on goal, including one each in the final two periods, to overwhelm the Pirates. Reed Corbid (1-3-4) had a hand in all three goals (one goal, two assists) but is only eighth on the team in scoring behind University of North Dakota-bound Dixon Bowen (10-8-18), Tanner Tweten (4-9-13) and others. This week brings a tough test for the East Siders with a road game against probable Section 8AA favorite Bemidji and the game circled on every Green Wave’s calendar, a home game against Section 8A rival Warroad.

2. Duluth Marshall (7-0-0)

Last week:          at Grand Rapids (4-2 W), at International Falls (6-0 W)
This week:          vs. Rochester Lourdes (Fri)

Looks like the Hilltoppers are for real. In one of its biggest tests of the early season, Duluth Marshall grabbed an early lead at Grand Rapids and held on to beat the Thunderhawks, 4-2. Derek Farrell (5-7-12) and John McKenna (6-4-10) each had two goals and senior goaltender Alex Murray (5-0-0, 1.17, .952) stopped 25 of 27 shots. Believe it or not, the two goals Murray allowed was 50 percent of his season total to that point, as he has two shutouts in five starts. Over the holidays, we could be in for a treat as the Hilltoppers host their annual tournament that will include No. 1 East Grand Forks, No. 4 Hermantown, Delano and Mankato West — along with three top Wisconsin schools.

3. Mahtomedi (5-1-0)

Last week:          at Breck (3-1 W), vs. North St. Paul (8-0 W), at Hill-Murray (5-1 L)
This week:          at Chisago Lakes (Tue)

Mahtomedi finally suffered its first loss last Saturday, losing 5-1 at Hill-Murray. It’s tough to knock the Zephyrs too far down the rankings for a loss to a top-five Class 2A power like Hill-Murray, but with Duluth Marshall continuing to win, the two teams flipped. The Pioneers managed to shut down a Zephyrs offense that had scored 28 goals in its first five games. Joe Forciea (2-5-7) gave Mahtomedi a 1-0 lead nine seconds into the second period on the power play, but the Zephyrs allowed five unanswered goals. Will Swanson (5-1-0, 2.17, .920) has played every minute in goal and is among the Class 1A leaders in goals against and save percentage. He’s allowed one or fewer goals in four of his six starts, including an 8-0 shutout of North St. Paul last Thursday.

4. Hermantown (5-2-0)

Last week:          at Duluth Denfeld (3-1 W), at Thief River Falls (8-2 W)
This week:          vs. New Prague (Sat)

The Hawks hang steady in the No. 4 spot in this week’s rankings, courtesy of a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Section 7A rival Duluth Denfeld and a surprising 8-2 outburst at Thief River Falls. The normally stout Prowlers defense was peppered by Hermantown’s Ryan Kero (6-9-15) and Nate Pionk (10-6-16), who combined for five goals in the game and lead the Hawks in scoring. Hermantown already has two losses, but both have come against highly-regarded Class 2A teams Wayzata and Hopkins. Coach Bruce Plante challenges his Hawks with a tough schedule of big schools, as the Hawks still play six more Class 2A teams after the new year, including Grand Rapids, White Bear Lake, and Bemidji.

5. New Prague (6-0-0)

Last week:          at Holy Family Catholic (3-2 W), vs. Rochester Lourdes (2-1 W)
This week:          vs. Waconia (Tue), vs. Orono (Thu), at Hermantown (Sat)

All New Prague does is win. With four one-goal victories in six games, the Trojans aren’t blowing the doors off anyone, but they are winning. Last week came two more one-goal wins against Class 2A Holy Family Catholic and a tight one against Rochester Lourdes, likely the Trojans’ chief competition in the Section 1A race this winter. Ryan O’Rourke (2-2-4) broke a 1-all tie with 1:05 left in the game and senior goaltender Conner Wagner (6-0-0, 1.50, .941) made it stand up, stopping 15 of 16 shots. New Prague will certainly rise in the rankings with another unbeaten week, as Orono and Hermantown loom on the schedule.

6. Warroad (6-2-0)

Last week:          at Bemidji (5-0 L), vs. Kittson Central (3-1 W), vs. Grand Forks Red River, ND (3-1 L)
This week:          at Thief River Falls (Tue), at East Grand Forks (Fri)

The Warriors slipped a spot in the rankings after suffering their first two losses of the season. Neither is a back-breaker, however, as they came at the hands of the likely favorite in Section 8AA (Bemidji) and a North Dakota team that also recently upended top-ranked East Grand Forks (Grand Forks Red River). In fact, Warroad put up a better effort against the Rough Riders than their Section 8A rival, as Bobby Astrup (1-1-2) scored the only goal allowed by Red River in the two games. Now comes a chance for Kobe Roth (5-3-8), Beau Wilmer (4-4-8) and the Warriors to state their case in the section seeding with road games at Thief River Falls and East Grand Forks this week.

7. Breck (4-3-0)

Last week:          at Mahtomedi (3-1 L), at Chanhassen (6-0 W)
This week:          vs. Holy Angels (Sat)

Breck continued its win one, lose one start to the season, falling to Mahtomedi on Tuesday night and winning big at Chanhassen on Thursday. The Mustangs have already lost three times in seven games, but all were against teams currently ranked Nos. 1 to 3 in the Class 1A poll (4-1 at East Grand Forks, 2-0 at Duluth Marshall, and 3-1 to Mahtomedi). Goal scoring has been an issue in the losses, as the Mustangs have just two goals in three games. But in their four victories, Breck has 21 goals, led by four each from Chase Ellingson (4-6-10), Tyler Scott (4-5-9) and Will Blake (4-4-8). More offensive consistency will be key for Breck to make its annual playoff run to the state tournament.

8. St. Paul Academy (5-1-0)

Last week:          no games
This week:          vs. Owatonna (Sat)

After a busy start to the season, St. Paul Academy had a full two weeks off between its last game (a 5-2 victory against Luverne) and its next game (Saturday against Owatonna). As such, the Spartans stayed put in the No. 8 spot in the rankings. The young team could use that time to grow, although it hasn’t been an issue thus far. Every one of the Spartans’ 26 goals this season has been scored by a non-senior, led by sophomores Matt Dahlseide (5-12-17) and Jack Johnston (8-2-10) and freshman Dev McCabe (2-8-10). The same goes in goal, where junior David Nicholson (2-1-0, 1.33, .934) and freshman Andy Beran (3-0-0, 2.33, .860) are splitting time.

9. Duluth Denfeld (5-2-0)

Last week:          vs. Virginia/MIB (2-1 W), vs. Hermantown (3-1 L), at St. Francis (6-1 W)
This week:          at Superior (Thu), vs. International Falls (Fri)

There was no hangover for Duluth Denfeld after losing to its Section 7A rival Hermantown last week, as six different goal-scorers helped the Hunters blitz St. Francis last Saturday and keep them in the No. 9 spot in the rankings. Cody Budisalovich (3-6-9) had three assists to go with his goal in that game, while Dylan Michaud (2-7-9) and Nick Thompson (4-6-10) each had a goal and two assists. Those three also lead the Hunters in scoring, while Jake DeCaro (5-0-5) tops the team in goals. Coach Kevin Smalley has one of the better goaltending duos in the state in senior Westley Cook (3-1-0, 3.25, .845) and junior River Alander (2-1-0, 1.67, .942).

10. Luverne (6-1-0)

Last week:          at Fairmont (14-1 W), vs. Waseca (9-2 W
This week:          vs. Windom Area (Tue), at Worthington (Fri), vs. Providence Academy (Sat)

As expected, Luverne returned to the southwest corner of the state and hammered a couple of Big South Conference teams by a combined 23-3 score. Junior Chaz Smedsrud (11-18-29) and freshman Jaxon Nelson (11-14-25) are among the state’s top scorers, although fellow freshman Kasyn Kruse (8-8-16) had a 10-point week. But there’s something to be said for meeting expectations. The Cardinals should continue to run roughshod through the southwest, with a few tests thrown in. The first resulted in a loss to St. Paul Academy and the next big game Cardinals’ detractors are pointing to is a Dec. 23 game against Totino-Grace, the team that beat Luverne 4-3 in double overtime in last year’s Class 1A state consolation final.

Others receiving votes: Alexandria, Delano, Sartell-St. Stephen, St. Cloud Cathedral, Blake, Thief River Falls, Spring Lake Park, Fergus Falls, Hutchinson.

The post MHM Boys Class 1A Top Ten – 12/16/2014 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

This week’s Class 2A Top Ten will play out the same way each week featuring plenty of movement among teams. It can be argued that twenty teams have the potential to stake claims at being a top ten team depending on the week. There was only one new-comer to the top ten and that was the Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights who are in the coveted field of teams for the second time this year. Dropping out of the top ten were the Andover Huskies, who suffered three losses last week. The top three teams remain intact with plenty of variables that may cause upheaval in the top ten with some outstanding games this week.

1. Lakeville North (5-0, 3-0)

Last Week           vs. Apple Valley (7-0 W), vs. Burnsville (4-1 W), vs. Grand Rapids (3-0 W)
This Week          at Rosemount (12/18), vs. Lakeville South (12/20)

The Panthers won all three of their games last week by a combined 14-1 and have allowed just seven goals against this year in five games played while scoring 23.  Their win over Burnsville was an impressive South Suburban conference statement win and they followed that up with a 3-0 win at Grand Rapids in the IRA Civic Center on Saturday.  The Thunderhawks were smarting coming off a 4-2 loss to Duluth Marshall the night before and were focused on the Panthers.   Goalie Ryan Edquist sports a 1.39 goals against average and carries a lofty .936 save percentage to the table to go along with two shutouts this year.  They have two conference games this week including the always entertaining crosstown rivalry game with Lakeville South this upcoming Saturday.

2. Edina (5-1-1, 0-0)

Last Week           No Games Scheduled
This Week          vs. Grand Rapids (12/18), vs. Ek River (12/19), vs. Eden Prairie (12/20)

With a week to spend on conditioning, skills and dialing things in, the Hornets will be ready for three games this week at the Edina Holiday Classic.  They open against the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks and play the high scoring Elk River Elks followed by the always entertaining Eden Prairie rivalry game to close out the three-game round robin.  As much as any team in high school hockey, the Hornets progressively get better as the year goes on and that has been a fact under coach Curt Giles.

3. Hill-Murray (4-0, 1-0)

Last Week           vs. Hibbing/Chisholm (4-1 W), vs. Mahtomedi (W 5-1)
This Week          at Blaine (12/16), vs. South St. Paul (12/18), vs. Maple Grove (12/20)

A pair of wins last week doubled the Pioneer win total entering this week. Their win against Mahtomedi was a solid victory against the second rated Class A team in the state.  It also marked the first ever Metro East conference victory in its inaugural season.  Marko Reifenberger (5g-3a-8pts) and Zach Mills (4g-3a-7pts) pace the Pioneers’ offensive side of the game.  This week, it is a clash with the Blaine Bengals on Tuesday followed by Metro East rival South St. Paul and a dance with the Maple Grove Crimson to close out a week that will provide some challenges for Hill-Murray.

4. St. Thomas Academy (4-0, 1-0)

Last Week           vs. Hastings (9-0 W), vs. Minnetonka (5-4 W)
This Week          vs. Henry Sibley (12/18), vs. Tartan (12/20)

The Cadets hammered Hastings to open their week of play last week and closed it out with what began as a comfortable game with Minnetonka but closed out as a scare for the Cadets.  After leading 4-1 at the end of the first period, the Cadets saw the Skippers battle back in the second period with a pair of early goals to pull within 4-3.  The Cadets finished the game with the win and improved to 4-0 on the season.  Senior Alex Broetzman (6g-10a-16pts) averages an impressive four points per game for his Cadets to lead the way offensively and goalie Matt Snow is (3-0, 2.00 GAA, .912 save percentage, one shutout) has stopped 62 of 68 shots faced this year.  The Cadets face a pair of Metro East opponents this week in Henry Sibley and Tartan.

5. Elk River (6-1, 4-0)

Last Week           vs. Spring Lake Park (10-2 W), vs. Anoka (8-1 W), vs. Blaine (5-4 W)
This Week          at Andover (12/16), vs. Eden Prairie (12/18 Breamar), vs. Edina (12/19 Braemar), vs. Edina (12/20 Braemar)

The Elks are in the midst of a five game winning streak and will put that to the test in a busy and challenging week.  The Elks open with Andover in Northwest Suburban Conference play on Tuesday and finish with three straight at the Edina Holiday Classic against their usual mid-December opponents in Eden Prairie, Edina, and Grand Rapids.  At 4-0 in the balanced and difficult Northwest Suburban Conference North Division, the Elks continued their goal scoring splurge with 23 goals in three games and average 8.14 goals per contest.  They have an impressive power play that connects 27 percent of the time and are on what can be considered a short list of potential state title contenders.  Although Benilde-St. Margaret’s handed the Elks their only loss earlier this year, they get the nod ahead of the Red Knights.  The two losses that the Red Knights have, one to unranked Burnsville slid them down the top ten a few notches.  A win against Wayzata carries enough weight to impress the voting board.

6. Wayzata (6-1-1, 0-0)

Last Week:         vs. Andover (5-1 W)
This Week:         vs. Burnsville (12/20)

After clipping off seven games in the first two weeks, the Trojans have slowed the pace of games with one last week and that resulted in a solid 5-1 win over the Andover Huskies last Tuesday.  They will have to wait 11 days for their next game and that is this upcoming Saturday against the always difficult to play Burnsville Blaze.  Their loss to Elk River on 11/25 has the Trojans slotted on spot below Elk River/Zimmerman

7. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (3-2, 0-0)

Last Week:         vs. Eden Prairie (2-1 W)
This Week:         vs. Holy Family Catholic (12/16), at Minnetonka (12/18) at Moorhead (12/20)

The Red Knights jump back into the top ten with a well-played 2-1 win over a deep and talented Eden Prairie Eagle team.  The Red Knights battled in the third period when trailing by a score of 1-0 and, in fact, got better and stuck to their game with Eden Prairie and were rewarded with the win in the final 30 seconds of the game.  The Red Knights have two more Section 6AA games this week with Holy Family and rivaling Minnetonka and are in the midst of building their section resume.  A loss to Burnsville knocks them down a few pegs and with just five games under their belts will provide more of a sample size for how good they are and can be after this week.  Based on their win against Eden Prairie they are slotted on spot ahead of the Eagles in this week’s top ten.

8. Eden Prairie (5-1, 0-0)

Last Week:         vs. Cretin-Derham Hall (4-3 W), vs. B-SM (2-1 L)
This Week:         vs. Elk River (12/18 Braemar), vs. Grand Rapids (12/19 Braemar), vs. Edina (12/20 Braemar)

The Eden Prairie Eagles were handed their first loss of the season on Friday night by a score of 2-1 to the Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights.  The Eagles had another one-goal game earlier in the week that resulted in a 4-3 win over Cretin-Derham Hall last Tuesday.  After holding a 3-0 lead, CDH rallied for three unanswered to make things interesting.  Junior Michael Graham, a UMD recruit, is starting to look more like one of his mentors, coach Paul Ranheim, in his game.  Graham’s skating and responsibility in all three zones is impressive and the Eagles, as a team, adhered to their defensive system well all game against the Red Knights.  The Eagles are contenders for the Lake Conference and Section 6AA titles this year.  This week’s trifecta of games will take hockey fans and the Eagles a long way in learning if the last statement is indeed true.

9. Hopkins (7-1, 0-0)

Last Week:         vs. Shakopee (8-3 W), vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper (3-1 W)
This Week:         at Spring Lake Park (12/18)

The Royals have won five straight games and are winning in impressive fashion.  Their blend of goaltending, special teams, and five-on-five play has been a key formula to success.  The Royal power play clicks at 33 percent and has been a difference maker in their games.  Hopkins has a game on the road against Spring Lake Park this week and then are off until they begin Schwan’s Cup play after the Christmas holiday.  Goalie Josh Kuemichel has been the talk of the west metro and for good reason, his numbers are impressive (7-1, 1.87 GAA, .932 save percentage).  Josh Laven (7g-6a-13pts) has been productive offensively with 3 power play goals to his credit.

10. White Bear Lake (5-0, 4-0)

Last Week:         vs. Forest Lake (3-2 W), vs. Woodbury (6-1 W)
This Week:         vs. Stillwater (12/16), at Greenway (12/19), at Superior (12/20)

The White Bear Lake Bears are undefeated and hold first place in the Suburban East Conference through the first three weeks of play and have shown themselves to be the head of the class at this stage of the game in conference play.  The Bears have won their four conference games by a combined 20-5 score and are led by Tom Giller’s (9g-7a-16pts) over 3 point a game effort to start the season.  They drop to No. 10 in this week’s top ten for no other reason than they have not defeated a top Class AA or A team to date.  Their perfect start to the season is being recognized and games in the coming weeks against Centennial, Edina, Hermantown, and Hill-Murray will take us a long way in seeing the Bears move up in or fall out of the top ten.

Others receiving consideration:  Prior Lake, Duluth East, Stillwater, Centennial, Eastview, Farmington, Bemidji, Rochester Century, Moorhead

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top Ten – 12/16/2014 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

This week’s top ten in the Minnesota Hockey Magazine’s  Class 2A top 10 rankings features a new team in the number one slot. The Lakeville North Panthers swapped spots with the Edina Hornets after earning a 3-1 win last week as the Hornets dipped to the second spot.  Meanwhile, three teams debuted this week in the rankings with White Bear Lake, Hopkins, and Andover all taking a seat at the head table among the top ten teams.  Eden Prairie is the surging team this week as they are putting together some well rounded efforts and being rewarded for them.

1. Lakeville North (2-0)

Last Week: vs. Edina (3-1 W)

This Week: vs.  Apple Valley (12/9), vs. Burnsville (12/11), at Grand Rapids (12/13)

The Lakeville North Panthers leap-frogged the Edina Hornets after defeating their rival by a score of 3-1 last Thursday.  Panther senior and St. Cloud State recruit Nick Poehling scored all three of his team’s goals and now has six on the season.  The play of defensemen Jack McNeely, Jack Sadek, Luke Seper, Angelo Altavilla, and Adam Duchon were a key to the Panthers victory with timely goaltending that was served up by University of Minnesota recruit and junior Ryan Edquist.  A lot of excitement surrounds the capability of the offensive flow of this team but it all starts in the defensive zone and denying opportunities for their opponents.  Holding the Hornets, who entered the game averaging over seven goals a game, to one goal was a testament to that effort.  The Panthers have two South Suburban games this week and travel to Grand Rapids Saturday for a solid test.

2. Edina (5-1-1)

Last Week: vs. Lakeville North (3-1 L) vs. Rosemount (5-1 W)

This Week : No games this week

The Hornets fell in a 2-0 hole in the first period of their game with Lakeville North at Ames Arena and were never able to recover.  Edina found their game in outshooting the Panthers 13-2 and 23-10 over the final two periods but it wasn’t enough as their chances were limited to one and done by the Panthers.  The Hornets bounced back with a solid 5-1 win over Rosemount and will have the week off until they play three in a row at the Edina Holiday Classic beginning Thursday December 18th with the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks.  They will play No. 6 Elk River and No. 4 Eden Prairie to round out a competitive trio of games for them next week.  For this week, the Hornets will work on their game and expect them to slowly improve on their already impressive performances throughout the year.

3. Hill-Murray (2-0)

Last Week: vs. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (5-3 W)

This Week: vs. Hibbing/Chisholm (12/9), vs. Mahtomedi (12/13)

The Hill-Murray Pioneers have two quality wins under the belt to open the season.  The first was a 3-2 win over Burnsville and the second was a 5-3 victory over Benilde-St. Margaret’s.  The win over B-SM was impressive considering the Pioneers had to overcome a pair of two goal deficits at 2-0 and 3-1.  Eventually, Hill-Murray took control of the game from the second period on scoring four unanswered to capture the win.  Sophomore Marko Reifenberger led the charge with 2 goals and 2 assists.  Senior Zach Mills chipped in 2 goals, his second being the game winner midway through the third period.  Mills also had an assist for a three-point effort.  Freshman Dylan Mills, the younger brother of Dylan, had 3 assists for the game.  The Pioneers will host Hibbing/Chisholm on Tuesday and open conference play with the highly regarded Mahtomedi Zephyrs.

4. Eden Prairie (4-0)

Last Week: vs. Eastview (5-3 W), vs. Farmington (3-0 W)

This Week: at Cretin-Derham Hall (12/9), vs. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (12/9)

The Eagles continue to churn along and pick up wins.  Their four straight have been against traditionally quality teams with their most impressive being against a newcomer to the highly regarded high school teams this year in the Farmington Tigers.  Eden Prairie’s 3-0 win over the offensively explosive Tigers this past week raised eyebrows for the Eagles defensive effort more than anything. Farmington entered the game averaging just under 5 goals a game and was shutout. Much has been noted about the offensive one-two punch of UMD recruit junior Michael Graham (6g-5a-11pts) and University of Minnesota bound sophomore phenom Casey Mittelstadt (4g-4a-8pts) but it has been the overall team defensive play of the Eagles that has propelled them to the fourth slot this week.  They have two difficult games this week to contend with.  The first is with the talented Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders and the second is with the offensively gifted Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights.  A sweep this week will further bolster the Eagles as a top four team in these rankings.

5. Wayzata (5-1-1)

Last Week: vs. Eagan (11-1 W), vs. Lakeville South (3-0 W)

This Week: at Andover (12/9)

The Trojans defeated a pair of South Suburban Conference teams by a combined 14-1 this past week cementing them as a team that will be in the mix on the short list of state title contenders this year.  Four players are now in double digits offensively for the Trojans including junior Billy Duma (4g-7a-11pts), senior Nathan Dingmann (5g-6a-11pts), senior Jack Fetrow (3g-7a-10pts), and senior Alex Stevens (4g-6a-10pts).  Through six games, the Trojans have a 1.93 goals against average.  Their balanced offensive attack has a power play clicking at 22 percent giving teams cause for concern and the need to stay out of the box or the Trojans will make them pay.

6. Elk River/Zimmerman (3-1)

Last Week: vs. Maple Grove (11-4 W), vs. Champlin Park (11-2 W)

This Week: at Spring Lake Park (12/9) at Anoka (12/11), vs. Blaine (12/13)

Talk about taking a loss personal.  The Elks were defeated by Benilde-St. Margaret’s 5-3 in the second game of the season and responded with a pair of 11 goal outbursts.  The first, an 11-4 thumping over Maple Grove, and the second, an 11-2 hammering of Champlin Park.  Senior Jake Jaremko (4g-13a-17pts) leads the team in points and assists and senior Reggie Lutz paces the way in the goal category for the Elks (8g-7a-15pts).  Three Northwest Suburban conference games are on deck this week for the Elks as they look to continue their winning ways.

7. St. Thomas Academy (2-0)

Last Week: vs. Rosemount (6-2 W), vs. Academy of Holy Angels (11-4 W)

This Week: vs. Hastings (12/11) at Minnetonka (12/13)

The Cadets began play last week with a pair of wins which produced 17 goals.  If there were any doubts about this team’s ability to put the puck in the net, that will not be the issue this season.  As expected a pair of seniors lead the charge for the Cadets with Alex Broetzman (3g-7a-10pts) and Colorado College bound Christiano Versich (2g-6a-8pts) pacing the Cadets.  They have their first Metro East conference game this week with the Hastings Raiders and will take to the road for a non-conference affair with the Minnetonka Skippers.

8. White Bear Lake (3-0)

Last Week: vs. Bloomington Jefferson (6-2 W), vs. Mounds View (5-2 W)

This Week: at Forest Lake (12/11), at Woodbury (12/13)

The Bears have been offensively impressive to open the season with 17 goals scored in their first three games.  They have turned aside challenges that would be expected of an 8th ranked team and will look to continue their path forward with two Suburban East conference games this week.  Senior Tom Giller leads the Bears in goals with seven and points (7g-3a-10pts) through the first three games. His veteran presence in the lineup has helped the Bears establish their offensive game.  He has had help from senior Brady Anderson (0g-6a-6pts) and rangy junior defenseman Wyatt Newpower (1g-5a-6pts).

9. Hopkins (5-1)

Last Week: vs. Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (6-1 W) vs. Hermantown (2-1 ot W)

This Week: vs. Shakopee (12/9) vs. Robbinsdale Armstong/Cooper (12/11)

The Hopkins Royals clawed their way back to the top ten for the first time since Travis Boyd was an eighth-grader.  They have accomplished this with an impressive road trip that resulted in a 6-1 win over Cloquet-Esko-Carlton last Friday night and that was followed up with an entertaining 2-1 overtime win over MHM’s then second-ranked Hermantown Hawks in Class 1A.  Junior Nathan Nelsen scored both the Royal goals and leads the team in goals and is second in points (6g-2a-8pts).  Junior Riley Martin (5g-4a-9pts) paces the Royals in points.  They have offensive balance that includes senior Josh Laven (4g-4a-8pts), a three year veteran at the varsity level, leading the charge.  Senior goaltender Josh Kuemichel has lived up to his advance billing and made 54 saves in the Hermantown win.  He has a 1.83 goals against average and a .942 save percentage so far this year.  The Royal balanced attack and quality goaltending will be tested this week when the Royals face-off against a solid Robbinsdale Armstrong/Coooper team this Saturday.

10. Andover (2-0-1)

Last Week: vs. Spring Lake Park (5-3 W), vs. Duluth East (2-2 T)

This Week: vs. Wayzata (12/9), vs. Maple Grove (12/11), at Centennial (12/13)

The Huskies have a smaller sample size than most in the top ten and have yet to lose.  Their 8-4 win over the surging Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper team was impressive to open the season and they added a resume building tie with Duluth East last week.  A solid showing against Wayzata will take the Huskies a long way in holding their spot among top ten teams.  They are led by senior Tyler Vold (2g-4a-6pts) and senior Reece Tullbane (3g-3a-6pts) who each are averaging two points per game.  As is always the case with the Huskies, they are a hard team to pick up a win against and will be difficult to play for all comers this year.

Others Receiving Consideration:  Grand Rapids, Benilde-St. Margaret’s, Bemidji, St. Michael-Albertville, Chanhassen, Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper, Farmington

The post MHM Boys Class 2A Top Ten – 12/9/2014 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

It was another big week of shifting around in Minnesota Hockey Magazine’s Class 1A top 10 rankings, as the top teams haven’t been afraid to schedule one another. Mahtomedi, Duluth Marshall and Warroad continued their unbeaten streaks and rose up in the rankings, while Hermantown and Breck suffered losses that knocked them down a few pegs.

Although East Grand Forks also lost (to North Dakota power Grand Forks Red River) it wasn’t enough to take the Green Wave out of the top spot. Virtually everyone else saw some movement, however, as we approach holiday tournament season.

1. East Grand Forks (5-1-0)

Last week: at Grand Forks Central (6-3 W), vs. Grand Forks Red River (5-0 L), vs. Breck (4-1 W)

This week: vs. Crookston (Tue)

What to make of last week’s 5-0 shutout loss to Grand Forks Red River (ND)? It’s tough to say, until we get more clarification on just how good one of North Dakota’s top programs is in comparison. What we do know is that East Grand Forks bounced back nicely with a 4-1 defeat of Breck, which is considered one of the top teams in Class 1A. Dixon Bowen (10-8-18) continued his hot play with a goal and an assist in the game and is tied for third in the state in scoring (behind Luverne’s Chaz Smedsrud with 23 points). The North Dakota commit powers the potent Green Wave offense and is a true leader.

2. Mahtomedi (3-0-0)

Last week: vs. St. Cloud Cathedral (7-1 W), vs. St. Paul Academy (3-1 W)

This week: at Breck (Tue), at Chanhassen (Thu)

Mahtomedi followed up its impressive victory over Cretin-Derham Hall in the opener with a pair of thumpings of strong Class 1A teams, beating St. Cloud Cathedral and St. Paul Academy by a combined 10-2 score. The Zephyrs are as deep as any team in Class 1A, with scoring prowess balanced across the top three lines. Ten different players have already netted a goal, led by three each from Jack Becker (3-1-4) and Jack Heinsch (3-0-3). The Zephyrs rose a spot this week with Hemantown’s loss to Hopkins and have a big game coming up Tuesday at Breck.

3. Duluth Marshall (5-0-0)

Last week: vs. Proctor (7-3 W), vs. Blake (5-0 W), vs. Orono (4-1 W)

This week: at Grand Rapids (Fri), at International Falls (Sat)

The Hilltoppers continued their climb up the Class 1A rankings, rising another two spots to No. 3 after a perfect week that included home victories against two teams knocking on the top-10 (Blake and Orono) by a combined 9-1 score. The ‘Toppers and goaltender Alex Murray (4-0-0, 0.96, .959) have been a nightmare to create offense against, as they’ve already posted two shutouts and a total of seven goals allowed in five games. Marshall has played all five of its games at home, though. It’ll be less comfortable traveling up to the far edges of the Iron Range (and beyond) twice this week.

4. Hermantown (3-2-0)

Last week: vs. Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (8-0 W), vs. Orono (7-2 W), vs. Hopkins (2-1 L)

This week: at Duluth Denfeld (Thu), at Thief River Falls (Sat)

It’s tough to knock Hermantown too much for two losses in the first five games. The Hawks twice have fallen to good Class 2A teams by a single-goal (4-3 at Wayzata on Nov. 28 and 2-1 in overtime to Hopkins last Saturday), but they did outshoot Hopkins by a wide 56-27 margin. Until being stymied by Josh Kuehmichel and the Royals, scoring goals hadn’t been a problem for coach Bruce Plante’s team — and won’t be much of the season. Hermantown will put the puck in the net, led by veterans Ryan Kero (3-8-11) and Nate Pionk (7-4-11).

5. Warroad (5-0-0)

Last week: at Crookston (4-1 W), at Virginia/MIB (4-0 W), at Grand Rapids (3-2 W)

This week: at Bemidji (Tue), vs. Kittson Central (Fri), vs. Grand Forks Red River, ND (Sat)

The Warriors are another team that continues to just win — and consequently rises in the rankings. Warroad posted another three victories last week, highlighted by a 3-2 win at previously unbeaten Grand Rapids last Saturday. Kobe Roth (5-3-8) lost his two record-setting linemates from last year, but Beau Wilmer (4-2-6) has made a nice impact early. The Warriors won’t be the same high-scoring bunch as last year, but a strong defense in front of goaltender Alex Burke (5-0-0, 1.00, .953) will keep Warroad winning plenty of games.

6. New Prague (4-0-0)

Last week: at Red Wing (3-2 W), vs. Mankato West (6-0 W)

This week: at Holy Family Catholic (Tue), vs. Rochester Lourdes (Thu)

New Prague put an exclamation point on the early Section 1A race with a 6-0 shutout of Mankato West last Thursday. Veteran goaltender Conner Wagner (4-0-0, 1.50, .935) stopped all 28 shots he faced and leading scorer Alex Gregor (6-5-11) tallied two goals as the Trojans romped in the rematch of last year’s section championship game. Next comes a game against the Trojans’ other main rival in Section 1A, Rochester Lourdes, on Thursday in New Prague. The Trojans dropped two spots in the rankings, but due to no fault of their own.

7. Breck (3-2-0)

Last week: at Holy Family Catholic (7-4 W), at East Grand Forks (4-1 L), at Thief River Falls (2-1 W)

This week: at Mahtomedi (Tue), at Chanhassen (Thu)

Honestly, Breck is likely better than the No. 7 ranking in Class 1A, but a pair of losses to East Grand Forks and Duluth Marshall in which the Mustangs scored a combined total of one goal makes it hard to put them much higher. That said, don’t be surprised to see Breck rise back up, particularly if coach Les Larson’s team can knock off Mahtomedi this Tuesday night. Breck scored 13 goals in two victories, but has just three goals in its other three games, led by Chase Ellingson (3-4-7), Will Blake (3-3-6), Tyler Scott (2-4-6) and Austin Heidemann (3-1-4).

8. St. Paul Academy (5-1-0)

Last week: at Mahtomedi (3-1 L), vs. Luverne (5-2 W)

This week: no games

The Spartans split a pair of games in a big statement week for the program, losing to Mahtomedi (3-1) and handing Luverne its first regular-season loss since the 2012-13 season (5-2). It was a nice effort for coach Bill Owens’ team, which is young and rising fast. Sophomores Matt Dahlseide (5-12-17) and Jack Johnston (8-2-10) continued their blistering scoring pace, each scoring a goal last week, while sophomore Will Kelly (2-1-3) tallied his first two goals of the season against Luverne. Yes, that’s three sophomores — and don’t forget about high-scoring freshman Dev McCabe (2-8-10).

9. Duluth Denfeld (3-1-0)

Last week: at Greenway (5-4 W), vs. Eagan (3-1 W)

This week: vs. Virginia/MIB (Tue), vs. Hermantown (Thu), at St. Francis (Sat)

Welcome to the only new team in the top 10 rankings this week, as Duluth Denfeld has won three straight games since a season-opening loss at Bloomington Jefferson. The Hunters opened some eyes with a 3-1 home win over Eagan last Saturday, impressive even though the Wildcats are quite young after graduating most of their team coming off a state tournament berth in Class 2A. The Hunters are a rugged bunch, as evidenced by their leading scorers Dylan Michaud (1-4-5), Nick Thompson (2-2-4) and Cameron McClure (0-2-2), all of whom are strong and can throw their weight around.

10. Luverne (4-1-0)

Last week: vs. Marshall (5-2 W), vs. Redwood Valley (7-0 W), at St. Paul Academy (5-2 L)

This week: at Fairmont (Tue), vs. Waseca (Sat)

The Cardinals hang onto the top 10 by their fingernails after losing one of their key Class 1A battles last week, 5-2 at St. Paul Academy on Saturday. Over the last few years, Luverne has had to answer questions about its schedule strength and losing to one of the few top-20 caliber programs on their schedule this winter could start the chirping again. With junior Chaz Smedsrud (10-13-23) and freshman Jaxon Nelson (8-10-18) among the top scorers in their respective classes, Luverne will score against the other southwestern programs, but the next “big” game will come Dec. 23 when Totino-Grace travels to Luverne.

Others receiving votes: St. Cloud Cathedral, Orono, Thief River Falls, Totino-Grace, Delano, Blake, Alexandria, Sartell-St. Stephen, Blake, Hibbing/Chisholm

The post MHM Boys Class 1A Top Ten – 12/9/2014 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Hornets return to familiar spot

This year will prove to be an entertaining season for high school hockey fans. With the leveled playing field any team can win on a given night and determining a top ten will be difficult to do each week. Arguments can be made for several teams to be elevated over other teams and it will ultimately come down to the most consistent teams will win out in the end this year.

1. Edina (3-0-1)

Last week: vs Champlin Park (10-1 W) at Centennial (5-0 W)
This week: vs Cretin Derham Hall (12/2) at Lakeville North (12/4), vs Rosemount (12/6)

The Edina Hornets are this week’s top team in the AA state rankings and picked up two wins by dispatching Champlin Park 10-1 and shutting out Centennial 5-0. Their only blemish this year is a tie with highly regarded Wayzata. Through four games, Edina averages just over 7 goals a game and have plenty of options to turn to offensively. Junior Garrett Wait (3g-9a-12pts) and senior Matt Masterman (8g-3a-11pts) pace the way for the Hornets in points. Edina has eight players with four or more points in four games played showing there is not a lot of drop off when it comes to their depth. Edina will be tested this week with the tough Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders and #2 Lakeville North Panthers.

2. Lakeville North (1-0)

Last Week: vs Farmington (6-5 Ot Win)
This Week: vs #1 Edina (12/4)

The Lakeville North Panthers survived a scare against Farmington to open the season last week. The see-saw battle was tied five different times. Just 18 seconds into the overtime, Jack Poehling connected to help his team escape with the win. Much is expected from Farmington this year, and they proved that a potential section championship will not be easy for the Panthers. Nick Poehling had a hat trick and one assist with Jack Poehling notching two goals and an assist. All eyes will be on Ames Arena this Thursday night with #1 Edina facing off in an early season re-match of last year’s state final. It has all the markings of being a high scoring affair between to offensive minded teams.

3. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (2-0)

Last Week: vs East Ridge (7-1 W) vs Elk River (5-3 W)
This Week: vs Burnsville (12/2), vs Hill-Murray (12/6)

At this stage of the game, the Red Knights “are who we thought they were” and that is an offensively gifted team led by senior Mark Kaske (1g-5a-6pts) and junior Jacob Holmers (1g-3a-4pts). The Red Knights season opening 7-1 win over East Ridge was offensively explosive and even more impressive was the hard fought 5-3 win over an Elk River team that is certain to make a strong bid for the state tournament this year. The Red Knights have one resume win to their credit and will look to add two more to their list this week with Burnsville and Hill-Murray at home this week.

4. Hill-Murray (1-0)

Last Week: Idle
This Week: at Benilde-St. Margaret’s (12/6)

The Pioneers took the week off and play just once this week and that is with the #3 Benilde-St. Margret’s Red Knights. Hill-Murray opened the season with a 3-2 win over Burnsville on November 22nd. Bill Lechner’s Pioneers are well rested and have had plenty of time to work on their game in practice the past two weeks. The Red Knights will be playing their fourth game of the season and will lock horns in what is always an entertaining game with the Pioneers.

5. Eden Prairie (2-0)

Last Week: vs Prior Lake (2-1 W)
This Week: vs Eastview (12/4) at Farmington (12/6)

After demolishing Maple Grove 8-3 in the season opening game, the Eagles were in a battle with the Prior Lake Lakers last Saturday. A pair of Nicky Leivermann goals, both assisted by Casey Middelstadt and Michael Graham were the difference in the tight checking affair. The Eagles will put their 2-0 record on the line with a couple of games this week, the first against the well coached Eastview Lightning and then with the up and coming Farmington Tigers to close out the week.

6. Elk River/Zimmerman (1-1)

Last Week: vs Wayzata (6-5 W ot) vs B-SM (5-3 L)
This Week: at Maple Grove (12/2) vs Champlin Park (12/6)

The Elks picked up a quality win over the Wayzata Trojans in overtime and lost to Benilde-St. Margaret’s later in the week. Starting the season with a pair of challenges, the Elks played well in both the win and the loss. Expect to see them in the top ten much of the season. Jake Jaremko (1g-3a-4pts) and Matt Kierstad (0g-4a) lead the way offensively for the Elks. A pair of Northwest Suburban Conference games are on tap for this week.

7. Wayzata (3-1-1)

Last Week: vs Elk River (6-5 Ot L) vs Hermantown (4-3 W) vs Duluth East (3-0 W)
This Week: vs Eagan (12/4) at Lakeville South (12/6)

The Trojans dodged a bullet in a big comeback win over the Hermantown Hawks at the Plymouth Ice Center this past week three unanswered third period goals. They also shutout the Duluth East Grehounds, a team that will be lurking in the top ten the entire year. The Trojans have played a difficult schedule to start the season and are proving they will be a tough team to beat each night.

8. St. Thomas Academy (0-0)

Last Week: Idle
This Week: at Rosemount (12/3) at Academy of Holy Angels (12/6)

The Cadets are one of the last teams to open their season and will be ready to go this week. Nine of the top eleven leading scorers return with speedster Christiano Versich (29g-37a-66pts) leading the way. The hard driving Peter Tufto (17g-28a-45pts) will be expected to pick up more offensive responsibility and he will be up for the challenge. Senior Alex Broetzman (25g-24a-49pts) will be receiving plenty of minutes and looked upon to provide leadership, of which the Cadets are never in short supply. Goalie Matt Snow won 10 games last year and earned an Elite League spot for his efforts while working split duty with Charlie Hallett.

9. Duluth East (1-1)

Last Week: vs Wayzata (3-0 L)
This Week: vs Superior (12/4) at Andover (12/6)

The Hounds opened the season with a 3-0 loss to the Wayzata Trojans. That is not enough to toss them from the top ten at this stage of the season, yet Duluth East is hanging on by a thread. A key sectional game with Andover is on deck this Saturday.

10. Farmington (1-1)

Last Week: vs Lakeville North (6-5 Ot L)
This Week: vs Rochester Mayo (12/2) at Rochester Century (12/4) vs Eden Prairie (12/6)

This week will go a long way in determining where the Farmington Tigers stand among the top teams in the Class AA this year. They have a pair of games against unbeaten Section 1AA teams this week. First, it is Rochester Mayo (2-0) followed by Rochester Century (2-0). Should they pass those two tests, a stiffer challenge will be teed up on Saturday when they play host to Eden Prairie. It will be a big week for the Tigers.

Others Receiving Consideration: Grand Rapids, Prior Lake, Chanhassen

The post MHM Boys Class AA Top Ten 12/3/2014 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Defending champs move up a notch

When the season began, most observers had a distinct top-three in the Class 1A rankings (defending champion East Grand Forks, five-time runner-up Hermantown, and private school power Breck). Behind that trio is where the rankings diverged, sometimes massively so.

So what to make of an early-season shutout of Breck by Duluth Marshall? A Hermantown loss? With just a week in the books, the rankings are already in turmoil with some teams making big moves up or down.

It’s one of the fun things about ranking teams this early in the season, as there isn’t a huge body of work to base the rankings. We know historically what programs tend to succeed and we know what teams returned from last year’s efforts. But the missing link is how the new players blend in and how the returning players improve.

With that said, it’s tough to overlook what East Grand Forks has done in its bid to repeat as Class 1A champions.

1. East Grand Forks (3-0-0)
   

Last week: at Park Rapids (4-1 W), at Totino-Grace (6-4 W), at St. Cloud Cathedral (6-2 W)
This week: at Grand Forks Central (Tue), vs. Grand Forks Red River (Thu), vs. Breck (Fri)

The Green Wave are likely to be a different team than last year. They lost four top defensemen from a stingy defensive team that won the Class 1A state championship. But that doesn’t mean they can’t hoist the trophy again this winter. Because with their top four scorers and goaltender Josh Weber (2-0-0, 2.50, .828) returning, East Grand Forks again looks like the team to beat. Senior Dixon Bowen (8-3-11) is making his case to be included in the Mr. Hockey discussion with a big start to the year. The University of North Dakota commit has scored at least two goals in each of the first three games, including a four-goal outburst at Totino-Grace. Defensively, Nathan Peabody (0-4-4) and Trevor Selk (0-2-2) will log the majority of minutes on the blue line and are capable of replacing last year’s talent.

2. Hermantown (1-1-0)

Last week: at Wayzata (4-3 L), vs. Roseville (4-3 W)
This week: vs. Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (Tue), vs. Orono (Fri), vs. Hopkins (Sat)

One loss to a Class 2A top-five team (Wayzata) is enough to knock Hermantown from the top spot in the rankings? Well, it was a tenuous hold over East Grand Forks and with the Green Wave rolling, the flip was inevitable. The Hawks did respond to their one-goal loss to Wayzata with a 4-3 overtime victory over Roseville, another Class 2A program. There’s no shame in a pair of one-goal games to terrific big-school programs for Hermantown. Nate Pionk (3-2-5) continues his growth as a player and leads the Hawks in scoring, while defenseman Eric Gotz (2-1-3) netted the game-winner in overtime against Roseville. One of the questions for coach Bruce Plante was in goal and he’s given the first nod to Luke Olson (1-1-0, 3.46, .821).

3. Mahtomedi (1-0-0)

Last week: vs. Cretin-Derham Hall (7-5 W)
This week: vs. St. Cloud Cathedral (Tue), vs. St. Paul Academy (Thu)

Mahtomedi was expected to take a big step up into the favorite’s role in Section 4A and the Zephyrs did nothing to dispel that notion in a 7-5 season-opening victory over Cretin-Derham Hall, one of the favorites in Section 4AA. Mahtomedi shocked the Raiders by opening up a 6-2 lead late in the second period before holding off Cretin’s late charge. Zephyrs power forward Jack Becker (3-0-3) led the way with a hat trick, while Will Swanson (1-0-0, 5.00, .848) stopped 28 of 33 shots in goal. The victory over a Class 2A power was enough to jump the Zephyrs past Breck in the rankings and into the No. 3 position, although they’ll have to tighten up defensively.

4. New Prague (2-0-0)

Last week: at St. Cloud Cathedral (6-2 W), vs. Northfield (3-2 W)
This week: at Red Wing (Tue), vs. Mankato West (Thu)

New Prague ended last year with a victory over St. Cloud Cathedral (5-2 in the Class 1A state third-place game) and began this winter the same way, beating the Crusaders 6-2 on Nov. 21. The more things change the more they stay the same? Not exactly, as this is a different Trojans team, but one that appears equally as talented. Alex Gregor (2-5-7), Ben Witt (2-3-5), and Zach Davis (3-2-5) have come out on fire offensively and goaltender Conner Wagner (2-0-0, 2.00, .920) is a veteran leader who is capable of standing on his head any given night — and often does. A big game this Thursday against last year’s chief competition in Section 1A (Mankato West) should determine whether New Prague goes on a big winning streak to open the year.

5. Duluth Marshall (2-0-0)

Last week: vs. Roseville (4-3 W), vs. Breck (2-0 W)
This week: vs. Proctor (Tue), vs. Blake (Fri), vs. Orono (Sat)

How’s that for a jump in the rankings? Perhaps Duluth Marshall was underrated in the preseason poll, sitting just outside the top-10. After beating Roseville in overtime and shutting out perennial power Breck in the first two games, the Hilltoppers have shown they shouldn’t be taken lightly. Coach Brendan Flaherty graduated his top scorers and lost two others to transfer, but appears to have a stout defensive unit in front of goaltender Alex Murray (2-0-0, 1.40, .951). Allowing just three goals in two games to top teams, signifies the ‘Toppers as contenders in Section 7A. Rugged and hard-hitting defenseman Jordan Fralich (0-3-3) leads the team in scoring with Peter Lenz (1-2-3) and Lane Krenzen (2-1-3).

6. Breck (1-1-0)

Last week: vs. Delano (6-1 W), at Duluth Marshall (2-0 L)
This week: at Holy Family Catholic (Tue), at East Grand Forks (Fri), at Thief River Falls (Sat)

And the walls came tumbling down? Not exactly, although Breck coach Les Larson can’t be happy with his team’s 2-0 shutout loss at Duluth Marshall last Saturday. But the Mustangs took care of business in the more important game of the opening week, defeating Section 2A rival Delano, 6-1 behind six individual goal scorers and a three-assist effort from junior Chase Ellingson (0-3-3). Grant Parrish (1-2-3) also had three points in the victory to tie Ellingson for the team lead after two games. Breck can forget about the loss to Marshall with a big schedule this week that includes a trip to the northwest corner of the state to face top-ranked East Grand Forks and Thief River Falls. New goaltender Stephen Headrick (1-1-0, 1.50, .932) will have to continue his excellent early-season play taking over for graduated Henry Johnson.

7. Warroad (2-0-0)

Last week: vs. Mound-Westonka (3-0 W), vs. Detroit Lakes (3-2 W)
This week: at Crookston (Tue), at Virginia/MIB (Fri), at Grand Rapids (Sat)

This isn’t the same Warroad team as last year, not with the departure of two-thirds of the record-setting line of Kobe Roth (2-1-3), Jared Bethune, and Kyle Sylvester, each of whom tallied more than 90 points last year. Roth is still around and scored twice in a season-opening win over Mound-Westonka, but the Warriors only scored three goals each in their first two games. The offense may not be as explosive as last year, but Warroad should be very good defensively with veteran goalie Alex Burke (2-0-0, 1.00, .946) supported by highly-regarded defensemen such as Luke Jaycox (1-1-2) and Jade Cole (0-2-2). They’ll have to be, as it looks like the days of 7-6 shootouts may be over for now.

8. Luverne (2-0-0)

Last week: at Waseca (7-1 W), vs. LeSueur-Henderson/St. Peter/TCU (11-3 W)
This week: vs. Marshall (Tue), vs. Redwood Valley (Thu), at St. Paul Academy (Sat)

Luverne is a team that picked up offensively where it left off last year, pouring in 18 goals in winning its first two games. As expected, the offensive fireworks were led by junior Chaz Smedsrud (5-9-14) and freshman Jaxon Nelson (6-5-11), who is ranked by some outlets as the top 2000-born player in the nation. Smedsrud followed up last year’s 89-point campaign with back-to-back seven point games to start this season (3-4-7 at Waseca and 2-5-7 against the Bulldogs). The offensive show should continue this week, although a road trip to St. Paul Academy on Saturday should help settle a few rankings debates. Connor Crabtree (2-0-0, 2.00, .897) backed up Kendall Meyer last year, but has the job to himself in goal this winter.

9. St. Cloud Cathedral (0-2-0)

Last week: vs. New Prague (6-2 L), vs. East Grand Forks (6-2 L)
This week: at Mahtomedi (Tue), at Rochester Lourdes (Sat)

Two home losses to start the season have the Crusaders in danger of tumbling out of the rankings. The fact that both came at the hands of teams ranked higher (No. 1 East Grand Forks and No. 4 New Prague) is something for coach Eric Johnson and crew to hang their hats on, but it may not be enough. Now the Crusaders head to No. 3 Mahtomedi this Tuesday in danger of going 0-3-0. Logan Neu (1-3-4) leads the team in scoring, but only four players have a point and no one has more than one goal. Expect Cathedral to turn it around soon, but it looks like a rough start.

10. St. Paul Academy (4-0-0)

Last week: at Simley (5-2 W), vs. St. Cloud Tech (6-1 W), at Minneapolis (5-3 W), at Henry Sibley (4-0 W)
This week: at Mahtomedi (Thu), vs. Luverne (Sat)

Want to play the association game? St. Paul Academy beat St. Cloud Tech by five goals last week, the same Tech team that upset Roseau, which was beaten by Blaine — a team hovering on the edge of the Class 2A rankings. So does that mean the Spartans are a top-10 team regardless of class? Maybe not, but they could be soon. We’ll get a great feel for the Spartans’ true power this week, as they play two teams ranked ahead of them in the Class 1A poll (at No. 3 Mahtomedi and against No. 8 Luverne). Matt Dahlseide (5-8-13), Jack Johnston (7-3-10) and Dev McCabe (1-9-10) have been huge to open the season.

Others receiving votes: Orono, Thief River Falls, Totino-Grace, Delano, Blake, Alexandria, Bloomington Kennedy

The post MHM Boys Class A Top Ten 12/3/2014 appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Featured Image:
Grand Rapids’ Avery Peterson is off to a fast start and his team cracks the top ten this week. Image by: Tim Kolehmainen

In week two and three, it can be said that ranking the top teams is about perception vs. reality.  That came to fruition this week as there were some surprising wins and some even more surprising losses among the top teams.  A look at week two shows plenty of shuffling of the teams.  This ranking system is based on performance, not a hunch.  If a team loses, it loses and most likely is supplanted by a team that continues to win.  Head-to-head match-ups play into the rankings as well.  One thing that is certain, this year will provide plenty of twists and turns as there are plenty of teams that are capable of beating each other throughout the season.

1.  Blaine Bengals (2-0-0, 0-0) The Bengals opened the season with a roadie that featured an eruption of 14 goals in two games.  Wins over Roseau (8-4) and Moorhead (6-4) illustrate how explosive this Bengal team is.  Somewhat concerning is the average of 4 goals against.  Anyone in hockey knows offense wins games and defense wins championships.  Look for that to be shored up in the Bengal camp over the coming weeks.  Seniors Tyler Cline (6g-1a-7pts) and Joey Lau (3g-4a-7pts) lead the way in the goals scoring category after two games.  Up next, the Bengals jump into the Northwest Suburban Conference schedule with games this week against Osseo and cross-town rival Centennial.

2.  Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights (2-0-0)  Off to a torrid start, the Benilde-St. Margaret’s Red Knights have turned aside two opponents with ease.  Enough ease, that they catapulted four slots from six last week to the second position this week.  With 13 goals in two games, a shutout to their credit and, a sound 7-2 win over a solid Duluth Denfeld team this week, the Red Knights have a swagger out of the box that forced the MHM to take notice.  Goaltending has been sound as junior Jalen Long as turned aside 43 of 45 shots and posted a shutout in their 6-0 opening season win over the Rochester Lourdes Eagles. As would be expected, senior Spencer Naas (3g-3a-6pts) leads the way offensively. Juniors Chase Jungels (2g-3a-5pts) and Ben Newhouse (0g-5a-5pts) are providing a sound supporting cast for Naas and the Red Knights.  They will be featured in plenty of media this week as their Tuesday game will be streaming live on their BSMHockey.com website.  Thursday’s game with the Burnsville Blaze will also be available live on Sports Radio FM 105 The Ticket.   The Red Knights close out the week with the #3 Hill-Murray Pioneers at Aldrich Arena and that game will be streaming live from the MHM website as well.

3.  Hill-Murray Pioneers (1-0-0, 0-0-0) Led by a 3 goal rally in the third period, the Hill-Murray Pioneers turned aside last week’s #10 Burnsville Blaze to earn a quality win to open the season.  With Lakeville South and Benilde-St. Margaret’s on the schedule this week, the Pioneers will have a chance to move up.  For this week, they did elevate one slot from four to three.  Senior Zach Mills delivered two clutch goals in the third period with the game winner coming at 9:26.  Three different players produced multi-point games and senior goalie Sam Ilgen was solid when called upon.  Knowing where to be and how to execute on the ice is critical to a team’s success.  Year after year, head coach Bill Lechner’s teams have the same elements that thrust them to the top of the high school hockey food chain. They always play within in the team, skate, and never are overwhelmed from game-to-game or the situation.  More of that can be seen with two big games this week.

4.  Elk River Elks (1-0-0, 0-0-0) The Elks jump three slots from seven to four with a stiffing 3-1 win over the Edina Hornets in Elk River.  Known as a team loaded with defensemen and a terrific goalie, the Elks went offensive and outshot Edina 46-32 including 20-4 in the third period to finish with authority.  It was a game played five-on-five with each team only employing two  power plays for the game.  Junior Ben Johnson had two goals for the Elks, both in the second period,  including the game winner at 15:05.  The two teams will face each other in a re-match at Braemar Arena at the Holiday Classic later this month.  The Elks are off all week until they open their Northwest Suburban Conference action with the fast starting Andover Huskies.

5.  Edina Hornets (3-1-0, 0-0-0) Opening season wins over Holy Family Catholic (8-0), Wayzata (3-1), and Centennial (6-1) had the Hornets soaring until they landed in Elk River and were stopped by the Elks 3-1.  Senior Cullen Munson (7g-3a-10pts) is off to a sizzling start for the Hornets.  Five players are over a point a game and they have the depth to wear teams down much like they did against the Centennial Cougars, evidenced by their three goal second and third periods.  The goaltending has been equally impressive with Andrew Rohkohl (3-0, 0.67, 971) leading the way.  They have a big Section 2AA test in the Prior Lake Lakers on Tuesday who came off a sound 7-2 win over Chanhassen this past week.  The Hornets round out the week with a game at Eagan.

6.  St. Thomas Academy Cadets (1-0-1, 0-0-0) The Cadets delivered a win and a tie this past week as they opened with a 5-2 win over The Marshall School Duluth and then tied The Academy of Holy Angels 4-4 this past Saturday.  While the Cadets fired 64 shots at the AHA net, they couldn’t pull out the win as they allowed three goals in the third period to lose the grip on what appeared to be a win.  They will tussle with Holy Family Catholic on Wednesday and Lakeville North Saturday of this week. As expected, senior defenseman Seamus Donohue (1g-4a-5pts) and junior forward Tommy Novak (0g-5a-5pts) are pacing the offensive production for the Cadets.

7.  Duluth East Greyhounds (2-0-0) One gets the feeling that the young Duluth East Greyhounds will be in a series of low scoring affairs this year.  A big win over the Wayzata Trojans  by a score of 3-2 pushed the Hounds in the top 10.  They have trio of returning players that will be a factor in their push to the Section 7AA.  Seniors Phil Beaulieu, Jack Kolar and Alex Trapp are providing the leadership.  They play host to Anoka this week and travel over the bridge to tussle with rival Superior this week.

8.  Wayzata Trojans (3-2-0, 0-0-0) The Trojans have high expectations this season and certainly one week does a season not make.  However, two losses are two losses.  This past week, they played three games opening with a 4-1 win over Champlin Park.  They followed that up with a solid 6-1 win over Hermantown and fell to Duluth East this past Saturday 3-2.  Their other loss is to the Edina Hornets.  Maxwell Zimmer (2g-5a-7pts) is leading the way offensively for the youthful Trojans. Games with Apple Valley and Burnsville are on the docket.  Another loss, and the Trojans could be on the outside looking in to the prestigious MHM rankings.

9.  Eden Prairie Eagles (1-0-0, 0-0-0)  The Eagles held serve and picked up a balanced 6-0 win over the Osseo Orioles last week.  They play two this week as They host Rosemount Tuesday and head to Lakeville South on Saturday.  Junior Riley Argetsinger (3g-1a-4pts) had a productive first game and will take the goal scoring and point production pressure off seniors Steven Spinner and Luc Snuggerud.

10.  Grand Rapids Thunderhawks (2-0-0, 0-0-0)  The Thunderhaws opened the season with a pair of wins including a key Section 7AA victory over Forest Lake by a score of 2-1.  They eked out a 4-3 win over the Bemidji Lumberjacks to start the season last week.  Senior Avery Peterson (2g-2a-4pts) had a three point effort against Bemidji to pace his club.  They open the Iron Range Conference schedule with a tilt agains Virginia-Mountain Iron/Buhl and travel further north to battle Roseau on Friday followed by Warroad on Saturday.

Others receiving votes:  Prior Lake, Andover, Roseau, Burnsville

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