A major reason Minnesota calls itself the ‘State of Hockey’ is because of the state’s proud tradition of celebrating the game at all levels. As popular as the Minnesota Wild are these days, and as popular college hockey has been neither holds a candle to the power of the Minnesota Boys State High School Hockey Tournament.
Simply called ‘The Tourney’, it is the best tournament of its kind in the world. 16 teams from Class A and Class AA all hope to achieve the same goal. To win 3 games at ‘The Tourney’ to become in order to finish their season as State Champions. It’s not easy, but a great performance can turn a player into a household name across the State of Hockey.
Each team that makes it has its own story. For some it is the opportunity to prove you were the best when the pandemic deprived you of that opportunity. Other schools are making their first trip to the Tourney, and hoping to make some noise among the perennial powers.
Since the tournament started utilizing seeding in 2007, upsets have become a rare treat, especially during the quarterfinal round. When they do happen, they certainly are a treat. For whatever reason this seems to happen more often in Class A than Class AA. Monticello-Annandale-Maple Lake (2017) and Greenway-Coleraine (2019) came to mind as big underdogs who surprised everyone by battling their way to the Class A State Championship game.
Whether you have a team to root for in the tournament or you are just a spectator without a favorite it is hard not to get caught up in it. Cheering fans, pep bands and players growing out their hair for a chance to make the All Hockey Hair team are all a part of the atmosphere of the tournament.
Another treat is the fact that it is quite likely that at least a few players from the tournament will go on to be in the NHL someday. Blake Wheeler, T.J. Oshie, Casey Mittelstadt, Kyle Okposo, Alex Stalock, Anders Lee, Dominic Toninato, Neal Pionk, Nick Leddy, Jake Oettinger are all current NHL’ers who shined while playing at the Tourney. No doubt that trend will continue.
In 2011, the All Hockey Hair team started off as an entertaining side hustle of an ad executive named John King, but its amplified to the point where it almost becomes part of the lore of the tournament as seen in this feature that was made for the 2022 NHL Winter Classic.
There will be no shortage of players hoping to get noticed by the ‘Salad Santa’ and qualify to be a part of his next masterpiece.
Youth Hockey Hub covers the state’s high school hockey scene like no other as they regularly interview coaches and players to stay on top of everything trending in the game today. Tony Scott (@Tony_YHH), Danny Ryan (@dsryan16) and Karl Schuettler (@KarlEastHockey) have provided rankings, insight and observations from teams all across the state. I was fortunate enough to work with this organization a bit this winter. Check out the Youth Hockey Hub 2022 Boys State Tournament Preview Podcast.
So it is my honor to announce that Karl will again be providing his predictions for both Class A and Class AA as part of this preview. I should note that I did not see Karl’s prediction before I posted my own. I will preview each of the 8 games for both classes and provide a prediction for each quarterfinal game. We will also note key wins and key losses. These are victories or losses against other teams in the tournament field only.
For simplicity purposes, Karl and I will predict which teams will make it to the final and what the ultimate outcome will be for both. I have not seen Karl’s predictions for the tournament until shortly before publishing this article and I made mine independently of his. Thanks so much to Karl for your contribution to this article and all of your efforts over the course of the season! So here is your tournament preview!
Class A Tournament: Games start Wednesday (March 9th)
11:00AM, Monticello (13-14-1, 5A) vs. #2 Warroad (24-3-1, 8A)
Section 5A was a crazy one all season long with Top Seeded Little Falls and #2 seeded Cambridge-Isanti taking turns popping in and out of the Top 10 in Class A rankings yet both clubs were knocked out in the section semi-finals. Ultimately, it was #4 seeded Monticello emerging victorious in the 5A championship in a 3-2 thriller over #3 seeded St. Cloud Cathedral who was in the midst of its own late-season surge.
The Moose return to St. Paul with an attack led by seniors Wilson Dahlheimer (23 goals, 24 assists, 47 points) and Brooks Wilson (7-14-21) as well as junior Tyler Bitz (14-4-18) provide Monticello with most of its scoring punch. Monticello’s power play operated at a 23.5% rate this season.
On defense, seniors Gavin Simon (7-18-25) and Danny Homsombath (1-9-10) will be tasked with denying the middle of the ice to (insert opponent here). Simon has been a stabilizing force for the Moose all season, and Monticello will need to him to be at his very best.
In the crease, senior goaltender Michael Biller (3.04 goals against average) has made all of the starts this season for the Moose and will have his greatest test of the season when he faces Warroad’s high-powered offense.
Key Wins: None
Key Losses: Alexandria, Mahtomedi
The Warriors are making their way back to the tournament after a 4-1 victory over Thief River Falls in the section 8A final.
The Warriors are led by 6’4″, 205lbs senior and Clarkson-commit Daimon Gardner (39-37-76, #101 NHL Central Scouting) and junior and Minnesota-Duluth commit Jayson Shaugabay (25-49-74) but Warroad has lots of scoring depth beyond these two. Senior Matt Hard (22-19-41) and sophomores Murray Marvin-Cordes (15-17-32) and Carson Pilgrim (15-12-27) round out a very dangerous Warriors attack.
On the blueline, senior Carson Reed (9-29-38) and junior Eric Comstock (4-29-33) play a solid two-way game where they limit high-danger scoring chances but also do an excellent job at making that first pass out of the zone to keep opponents on their heels. Their penalty kill is one of the state’s best at 91.8%.
Between the pipes, goaltender Hampton Slukynsky (1.48GAA, 9 shutouts) might be Warroad’s best-kept secret as he’s been a wall all season long.
Key Wins: None
Key Losses: Hermantown
Prediction: As much as I enjoyed the 2017 improbable run by MAML, I don’t think the Moose have faced anyone quite like Warroad this season, who are one of the most complete teams in the Class A field. Gardner, Shaugabay, Hard and company will be simply too much for Monticello and Warroad will win by four goals or more.
1:00PM, Mankato East / Loyola (17-10-1, 3A) vs. #3 Mahtomedi (16-11-1, 4A)
As the #2 seed in section 3A, the Cougars rolled to a 6-0 rout of top-seeded New Ulm in the finals. The Cougars’ deserved to be a part of 2022 Hockey Day Minnesota instead of East Grand Forks but that is a story for a different time. Now they will have the chance to show they were deserving of the spotlight.
Mankato East / Loyola also embraces a score-by-committee approach and has fairly balanced scoring through its top 3 lines led by seniors Quintin Steindl (8-18-26) and Parker Anthony (9-14-23) as well as junior Andrew Bastian (9-13-22).
On defense, junior Shae Gavin (15-13-28) and senior Aiden Prochaska (8-19-27) are really the pacesetters for the Cougars who like to control the tempo of play. No doubt both of them will log a lot of minutes against (insert opponent here) and their 85.5% penalty kill certainly will get tested in this tournament.
Senior goaltender Caelin Breuske (2.31GAA) has been the Cougars’ go-to option all season long.
Key Wins: None
Key Losses: Minneapolis
The Zephyrs laid waste to a rather weak 4A field, outscoring their competition 19-0 in 3 games including their 4-0 victory over Chisago Lakes in the section final. Mahtomedi’s record may look underwhelming for being the #3 seed but they played one of the toughest schedules in Class A that also featured a lot of quality games against top tier Class AA opponents.
The Zephyr’s attack is led by juniors David Wolsfeld (22-24-46), Charlie Drage (15-22-37), Jonny Grove (13-16-29) and Carter Haycraft (14-15-29) as well as senior and team captain Brent Gulenchyn (14-21-35) who give Mahtomedi two solid scoring lines.
On defense, senior Grant Dardis (5-16-21) and junior Cav Bruner (4-17-21) are the Zephyr’s best option to shut down the opponent’s top line and they have the skill to chip in offensively too. Mahtomedi’s penalty kill is one of the better ones in the tournament operating at 90.2% rate.
In the crease, senior and Frank Brimsek finalist as the state’s top goaltender, Ben Dardis (1.97GAA, .942%) already has led one Zephyrs team to a state title, can he do it again?
Key Wins: Monticello
Key Losses: Hermantown, Cretin-Derham Hall (Class AA), Hill-Murray (Class AA x2)
Prediction: The Zephyrs are a bit of a darkhorse team coming into this tournament, but with a goaltender like Ben Dardis anything is possible. Mahtomedi should win by two or three goals over the Cougars.
6:00PM, New Prague (11-15-2, 1A) vs. #1 Hermantown (26-2, 7A)
The Trojans were the #4 seed in 1A and they advanced to the Tourney by defeating #3 seeded Albert Lea 5-2 in the 1A championship. They raised some eyebrows a bit earlier in section play by defeating top seeded Northfield (a team listed as #7 in Class A by Youth Hockey Hub) which is good for their program as New Prague is a school that has garnered attention for the wrong reasons.
New Prague has embraced a score-by-committee approach, but junior John Schmidt (10-16-26), seniors Will Anderson (9-16-25) and Charlie Turnberg (9-6-15), as well as sophomore Willy Seymour (10-11-21) and freshman Will Portner (8-13-21) lead the way offensively.
On defense, juniors Peyton Becker (4-4-8) and Breck Hagen (2-3-5) are not major point producers but they will be leaned upon to try to stave off Hermantown’s vaunted offense and limit their scoring chances.
Between the pipes, senior goaltender Carter Puente (10-11-1, .911%) has been New Prague’s mainstay all season long. This team’s ability to defend will be tested early and often against the Hawks.
Key Wins: None
Key Losses: None
#1 ranked Hermantown (by Youth Hockey Hub) outscored its 3 sectional opponents by a combined 30-0 as they cruised in an 11-0 rout of rival Duluth Denfeld in the section 7A final. A season ago, Covid-19 forced Hermantown to soldier on with mostly a JV team where they lost out in the quarterfinals to Dodge County they will be hoping to return to the championship this season.
The Hawks have loads of firepower up front led by juniors, Minnesota-Duluth commit Zam Plante (20-35-55, #40 NHL Central Scouting) and Kade Kohanski (20-33-53) as well as sophomore Max Plante (16-50-66) give Hermantown one of the most potent trios in the state. The Hawks’ plethora of skill and scoring should make it no surprise their power play has been rolling at a 41.8% rate.
On the blueline, Hermantown has junior, Minnesota-Duluth commit Ty Hanson (14-28-42) and senior Beau Janzig (7-17-24) give the Hawks lots of quality minutes at both ends of the ice. Hermantown’s penalty kill has been superb, operating at a 90.4%.
Hawks’ head coach Patrick Andrews will look to sophomore goaltender Dane Callaway (.921%, 5 shutouts) who has been a rock all season for Hermantown.
Key Wins: Mahtomedi, Warroad, Hill-Murray (Class AA)
Key Losses: Cretin-Derham Hall (Class AA), Maple Grove (Class AA)
Prediction: This may sound cliche, but the Hawks are a team on a mission and I think this one will get ugly in a hurry. The Hawks’ may be the best team in this entire tournament and they will have no trouble routing New Prague. I think this one has double-digit goal potential in favor of Hermantown.
8:00PM, #5 Alexandria (19-6-2, 6A) vs. #4 Minneapolis (21-6-1, 2A)
The Cardinals have been red-hot in the 2nd half of the season and they won a hard-fought 6A final against rival Fergus Falls 4-2 at the MAC in St. Cloud. They haven’t lost a game since Jan. 21st.
Alexandria is led up front by seniors Josiah Gronholz (25-34-59) and Brycen Berg (27-16-43) as well as junior Tyler Kludt (13-35-48) give the Cardinals good scoring depth through its top two lines. On the man advantage, the Cardinals make opponents pay with a 31.9% power play.
On defense, seniors Peter Mulder (3-23-26) and Brennan Lattimer (4-3-7) will be tasked with keeping opponents at bey as Alexandria likes to play an offensively-driven game.
Senior goaltender Teagan Pfeffer (2.71GAA) has shouldered most of the goaltending load for Alexandria this season.
Key Wins: Monticello
Key Losses: Minneapolis
#1 seeded Minneapolis (ranked #6 by Youth Hockey Hub) punched their ticket to the ‘X’ with a 3-1 win over #2 seeded Delano (ranked #4 in Class A by Youth Hockey Hub) in the 2A finals, a team that has been a regular qualifier the last few years. This is the first time a team from Minneapolis has qualified for the state tournament since Minneapolis Edison made it in 1994.
But this isn’t a Cinderella story, as Minneapolis has been ranked in the top 10 in Class A all season long. They are led up front by seniors Jack Hanson (24-28-52), Zander Zoia (11-28-39) and Evan Grimm (16-11-27) give Minneapolis quality firepower.
On the blueline, juniors Drew Pitts (12-21-33) and Joel Hanson (3-13-16) are the skilled puck movers on the back end and they can contribute offensively as well. Senior Leo Warner (4-5-9) was a shot blocking machine in the section final against Delano and Minneapolis will need those skills if they want to advance in the tourney.
Minneapolis Head Coach Joe Dziedzic will look to senior goaltender Alex Lamont (2.14GAA) to continue to carry the mail as he has started in all of their games this season.
Key Wins: Mankato East / Loyola, Alexandria
Key Losses: None
Prediction: This certainly will be the most competitive game of the quarterfinals as it features two teams who have already played one another this season. Minneapolis defeated Alexandria 4-2 in early December, but the Cardinals have hit their stride since that loss. I think Minneapolis might be a bit star struck of making it to the tourney and I think the Cardinals will take advantage of that and earn a mild upset in a tight 1-goal game. However, I won’t mind being wrong at all.
Karl’s Class A Tournament Prediction: If the AA field is wide open, the A field feels almost inevitable: Warroad and Hermantown have been on a collision course all season, and played a 2-1 overtime thriller won by the Hawks during the season. Warroad’s dynamic duo of Daimon Gardner and Jayson Shaugabay is otherworldly, and they’re supported by some star sophomores on the second line, a veteran defense, and a rock-solid goalie in Hampton Slukynsky. Not to be outdone, Hermantown counters with the almost unstoppable Plante brohers, Zam and Max, plus a somewhat deeper group of forwards and a defense led by playmaker Ty Hanson and stalwart rock Beau Janzig. If anyone can disrupt this date, it’s Mahtomedi, where goaltender and Frank Brimsek Award favorite Ben Dardis, the hero of the 2020 Tourney, will look to add to his trophy case with a second stunning run. A quarterfinal between high-powered Alexandria and feel-good story Minneapolis, the whole city brought together in a single team and back to State for the first time in 28 years. Mankato East, Monticello and New Prague round out the field. But in the season, all eyes are on the big two. Pick: Hermantown.
Derek’s Class A Tournament Prediction: I think Hermantown is just too much for any team in Class A to handle. They have the scoring depth with Max and Zam Plante, Kohanski and company, and they defend well too with Ty Hanson and Beau Janzig. Callaway has been terrific all year. I think Hermantown prevails in a hard-fought 4-2 game over Warroad in the State Championship.
Class AA Tournament: Games start on Thursday (March 10th)
11:00AM, Prior Lake (18-10, 2AA) vs. #2 Cretin-Derham Hall (24-3, 3AA)
Section 2AA was one of the more wide open sections in all of Class AA, but at the end of the day it was #4 seeded Prior Lake prevailing 7-4 over #3 seeded Chaska to earn their first trip to the Tourney.
The Lakers have some impressive firepower up front led by senior trio of Vermont-commit Alex Bump (41-34-75, #69 NHL Central Scouting), Will Schumacher (23-29-52) and Sam Rice (11-29-40) who has been a big boost since returning to the club mid-season.
On the back end, senior defensemen Jackson Anderson (6-23-29) and Justin Simonson (2-10-12) help Prior Lake filter pucks up to the forwards efficiently to get the Lakers back on the attack.
In the crease, senior goaltender Trevor Boschee (2.40GAA) has made most of the starts for Prior Lake Head Coach Joe Pankratz‘s squad this season.
Key Wins: None
Key Losses: Lakeville South x2, Edina, Moorhead
The Raiders have been at the top of the state Class AA rankings for about half of the season, and they will return to the Xcel Energy Center after earning a 3-0 victory over a plucky Eastview squad in the 3AA final. Cretin-Derham Hall are riding an 18-game winning streak going into Thursday’s game against the Lakers.
The Raiders are led at forward by seniors Drew Fisher (28-31-59) and Luke McCarthy (10-26-36) as well as juniors Atilla Lippai (17-13-30) and Northern Michigan commit Jake Fisher (23-29-52) give Cretin-Derham Hall plenty of scoring talent.
On defense, senior Zach Sondreal (10-16-26) is one of the best in the state at his position and juniors Lucas Cernohous (5-14-19) and St. Thomas-commit Colton Jamieson (1-14-15) really allow the Raiders to dictate the pace of a game.
In the crease, senior goaltender Marko Belak (1.57GAA, .938%) is a rock and is also a Frank Brimsek Award finalist and doesn’t give opposing shooters much net to look at.
Key Wins: Edina, Hermantown (Class A)
Key Losses: Andover
Prediction: Cretin-Derham Hall has been pretty solid throughout most of the season but I think this game has some upset potential. Alex Bump has been coming up big for the Lakers in big moments, however I think the Raiders will be able to contain him and limit him to perhaps a single goal. I think Cretin-Derham Hall escapes with a 3-2 victory.
1:00PM, Edina (20-8, 6A) vs. #3 Maple Grove (21-6-1, 5A)
6AA is always an incredible grind no matter if its Girls hockey or Boys hockey and this year it was no different. The #2 seeded Hornets would blank #1 seeded Benilde-St. Margaret’s 4-0 in the 6AA final to punch their ticket to St. Paul with a team that has been kind of enigmatic all season. They have the talent and skill to win it all, but can they put it all together for another 3 games?
The Hornets are led up front by seniors, Arizona State-commit Trey Fechko (20-19-39) and Willy Johnson (12-13-25) as well as juniors, Minnesota-commit Jimmy Clark (15-20-35) and Matt VanderVort (13-11-24) provide a majority of Edina’s offense.
On defense, senior Wyatt Wurst (5-13-18) may be one of state’s more physically imposing defensemen and junior Caden Morgan (3-12-15) provide a lot of stability for Edina Head Coach Curt Giles‘ squad.
Between the pipes, junior goaltender Robbie Clarkowski (1.74GAA) has NHL-level size (6’4″) and he carried most of the goaltending workload for the Hornets this season.
Key Wins: Prior Lake, Hill-Murray
Key Losses: Moorhead, Hill-Murray
Most Class AA teams play tough schedules in preparation for the Tourney, but Maple Grove has quite a few feathers in their cap against a fair portion of the tournament field. The Crimson qualified for the Tourney with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over an up-and-coming Rogers squad in the Class 5AA final.
Maple Grove’s attack is led by juniors Landen Gunderson (19-53-72) and Finn Brink (26-26-52), senior Josh Giuliani (23-26-49) and 6’2″ sophomore Danny Nelson (16-17-33) provide plenty of scoring for the Crimson.
On the blueline, junior Luke Margenau (7-21-28) and senior Parker Wente (1-9-10) work efficiently in their own end to deny the middle of the ice and prevent opponents from spending too much time in their own end.
Between the pipes, senior goaltender Toby Hopp (2.34GAA, 4 shutouts) has been solid for Maple Grove all season, and has shown he can shut the door against some of the best teams in the state.
Key Wins: Moorhead, Hermantown (Class A), Andover, Lakeville South
Key Losses: Andover, Hill-Murray
Prediction: This game is another one where I think it will be closer than what you typically see in the quarterfinals. Edina is a bit of a Jekyll & Hyde team where they have the skill and ability to beat anyone but it doesn’t always show up. Maple Grove has been quietly efficient most of the season and I think the Crimson prevail by two in a physically punishing game.
6:00PM, Lakeville South (25-3, 1AA) vs. #1 Hill-Murray (23-4-1, 4AA)
The Cougars punched their ticket to state by beating crosstown arch rival Lakeville North in the 1AA section final 4-1 in Rochester. They have good depth and athleticism all throughout their lineup.
Lakeville South’s attack is led by a quad of juniors; Nebraska-Omaha commit Tanner Ludtke (22-38-60), Aiden Willis (15-31-46), Ashton Dahms (25-16-41) and Tate Pritchard (18-13-31). This gives the Cougars a pretty potent foursome but at times they have had troubles scoring against the better teams on their schedule.
On defense, senior Mason Johnson (3-21-24) and junior Tyler Lafferty (4-19-23) are very capable puck movers but they are also effective at breaking up the rush and allowing the Cougars to go back on the attack.
In the crease, junior goaltender Jack Hocksprung (1.35GAA, 7 shutouts) has been Lakeville South’s workhorse.
Key Wins: Prior Lake x2
Key Losses: Maple Grove, Edina
A season ago, Covid-19 prevented the Pioneers from participating in the state tournament. No doubt that helped inspire Hill-Murray this season as they rolled to a 5-0 victory over arch-rival White Bear Lake in the 4AA final.
The Pioneers are led up front by seniors, Wisconsin-commit Dylan Godbout (29-24-53, #149 NHL Central Scouting), Anthony Madigan (15-14-29), Jack Senden (9-10-19), Brendan Bonin (9-8-17) and Nate Hardy (8-19-27), as well as junior Brady Ingebritson (12-19-31) give Hill-Murray plenty of scoring options.
On the blueline, seniors Leo Gruba (11-21-32, #100 NHL Central Scouting) and Axel Begley (5-28-33) as well as freshman Logan Hensler (7-17-24) give the Pioneers perhaps the best depth at this position in the tournament. They not only can contribute offensively but they’re tall and deny the middle of the ice very well.
In the crease, junior goaltender Jack Erickson (16-1-1, 1.39GAA, 6 shutouts) has been superb since taking over the crease about a 1/3 of the way into the season.
Key Wins: Mahtomedi x2 (Class A), Edina, Maple Grove, Moorhead
Key Losses: Hermantown (Class A), Andover, Edina
Prediction: Hill-Murray just keeps re-loading and they have the star power and the depth to overwhelm just about anyone in the Class AA field. Pioneers’ head coach Bill Lechner has another top notch team. They have good scoring depth, they can shut you down and Lakeville South has struggled to score against the better teams it faced this season. I think the Pioneers win 4-0 or 5-0.
8:00PM, #5 Andover (22-5-1, 7AA) vs. #4 Moorhead (21-6-1, 8AA)
The Huskies avenged a late-season loss to Grand Rapids by winning the section 7AA final over the Thunderhawks 3-1 at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.
Andover is led at forward by the duo of juniors Cayden Casey (21-46-67) and Gavyn Thoreson (25-41-66) as well as seniors Logan Gravnik (14-13-27) and Hunter Zinda (13-9-22) and junior and Colorado College-commit Cooper Conway (11-15-26) giving the Huskies two very solid scoring lines.
On defense, the Huskies look to senior Weston Knox (5-24-29, #218 NHL Central Scouting) and Kyle Law (11-11-22) who log a ton of minutes and may be one of the most well-rounded tandems in the Tourney.
In the crease, senior goaltender Austin Brauns (1.72GAA, 5 shutouts, Frank Brimsek Award finalist) has been Andover Head Coach Mark Manney‘s go-to option all season long.
Key Wins: Cretin-Derham Hall, Maple Grove, Hill-Murray
Key Losses: Moorhead, Maple Grove
Moorhead was the #1 seed in 8AA as they hoped to complete their quest to return to St. Paul for another Tourney appearance. After an exciting first two periods against #3 seeded Elk River where both teams traded goals in quick succession, the Spuds pulled away in the 3rd period to earn an 8-4 victory in the 8AA final.
The Spuds are led at forward by juniors Harper Bentz (37-27-64) and Matt Reierson (14-11-25) as well as seniors Gavin Lindberg (21-43-64) and Carson Triggs (23-31-54) give Moorhead plenty of speed and scoring punch. Moorhead’s power play is dangerous and finding the back of the net at a 31.9% rate.
On the blueline, a trio of juniors, Nebraska-Omaha commit Joe Gramer (3-20-23), Joe Schiller (2-15-17) and Colby Krier (2-11-13) are tremendously efficient puck movers and have underrated offensive ability. They are excellent at transitioning the puck to allow the Spuds to go from defense to offense very quickly.
Moorhead Head Coach Jon Ammerman will no doubt give sophomore goaltender Kai Weigel (2.37GAA) the opportunity to carry the Spuds through the state tournament for what they hope is their school’s 1st championship.
Key Wins: Edina, Prior Lake, Moorhead
Key Losses: Hill-Murray, Maple Grove
Prediction: Like the Class A #4 / #5 game, these two clubs have already faced one another this season with the Spuds winning 6-1 over the Huskies back in early December. Both of these teams are very well coached and execute at a high level. Moorhead has lots of speed and skill up front and on the back end and so does Andover. I think this one will be a barn-burner, but I think the Huskies’ goaltending could be the x-factor. Andover wins in overtime.
Karl’s Class AA Tournament Prediction: This might be the most open AA field in recent memory. Seven of the eight entrants were in the top ten to end the season, and the eighth-Prior Lake-came into the season with a lot of hype. Those senior-heavy Lakers have the Mr. Hockey favorite, Alex Bump, and collide with a Cretin-Derham Hall team that spent much the season ranked #1. Those two fresh faces stand in contrast to their second round opponents, who will either perennial favorite Edina or emerging power Maple Grove. The Hornets are surging behind a lockdown defense and two lethal top lines, while the Crimson’s top unit might be the bullet that can pierce any armor. Top-seeded Hill-Murray looks like the most formidable team coming in; their defense, led by Mr. Hockey finalist Leo Gruba, veteran Axel Begley, and freshman phenom Logan Hensler, makes them very hard to crack. As long as the Dylan Godbout-led offense scores enough, they’ll be a very tough out. Lakeville South and its grinding top line is their first round opponent, while the final quarterfinal will feature two very even teams in Moorhead and Andover. More than anytime before, it feels like anything can happen in this Tourney, but when pushed, it’s usually best to trust great defense. Pick: Hill-Murray.
Derek’s Class AA Tournament Prediction: The Class AA tournament field is as wide open as it can be in recent memory. I think Hill-Murray will ultimately be the winner because they’re simply so well-rounded. Godbout and Gruba will shine and while Hill-Murray may not be the flashiest team in this tournament, they simply don’t have any weaknesses and that is what gets exposed in high-level games like this. I think the Pioneers win 4-2 over Maple Grove in the Class AA finals.
Who do you think will win it all in Class A and Class AA respectively? Tell us on Twitter at @CreaseAndAssist?
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