FTP's Top 5 Games of The Day: Tuesday, January 22nd

Here are FTP's Top 5 Games for Tuesday, January 22nd:

1. #2A St. Thomas Academy (14-3-0) vs. #3AA Minnetonka (15-2-0), 7:00 PM

Great game. It will be the St. Thomas Academy's powerful offense against Minnetonka's stiffling defense. The Cadets want to prove not only that they are a top Class A team but a top five team in the state. After the Cadets lost to #1A-ranked Duluth Marshall a little over a week ago and with Minnetonka still celebrating their Saturday win against #6AA-ranked Benilde-St. Margaret's, St. Thomas Academy may want this game a little bit more.

Fearless Prediction: St. Thomas Academy

Catch the GAME OF THE DAY on:

Minnesota Sports Broadcast Network - Channel Two!

2. #11AA Eastview (11-5-1) vs. #8AA Eden Prairie (12-4-1), 7:00 PM

Revenge game! Eastview beat the Eagles 3-2 in overtime back on December 4th at the Apple Valley Sports Arena.

The Lightning have won their last four games but they were all against teams with records below .500. They have been stuck in the 11th position in the FTP.com's Class AA Rankings for a couple weeks. With a win against Eden Prairie, it should be their ticket into the top 10.

The Eagles are 3-0-1 in their last four settling with a tie at Moorhead last Friday night.

Eden Prairie is 4-0 on their home ice. Eastview is 4-4-1 away from the Apple Valley Sports Arena.

Fearless Prediction: Eden Prairie


3. Moorhead (8-6-3) at #1AA Roseau (15-0-0), 6:00 PM

Typically this match-up would receive top billing. However, the Spuds are sputtering through the season so far managing a record just above the .500 mark. Moorhead lost to two Class A teams last week at home with Thief River Falls and at 5th-ranked Warroad. The Spuds were embarrassed by Roseau in their first game against one another in early December, 7-2. Moorhead's season could take a quick turn to the positive if they can steal a win from the #1AA-ranked Rams at Roseau Memorial Arena.

Roseau is 6-0 at home having won five of the six by 3 or more goals. Moorhead is 4-4-1 on the road this season.

Fearless Prediction: Roseau


4. #20AA Cloquet/Esko/Carlton (10-5-2) at Duluth Marshall (12-3-0), 7:30 PM

Here is another game that had higher expectations. Cloquet/Esko/Carlton looked like they were the top team in Class 7AA just a couple of weeks ago but they may slid into the fourth best behind Duluth East, Anoka, and Grand Rapids. The Lumberjacks have gone 3-3 in their last six games with losses to Brainerd, Superior (WI), and Grand Rapids.

#1A-ranked Duluth Marshall's fortunes couldn't be better after they crushed then #1 St. Thomas Academy 8-2 in the Cadets home arena back on January 12th. The Hilltoppers have not played a game since. Will the time off cause some rust with this team's game?

In order for the Jacks to win, senior Justin Jokinen and junior Oscar Carlsson (my two favorite Scandinavian names on any one team this year) will need to step up while senior goaltender will need to shut the door on junior Zach Mausolf, junior Pat Mahoney and Topper leading scorer David Hafferty.

This may be a close one due to a little rust but the team on the hill should prevail over the Jacks, 4-3 or 5-3.

Fearless Prediction: Duluth Marshall


5. #10A Albert Lea (11-3-0) at Owatonna (14-2-0), 7:30 PM

Revenge game! Owatonna defeated Albert Lea at Albert Lea on December 6th, 3-2. Don't expect the same outcome this time around. The Tigers are riding a six-game winning streak which started with a win over Mankato West, the Scarlets only loss of the season so far. The Tigers would like to win lucky number seven over a team that gave them one of their only three losses this season, their first lost of the season to be exact. It will be a tough mission to accomplish though as the Huskies are hosting this reunion and they have a five-game winning streak of their own and have only two losses on the season.

Owatonna has one five games in a row twice this year. After their first five wins of the season, they then lost to Mankato West at home, 0-7. Then, after winning the next four games, the Huskies then lost to Orono, 0-7. If Albert Lea wins, it will be their seventh win in a row. See the SEVENS pattern here? It's all I got to try and predict this one. It should be another great game.

Fearless Prediction: Albert Lea