Thursday, December 10th, 2009
Albert Lea (1A) at Rochester Century (1AA), 7:30PM | Rochester Recreation Center
Apple Valley (3AA) at Burnsville (2AA), 7PM | Burnsville Ice Center
Aquinas (WI) at La Crescent (1A), 7:30PM | La Crescent Community Arena
Becker/Big Lake (8AA) at Buffalo (8AA), 7PM | Buffalo Community Civic Center
________________________________________________________
Blaine (5AA) at Osseo (5AA), 7:30PM | Dick Vraa Ice Arena
:: Note: Osseo proved that they could play with undefeated and 9th-ranked Wayzata on Tuesday tying them 4-4. Now, they need to prove that they can give Section 6AA favorite and 7th-ranked Blaine a good game.
Blaine has only played one game so far and it was a memorable won. The Bengals traveled to Roseau and defeated the Rams in come back fashion, 5-4. Junior Nick Bjugstad's hat trick was the difference.
Two Windles (Sam and Tom), two Bonners (Patrick and Tim), and the Osseo D will be key in this game. They will need to score at least four goals in this game like they did against Wayzata and hold Blaine to less than four. But, I think that Bjugstad, Gavin Tufte, Eric Scheid, and goaltender Dan Harper will be too much for the Orioles in this one.
________________________________________________________
Bloomington Jefferson (2AA) at Lakeville South (1AA), 7:30PM | Hasse Arena
Centennial (5AA) at Coon Rapids (5AA), 7:30PM | Cook Arena
Duluth Central (7A) at Pine City/Rush City (5A), 7:30PM | Pine City Civic Center
East Grand Forks (8A) at Roseau (8AA), 7:30PM | Roseau Memorial Arena
Eden Prairie (6AA) at Chaska/Chanhassen (2AA), 7:30PM | Victoria Ice Arena
Elk River/Zimmerman (7AA) at Anoka (5AA), 7:30PM | Anoka Arena
Eveleth-Gilbert/ME (7A) at Two Harbors (7A), 7:30PM | Lake County Arena
Faribault (1A) at Mankato West (1A), 7:30PM | All Seasons Arena
________________________________________________________
Farmington (1AA) at Winona (1AA), 7:30PM | Bud King Ice Arena
:: Note: Winona can score! The Winhawks averaged 4.77 goals per game last season. The Winona skaters that scored 71% of the goals last year have returned and, so far in three games, this year's team averaged 7.33 goals per game. The bad news about last year's team was that they gave up a lot of goals. Senior forwards Aaron Theis, Jay Moran, and Kyle Florin and junior forward Thomas Lueck are going to score almost at will. Florin has seven goals, Moran four, and Theis three already in three games. They also have a good goaltender back in senior Garrett Welle. His personal stats were respectable last year for a team that gave up the 2nd most shots per game (over 30) in Section 1AA, 2nd only to Rochester John Marshall. So far, the Winhawks have given up just four goals (26 shots/gm) in three games including a shutout against Mankato West. Last year, Winona shutout only one team, Austin, 13-0. The offense is probably even better than last year and the defense/goaltending looks so far like it may have improved. If that continues, Winona will be a contender for Section 1AA.
Farmington is scoring goals too. They have averaged five goals in their first two games. Their offense is powered by junior forward Tyler Grubb and senior forwards Tylor Bambenek and Andrew Thomas.
If you like to watch a lot of goals being scored, go to this game. Last year, Farmington won 6-5 in Farmington. This may turn out to be an 8-3 game in Winona's favor this year.
________________________________________________________
Hastings (3AA) at East Ridge (4A), 7:30PM | Cottage Grove Ice Arena
Hill-Murray (4AA) at Henry Sibley (3AA), 7:30PM | West St. Paul Arena
Lakeville North (1AA) at Eagan (3AA), 7:30PM | Eagan Ice Arena
Mahtomedi (4A) at Richfield (2A), 7:30PM | Richfield Ice Arena
Maple Grove (5AA) at Champlin Park (5AA), 7:30PM | Champlin Ice Forum
Marshall (3A) at New Ulm (3A), 7:30PM | New Ulm Civic Center
________________________________________________________
Moorhead (8AA) at Bemidji (8AA), 7PM | John Glas FH - Bemidji State U
:: Note: Bemidji made the jump from Section 8A to Section 8AA this year. When I looked at the players coming back for both teams this year, Bemidji had more returning goal scorers and ALL of their defensemen back. Moorhead only had two defensemen return and do not have a lot of depth coming back in terms of goal production.
Moorhead has a very good goaltender in Logan Marks back. He was a major factor in the Spuds journey to the Class AA championship game against Eden Prairie last March. Marks and the Spuds have played only one game so far. They traveled to Grand Rapids and defeated the Thunderhawks on their home ice, 4-1. Marks had 17 Saves while four different skaters contributed one goal each for the Spuds.
Bemidji's Jeremiah Graves had only seven games of experience last year in goal but he has looked good so far two games into the season as the Lumberjacks starter. Graves has given up only 1 goal in two games and has saved 34 total shots. On offense, the Lumberjacks scored 15 goals in those two games. Five skaters have two goals while senior forward Jesse Nemgar (6'0", 170 lbs) leads the team with three.
On paper, Bemidji should be better than Moorhead. But, Moorhead is not a team to be taken for granted. The Spuds may not be quite ready to let the new team of the Section take their crown away. I am really curious to see if Bemidji is ready to step up and be a legitimate contender in Section 8AA this year.
________________________________________________________
Mound-Westonka (2A) at Rogers (5A), 7PM | Rogers Ice Arena
Mounds View (4AA) at Cretin-Derham Hall (3AA), 7:30PM | Highland Arena
North St. Paul (4AA) at Simley (4A), 7:30PM | Vets Memorial Community Center
Park (Cottage Grove) (3AA) at Woodbury (3AA), 7:30PM | Bielenberg Ice Arena
Prairie Centre Area (6A) at Morris/Benson Area (6A), 7PM | Lee Community Center
Red Wing (1A) at Rochester Lourdes (1A), 7:30PM | Rochester Graham Arena
Rochester John Marshall (1AA) at Rochester Mayo (1AA), 7:30 PM | Graham Arena
Rosemount (3AA) at Eastview (3AA), 7:15PM | Apple Valley Sports Arena
Roseville Area (4AA) at Stillwater Area (4AA), 8:30PM | St. Croix Recreation Center
Somerset (WI) at Robbinsdale Cooper (6AA), 7:30PM | New Hope Arena
St. Cloud Apollo (6A) at Brainerd/Pillager/Pierz (8AA), 7PM | Brainerd Area Civic Center
St. Cloud Tech (8AA) at River Lakes (8AA), 7PM | River Lakes Civic Center
St. Louis Park (2A) at Bloomington Kennedy (2AA), 7:30PM | Bloomington Ice Garden
St. Michael-Albertville (2A) at Delano/Rockford (2A), 7:30PM | Delano Area Sports Arena
St. Paul Academy/MPA (4A) at Spring Lake Park (4A), 7:30PM | Fogerty Arena
St. Thomas Academy (4A) at Tartan (4AA), 7:30PM | Tartan Ice Arena
Wadena-Deer Creek (6A) at Northern Lakes (6A), 7PM | Breezy Point Ice Arena
Waseca (1A) at Sleepy Eye Area (3A), 7PM | Sleepy Eye Arena
Willmar (6A) at Sauk Rapids-Rice (5A), 7PM | Sports Arena East
Windom Area (3A) at Worthington/RL-B (3A), 7:30PM | Worthington Arena
