Wednesday, March 10th
Excel Energy Center
St. Paul, MN
Excel Energy Center
St. Paul, MN
Game 1: 11AM: Mahtomedi (23-5-0) vs. Alexandria (21-6-1)
SCORING (Top 5 from each team)
| # | Name | YIS | Pos | Team | GP | G | A | PTS |
| 22 | Brandon Zurn | 12 | F | Mahtomedi | 28 | 33 | 39 | 72 |
| 3 | Charlie Adams | 12 | F | Mahtomedi | 28 | 33 | 33 | 66 |
| 9 | Thomas Williams | 12 | F | Alexandria | 26 | 37 | 24 | 61 |
| 14 | Ben Marshall | 11 | D | Mahtomedi | 26 | 19 | 34 | 53 |
| 17 | Casey Vangsness | 12 | F | Alexandria | 28 | 15 | 30 | 45 |
| 7 | Ross Thompson | 12 | F | Alexandria | 28 | 12 | 31 | 43 |
| 21 | Mike Rose | 11 | F | Mahtomedi | 27 | 16 | 17 | 33 |
| 17 | Tanner Jordan | 10 | F | Mahtomedi | 26 | 14 | 13 | 27 |
| 8 | Ashton Gronholz | 12 | F | Alexandria | 28 | 15 | 8 | 23 |
| 4 | Tyler Iverson | 12 | F | Alexandria | 28 | 9 | 10 | 19 |
GOALTENDING
| Name | Team | YIS | GP | Record | GAA | Save % |
| Erich Murphy | Alexandria | 10 | 22.1 | 16-3-1 | 1.90 | .914 |
| Brad Wohlers | Mahtomedi | 12 | 16.8 | 14-4-0 | 2.61 | .908 |
| Sawyer Marshall | Mahtomedi | 10 | 13.8 | 8-1-0 | 1.66 | .896 |
TEAM STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| Team | GPG - Rank | SPG - Rank | GAA - Rank | SAPG - Rank | Save % - Rank | Overall Rank |
| Mahtomedi | 5.36 - 4 | 32.5 - 7 | 2.50 - 6 | 26.2 - 7 | .905 - 3 | 5.4 |
| Alexandria | 4.43 - 7 | 34.7 - 6 | 2.07 - 4 | 21.3 - 5 | .903 - 5 | 5.4 |
This is a good matchup on paper. The goaltenders are relatively even with a slight edge to Alexandria's Erich Murphy. Brad Wohlers can get hot at the right time just like he did in the Section 4A championship this year and last year both against St. Thomas Academy. Alexandria appears to have the better defense. Mahtomedi tends to give up quite a few shots.
This should be a very good game. In the end, I like Mahtomedi's top three scorers (Brandon Zurn-Charlie Adams-Ben Marshall) over Alexandria's one (Thomas Williams).
Prediction: Mahtomedi 4, Alexandria 3
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Game 2: 1PM: Hermantown (25-3-0) vs. Virginia/MIB (18-7-3)
SCORERS (Top 5 from each team)
| # | Name | YIS | Pos | Team | GP | G | A | PTS |
| 7 | Garrett Hendrickson | 11 | F | Virginia/MIB | 28 | 32 | 44 | 76 |
| 27 | Adam Krause | 12 | C | Hermantown | 28 | 36 | 28 | 64 |
| 3 | Andrew Judnick | 12 | F | Virginia/MIB | 28 | 19 | 25 | 44 |
| 5 | Charlie Comnick | 12 | W | Hermantown | 28 | 18 | 25 | 43 |
| 10 | Dan Chesser | 12 | F | Virginia/MIB | 28 | 17 | 23 | 40 |
| 8 | Wes Judnick | 11 | D | Virginia/MIB | 28 | 8 | 32 | 40 |
| 25 | Travis Eddy | 11 | F | Virginia/MIB | 27 | 18 | 20 | 38 |
| 9 | Willis Kantonen | 12 | W | Hermantown | 28 | 16 | 22 | 38 |
| 4 | Jeff Paczynski | 12 | D | Hermantown | 22 | 6 | 22 | 28 |
| 16 | Jared Kolquist | 10 | D | Hermantown | 28 | 3 | 25 | 28 |
GOALTENDING
| Name | Team | YIS | GP | Record | GAA | Save % |
| Casey Myhre | Virginia/MIB | 12 | 16.8 | 10-3-3 | 1.91 | .922 |
| Tiegen Brickson | Hermantown | 12 | 12.6 | 13-0-0 | 1.51 | .921 |
| Tyler Ampe | Hermantown | 12 | 15.7 | 12-3-0 | 1.85 | .909 |
| Andy Milbridge | Virginia/MIB | 11 | 12.0 | 8-4-0 | 3.08 | .855 |
TEAM STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| Team | GPG - Rank | SPG - Rank | GAA - Rank | SAPG - Rank | Save % - Rank | Overall Rank |
| Hermantown | 5.79 - 2 | 44.0 - 1 | 1.75 - 2 | 20.0 - 2 | .913 - 2 | 1.8 |
| Virginia/MIB | 5.79 - 2 | 37.0 - 4 | 2.54 - 7 | 23.9 - 6 | .894 - 7 | 5.2 |
Hermantown leads in every statistical category except goals per game. Both teams are even in scoring goals at 5.79 goals per game. Virginia/MIB's goaltending statistics overall is misleading because Casey Myhre had a much better season than Andy Milbridge. Myhre is the second best goaltender according to save percentage going into the tournament.
Both teams met each other once on December 22nd. Hermantown won 4-2. The shots were 35-17 in favor of Hermantown. Myhre and Tyler Ampe were in goal for each team. Adam Krause scored in that game, Garrett Hendrickson did not.
Virginia/MIB's defense will need to slow down Hermantown's high octane offense or block more shots to help reduce the shots that Myhre faces and the offense will need to put more shots on Hermantown's goaltender, Ampe or Tiegen Brickson, to have a shot at upsetting the Hawks.
Prediction: Hermantown 5, Virginia/MIB 2
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Game 3: 6PM: Breck School (26-2-0) vs. New Ulm (16-9-1)
SCORERS (Top 5 from each team)
| # | Name | YIS | Pos | Team | GP | G | A | PTS |
| 23 | Tyson Fulton | 12 | F | Breck School | 28 | 34 | 50 | 84 |
| 8 | Mike Morin | 12 | F | Breck School | 28 | 33 | 28 | 61 |
| 9 | Riley Borer | 12 | F | Breck School | 27 | 18 | 40 | 58 |
| 17 | Chase Nystedt | 12 | F | Breck School | 28 | 26 | 23 | 49 |
| 26 | Wesley Iverson | 10 | F | Breck School | 28 | 16 | 23 | 39 |
| 8 | Zach Fisher | 12 | W | New Ulm | 26 | 18 | 16 | 34 |
| 3 | Kaleb Juntunen | 11 | W | New Ulm | 22 | 18 | 16 | 34 |
| 5 | Brody Peterson | 10 | C | New Ulm | 26 | 20 | 13 | 33 |
| 12 | Adam Loose | 11 | W | New Ulm | 25 | 14 | 16 | 30 |
| 16 | Zach Hoffmann | 11 | D | New Ulm | 24 | 7 | 21 | 28 |
GOALTENDING
| Name | Team | YIS | GP | Record | GAA | Save % |
| John Russell | Breck School | 12 | 21.0 | 19-2-0 | 1.43 | .946 |
| Blake Burgau | New Ulm | 11 | 26.3 | 16-9-1 | 2.67 | .899 |
TEAM STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| Team | GPG - Rank | SPG - Rank | GAA - Rank | SAPG - Rank | Save % - Rank | Overall Rank |
| Breck School | 7.36 - 1 | 39.8 - 2 | 1.46 - 1 | 20.3 - 4 | .928 - 1 | 1.8 |
| New Ulm | 4.50 - 6 | 39.0 - 3 | 2.73 - 8 | 26.7 - 8 | .898 - 6 | 6.2 |
This is most definitely a David versus Goliath matchup. Breck School averages almost three more goals per game than New Ulm. New Ulm gives up almost double the goals per game than Breck School does. New Ulm has averaged 39 shots on goal on mostly Section 3A and 1A opponents. Breck School played a much more difficult schedule.
Breck School's roster is deep with talent and they should win another state title. New Ulm made it to state through the weakest Section, 3A. If New Ulm wins this game, it will be the biggest upset in state tournament history.
Prediction: Breck School 8, New Ulm 1
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Game 4: 8PM: Warroad (24-4-0) vs. Rochester Lourdes (17-8-3)
SCORERS (Top 5 from each team)
| # | Name | YIS | Pos | Team | GP | G | A | PTS |
| 3 | Brock Nelson | 12 | F | Warroad | 28 | 47 | 38 | 85 |
| 9 | Brett Hebel | 12 | F | Warroad | 28 | 26 | 44 | 70 |
| 5 | Carson Gray | 11 | D | Warroad | 25 | 7 | 33 | 40 |
| 13 | Nick Stoskopf | 11 | D | Warroad | 28 | 17 | 21 | 38 |
| 20 | Alex Funk | 9 | F | Rochester Lourdes | 28 | 15 | 14 | 29 |
| 4 | Jason Samuelson | 9 | F | Rochester Lourdes | 28 | 13 | 15 | 28 |
| 21 | Rory Vesel | 11 | D | Rochester Lourdes | 27 | 5 | 23 | 28 |
| 7 | Brandon Chezick | 12 | F | Rochester Lourdes | 27 | 11 | 15 | 26 |
| 37 | Joey Olson | 12 | D | Warroad | 28 | 5 | 20 | 25 |
| 17 | Alex Kurth | 12 | F | Rochester Lourdes | 27 | 9 | 14 | 23 |
GOALTENDING
| Name | Team | YIS | GP | Record | GAA | Save % |
| Shawn Storey | Warroad | 12 | 17.7 | 14-3-0 | 1.70 | .916 |
| Andy Foster | Warroad | 10 | 9.7 | 8-1-0 | 1.95 | .901 |
| Mark Greve | Rochester Lourdes | 12 | 10.5 | 7-2-1 | 1.72 | .892 |
| Nick Heimer | Rochester Lourdes | 11 | 18.0 | 10-6-2 | 2.39 | .870 |
TEAM STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| Team | GPG - Rank | SPG - Rank | GAA - Rank | SAPG - Rank | Save % - Rank | Overall Rank |
| Warroad | 4.96 - 5 | 35.6 - 5 | 1.89 - 3 | 20.0 - 2 | .905 - 3 | 3.6 |
| Rochester Lourdes | 3.50 - 8 | 30.7 - 8 | 2.21 - 5 | 17.7 - 1 | .875 - 8 | 6.0 |
Warroad goes into the game favored but they better not overlook Rochester Lourdes. The Rochester Lourdes Eagles are lead in scoring by two freshmen, Alex Funk and Jason Samuelson, and they do not score a lot as a team but their defense is one of the best in the state. They allow opponents just 17.7 shots per game. They held Breck School to just two goals and 25 shots. #1 Breck School was held to less than four goals only twice all season, once to Rochester Lourdes (2 goals) and to the #1 ranked non-MSHSL prep school in the country Shattuck St. Mary's (1 goal).
Eagles goaltender Nick Heimer did not have a great junior season but he was solid in the playoffs. He returns to the Class A state tournament having started during it last year as a sophomore.
Warroad is led by 6'4" Mr. Hockey Finalist Brock Nelson. Nelson led all other scorers in the state in the playoffs by scoring eight goals and assisting on four others in three games. He also comes into the Class A State Tournament having the most points of any other player of the final eight teams. He leads Breck School's Tyson Fulton by one point. I think Nelson and Blaine's Nick Bjugstad should be the front runners for the 2010 Mr. Hockey Award.
Rochester Lourdes may be able to stay in the game until the third and then I think Nelson and Brett Hebel will find a way to finish strong for Warroad.
Prediction: Warroad 3, Rochester Lourdes 1
