It's playoff time!Minnesota hockey fans want your score!
Thank you!
FTP playoff prediction record: 98 out of 118 correct | 83.1%
Section 2AA
Championship
(3) Bloomington Jefferson (19-5-3) vs. (1) Edina (19-6-2), 8PM | Target Center
Key Players:
Edina
Steven Fogarty - junior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 3 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 18 goals, 12 assists, 25 GP
Charlie Taft - senior forward, captain
Playoff Stats: 0 goals, 0 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 16 goals, 10 assists, 25 GP
Michael Sit - junior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 4 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 11 goals, 11 assists, 25 GP
Connor Girard - junior goaltender
Playoffs Stats: 2-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .938 Sv %| Regular Season: 7-3-1, 1.96 GAA, .906 Sv %
Bloomington Jefferson
Caleb Herbert - Mr. Hockey Finalist, senior forward, captain, UMD recruit
Playoff Stats: 4 goals, 3 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 26 goals, 28 assists, 25 GP
Jeffrey Pauluk - senior defenseman, captain
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 5 assists in 2 GP | Regular Season: 7 goals, 39 assists, 25 GP
Joe Faust - senior defenseman, captain, Princeton recruit
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 4 assists in 2 GP | Regular Season: 12 goals, 28 assists, 25 GP
Tyler Dietzler - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 2 goals, 1 assist, 2 GP | Regular Season: 18 goals, 18 assists, 24 GP
Justin Woodley - junior goaltender
Playoff Stats: 2-0-0, 1.42 GAA, .930 Sv % | Regular Season: 10-4-2, 2.26 GAA, .886 Sv %
Note: After a late season goaltending controversy, Justin Woodley earned his spot back in goal after doing well during an intrasquad scrimmage before the playoffs started.
Game note: These two teams did not meet head-to-head this season but this is a rematch of last year's Section 2AA championship. Edina won that game 5-0. But, there is no Anders Lee, Marshall Everson, Connor Gaarder, or Brendan Baker on this year's Hornets team. It should be a close game that could go either way with a high probability of overtime.
Prediction: Bloomington Jefferson 3, Edina 2
______________________________________________________
Section 4AA
Semifinals
(5) Mounds View (12-12-2) vs. Hill-Murray (23-2-1), 6PM | MN State Fair Coliseum
Prediction: Hill-Murray 5, Mounds View 1
(3) Stillwater Area (15-9-2) vs. (2) White Bear Lake (16-9-1), 8PM | MN SF Coliseum
Prediction: Stillwater Area 3, White Bear Lake 2
______________________________________________________
Section 6AA
Championship
(3) Eden Prairie (22-4-1) vs. (1) Minnetonka (24-1-2), 6PM | Target Center
Key Players:
Minnetonka
Derek Frawley - junior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 4 assists, 2 GP | Regular Stats: 16 goals, 28 assists, 25 GP
Max Gardiner - senior forward - University of Minnesota recruit
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 4 assists, 2 GP | Regular Stats: 17 goals, 26 assists, 17 GP
Max Coatta - freshman forward
Playoff Stats: 2 goals, 1 assist, 2 GP | Regular Stats: 20 goals, 21 assists, 25 GP
Thomas Schutt - junior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 3 assists 2 GP | Regular Season: 19 goals, 19 assists, 25 GP
Andrew Prochno - senior defenseman - St. Cloud State University recruit
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 GP | Regular Season: 7 goals, 28 assists, 25 GP
Justin Holl - senior defenseman - University of Minnesota recruit
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 GP | Regular Season: 17 goals, 14 assists, 25 GP
Jim Kruger - senior goaltender
Playoff Stats: 2-0-0, 0.75 GAA, .958 Sv % | Regular Season: 14-1-2, 1.62 GAA, .933 Sv %
Eden Prairie
Kyle Rau - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 2 goals, 2 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 38 goals, 39 assists, 25 GP
Mitch Rogge - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 2 goal, 0 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 22 goals, 32 assists, 25 GP
Mike Erickson - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 0 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 20 goals, 24 assists, 25 GP
Dan Molenaar - junior defenseman
Playoff Stats: 0 goals, 1 assist, 2 GP | Regular Season: 7 goals, 25 assists, 25 GP
Andrew Ford - junior goaltender
Playoff Stats: 2-0-0, 1.50 GAA, .947 Sv % | Regular Season: 12-4-0, 2.28 GAA, .907 Sv %
Game Note: This is another Section championship rematch. Eden Prairie won 4-2 last year over Minnetonka and went on to win their first state title. This year, Minnetonka has been the dominant team in the state. After starting the season 19-0-0, the Skippers looked less invincible in their last six regular season games. They went 3-1-2. This is a very dangerous team full of college recruits. I think there is immense pressure on the Skippers to win their first state title. The defending Section 6AA and Class AA state champions are the underdogs. The Eagles were not expected to beat Wayzata and very few are expecting them to beat Minnetonka. Sorry Minnetonka, I am sensing an upset.
Prediction: Eden Prairie 4, Minnetonka 3
______________________________________________________
Section 8AA
Championship
(2) Roseau (21-5-1) vs. (1) Moorhead (14-10-2), 7PM | Ralph Engelstad Arena - TRF
Key Players:
Moorhead
Kyle Kraemer - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goals, 5 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 15 goals, 10 assists, 23 GP
Brandon MacLeod - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goals, 7 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 10 goals, 14 assists, 24 GP
Braden Rahman - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 4 goals, 2 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 8 goals, 16 assists, 24 GP
Tyler Larson - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 4 goals, 1 assist, 2 GP | Regular Season: 8 goals, 15 assists, 24 GP
Quinn Buckellew - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 GP | Regular Season: 15 goals, 6 assists, 24 GP
Michael Bitzer - sophomore goaltender
Playoff Stats: 1-0-0, 0.00 GAA, 1.00 Sv % | Regular Season: 5-2-0, 1.87 GAA, .920 Sv %
Logan Marks - senior goaltender
Playoff Stats: 1-0-0, 0.00 GAA, 1.00 Sv % | Regular Season: 7-8-2, 3.32 GAA, .884 Sv %
Roseau
Shane Omdahl - junior forward
Playoff Stats: 2 goals, 2 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 25 goals, 37 assists, 25 GP
Adam Knochenmus - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 3 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 20 goals, 25 assists, 20 GP
Cole Kostrzewski - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 3 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 17 goals, 23 assists, 24 GP
Josh Erickson - sophomore forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 0 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 9 goals, 13 assists, 25 GP
Ethan Kvidt - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 2-0-0, 1.32 GAA, .925 Sv % | Regular Season: 19-5-1, 2.34 GAA, .905 Sv %
Game note: I don't have any data on how many years in a row that these two have faced each other in the Section 8AA championship but it has been several. This year, these two teams have split two regular season games. Roseau won at Moorhead 4-1 but Moorhead outshot the Rams 34-29. Kvidt was in goal for Roseau, Marks for Moorhead. In game two in Roseau, Moorhead dominated the Rams 6-2 and outshot them 37-28. Kvidt and Marks were in goal for that game too. Brandon MacLeod had a total of three goals for Moorhead in the two games. It is a neutral site for game three. Roseau has a great overall record but Moorhead played a much harder schedule. Roseau has better top end players in Omdahl and Knochenmus but I think Moorhead has a more balanced and an overall better team. If Roseau can score four goals, they have a good shot but I think the Spuds will hold them to three or less.
Prediction: Moorhead 4, Roseau 3
______________________________________________________
Section 7A
Championship
(3) Hibbing/Chisholm (14-10-2) vs. Virginia/MIB (17-7-3), 7:30PM | D.E.C.C.
Key Players:
Virginia/MIB
Garrett Hendrickson - junior forward, St. Cloud State recruit
Playoff Stats: 2 goals, 7 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 29 goals, 37 assists, 25 GP
Andrew Judnick - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 4 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 18 goals, 20 assists, 25 GP
Dan Chesser - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 4 goals, 2 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 13 goals, 21 assists, 25 GP
Wes Judnick - junior defenseman
Playoff Stats: 0 goals, 6 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 8 goals, 25 assists, 25 GP
Travis Eddy - junior forward
Playoff Stats: 4 goals, 4 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 14 goals, 16 assists, 25 GP
Jordan Krebsbach - senior defenseman
Playoff Stats: 3 goals, 4 assists, 2 GP | Regular Season: 8 goals, 14 assists, 19 GP
Casey Myhre - senior goaltender
Playoff Stats: 2-0-0, 0.93 GAA, .949 Sv % | Regular Season: 7-3-3, 2.20 GAA, .914 Sv %
Hibbing/Chisholm
Ryan Johnson - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 3 goals, 2 assists | Regular Season: 36 goals, 17 assists, 24 GP
Marcus Bugliosi - senior forward
Playoff Stats: 1 goal, 6 assists | Regular Season: 11 goals, 30 assists, 24 GP
Nick DeCenzo - junior forward/defenseman
Playoff Stats: 2 goals, 4 assists | Regular Season: 14 goals, 26 assists, 24 GP
Nathan Tromp - junior goaltender
Playoff Stats: 2-0-0, 0.60 GAA, .969 Sv % | Regular Season: 10-9-1, 3.22 GAA, .880 Sv %
Game note: Hibbing/Chisholm upset Virginia/MIB in Hibbing on February 16th 3-2 in overtime. Ryan Johnson scored for the Bluejackets on a beautiful pass from Marcus Bugliosi as they streaked down the ice on a 2-on-1.
Virginia/MIB defeated Hibbing/Chisholm 5-1 earlier on January 16th in Virginia. In both games, the shots were relatively even. I think Virginia/MIB has more balance and overall depth. Last year, these same two teams met in the Section 7A championship. Virginia/MIB won 3-1. Also last year, Hibbing/Chisholm was a one-man arsenal with Aaron Jamnick. This year, Ryan Johnson is the Bluejackets main weapon. And, just like last year, if Virginia/MIB shuts down Johnson, Garrett Hendrickson and the Blue Devils depth should be enough of a difference to send them on their way to the Xcel Energy Center again.
Prediction: Virginia/MIB 4, Hibbing/Chisholm 1
