By Tim Droogsma
Media Director
Upper Midwest High School Elite League
Team Southeast swept another three games to remain unbeaten during Week 2 of the Upper Midwest High School Elite League. All Week 2 games were played at the National Sports Center in Blaine as part of the North American Hockey League Showcase.
Southeast opened its weekend with a 6-0 victory over Team North, outshooting the northerners 46-14. Six different players scored, including Nate Flynn of Hastings, who had a goal and assist. Will Merchant, Scott Nelson, Connor McGovern, Blake Winiecki and Michael Zajac also scored in the win. Southeast then launched another 40 shots in a 10-2 rout of Manitoba. Justin Kloos picked up a hat trick and Guentzel added four assists. Southeast then completed the weekend with a 3-1 win over Team Great Plains as Kloos, Guentzel and Chapman each scored and goalie Justin Quale of Benilde-St. Margaret’s stopped 14 of 15 shots.
Also completing a three-game sweep and staying just two points back of Southeast was Team Northwest, which opened the weekend with a 6-1 victory over Team Northeast. Jake O’Borsky of Benilde-St. Margaret’s had a goal and assist, while Grant Besse and Thomas Lindstrom each added a goal and assist. In Saturday’s game, Blaine’s Jesse Norling and Breck’s Grant Opperman each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over Team Wisconsin. Goalie Dylan Parker of Duluth East stopped 21 of 23 shots. On Sunday, Jordan Gross’ second goal of the game with 1:34 left powered a 5-4 victory over Team Southwest. Opperman also had a pair of goals and an assist in the win.
Team North won two of three to move into third place. After the loss to Southeast, North rebounded with a 6-1 win over Great Plains as Brainerd teammates Mitch McLain and Matt Pohlkamp each scored a pair of goals. Jared Kolquist of Hermantown and Conner Valesano of Duluth East each had a pair of assists in the game. On Sunday, East’s Trevor Olson scored twice and Jake Bischoff of Grand Rapids chipped in three assists in an 8-3 win over Manitoba.
Team Northeast also went 2-1 to hold on to fourth place. After a Friday loss, Dylan Steman of Maple Grove scored twice and added an assist to lead a 5-3 victory over Team Southwest. T.J. Moore and Cody Corbett each had a pair of assists. In Sunday’s finale, goalie Blake Cates of Stillwater stopped all 20 shots he faced in a 6-0 win over Wisconsin. Lucas Kohls of Forest Lake scored twice, while Jay Dickman of St. Paul Johnson had a pair of assists.
Team Wisconsin earned its only point of the weekend in a 5-5 tie with Team Southwest. On Saturday, Wisconsin fell 5-2 to Team Northwest despite goals by Ashton Wackym and Jake Mullendore, before losing 6-0 on Sunday to Team Northeast.
The 5-5 tie with Wisconsin was also Team Southwest’s only point of the weekend. On Saturday they fell 5-3 to Team Northeast despite a pair of goals from Minnetonka’s Max Coatta and a pair of assists from Joe Schuldt. Sunday saw a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Northwest after Southwest had tied the game at 4-4 in the third period on a goal by Daniel Labosky, only to give up a goal in the final 90 seconds. Conor Andrle, Vinni Letteri and Erik Baskin also scored in the loss.
Team Great Plains picked up its first point of the season on Friday in a 2-2 tie with Manitoba. Austin Swingle of St. Cloud Cathedral and Chris Forney of Thief River Falls each scored in the tie.
NOTES: The Elite League goes on the road for Week 3, with games played in Somerset, Wisconsin and Mars Arena in Duluth. Shattuck-St. Mary’s also joins the league for the remaining five weeks, as Team Manitoba goes home after posting an 0-5-1 record.
T.J. Roo of Totino-Grace has taken over the league scoring lead with 15 points on three goals and 12 assists. His Team Northwest teammate Grant Besse of Benilde-St. Margaret’s leads in goals with seven.
T.J. Roo of Totino-Grace has taken over the league scoring lead with 15 points on three goals and 12 assists. His Team Northwest teammate Grant Besse of Benilde-St. Margaret’s leads in goals with seven.
