Day two, and the players are clicking into a routine. 

Thursday’s morning practices were efficient, with new players emerging as skilled athletes and fluidly moving from drill to drill. 

Between practices, players were treated to a presentation on the strength training that the University of Minnesota athletes adhere to, a key component in building strength and endurance for the next level. 

Topic covered included workout frequency, proper technique, and a focus on bodyweight exercises at the Peewee age. Waiting until high school to start lifting heavy weights was another highlighted topic. 

Both teams took in a seminar on nutrition between afternoon games, learning the ins and outs of lean proteins, the importance of staying hydrated, and metabolism. 

Friday will consist of two five-on-five contests, and then the Combine will trek to the LumberYard in Stillwater for a battery of three-on-three games. 

GAME 1: GOLD 8, MAROON 4

Aided by two own-goals by Team Maroon, Team Gold cruised to the 8-4 victory in the first scrimmage of the afternoon. 

Evan Pahos led a balanced scoring effort for Gold, scoring two goals. Ethan Elias, Brandon Reller, Ryan Ressemann, Marc Lund and Jack Novak all adding one goal each in the win. 

Maroon trailed 5-1 after one half, but managed to close the gap with a three-goal second half. Drew Holt scored two goals for Maroon, with Matt Beaty and Jackson Borst each adding one goal apiece. 

GAME 2: WHITE 17, GRAY 3

In a game that saw a combined 20 goals, the most notable event may have come during halftime. 

Team White’s Josh Locker took a shot during the warmup skate that shattered an entire pane of Mariucci Arena’s glass, forcing the second half of the game to move down the tunnel to Ridder Arena, where Team White tallied another six goals to earn the decisive win. 

Kade Nielsen, Jacob Kanzenbach and Kyle Kukkonen all notched Hatty’s, and Josh “Plexiglass  Punisher” Locker scored twice to lead White. Luke Mittelstadt, Caden Nienow, Cade Kodytek, Hayden Hennen, Jack Smith and Zarley Ziemski also scored for White. 

Jackson Bisson, Joe Miller and Landon Parker each scored once for Gray. 

Kyle Kukkonen, White

A strong showing in Team White’s afternoon scrimmage confirmed what YHH already knows about Kukkonen. He can find space anywhere on the ice, has great skating balance, and knows when to pick his shot. 

Drew Holt, Maroon 

A pure sniper, Holt is dangerous whenever he has the puck in the offensive zone. Holt protects the puck well down low, and has the hands to simply muscle the puck away from defenders.

Ben Monson, Maroon

A long-striding defender, Monson has prototypical size and reach on the blue line. Monson is also a slick passer with a dangerous shot. 

Jakob Stender, Gold

An impressive seven points on Day 1 transitioned into another successful Day 2 for Stender. A great skater who competes on every possession, Stender has impressed this week. 

Joe Miller, Gray

Despite the big loss to Team White on Day 2, Miller’s skating ability and passing acumen set him apart. Miller skates through defenses, and showcases exceptional shot selection.