The U16 Minnesota Blades beat defending national champion Shattuck-St. Mary's (SSM) Wednesday 4-3 in Faribault. Propelled by four second period goals the Blades held off the Sabres late surge to earn a win in game two of a three game series between two of the top five teams in the country. Nick Strom (Breck HS) and Robert Christy (St. Thomas Academy HS) both had a goal and an assist to lead the Blades. Three separate Shattuck skaters scored for the Sabres (Tyler Rollwagon, John Farinacci and McKade Webster) and Edina's Jack Lagerstrom pitched in two assists.

The Blades took a 1-0 lead after one when Bloomington, Minnesota native Tyler Rollwagon grabbed a loose puck in front and beat Blades goalie Isaiah Dilaura glove side. In the second period, the Sabres got a goal from John Farinacci (Chatham, NJ) to grab a two goal lead. But after that it was all Blades. They got two identical snipe goals two minutes apart from Strom and Minnesota commit Clay Hanus. Both defensemen used screens to beat JP Mella (Stamford, CT). Those two quick goals gave the Blades a boost which lead to two special teams goals. Charlie Schoen (Andover HS) beat Mella top shelf on the power play and Christy converted a breakaway short handed to give the Blades a 4-2 cushion headed into the second period resurface.

Early in the third, McKade Webster (St. Louis, MO) scored to cut the Blades lead to 4-3 and from that point on it was all Shattuck. They poured shot after shot at Dilaura, but could not get any of their chances to convert. Dilaura was a standout in a game with 10 plus division one skaters on the ice. Both teams put on a great show of speed, compete level and skill.