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Battle for the Blue Ox: Day 2 Live Blog

By Peter Odney, 11/12/16, 10:45AM CST

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Park of Cottage Grove's Marco Troje scores on Day 1 for the Wolfpack.


Grand Forks has proven itself through one-and-a-half days of completion.


Jon Bell had two including the GWG for St. Cloud Saturday


Zach Michaelis dug deep to help the Elks win Saturday

Game 1 - Jackson Does it Again, Kunz late game heroics lift Aviators

Both semifinal games came down to the wire Saturday night - each with a few unique twists and turns. In game one, Grand Forks avoided a shootout with six seconds remaining in a running time overtime to beat Centennial when tourney hero Jackson Kunz beat Casey Cobbersmith with a pretty move to give the Aviators a 3-2 win.

The Aviators advance to the finals in their first trip to the Blue Ox Sunday. In the process have beaten three top Minnesota teams - Eden Prairie, Andover and Centennial. Tomorrow they will try to make the clean sweep.

Jackson Kunz Game Winner

Game 2 - Elks hang on, beat St. Cloud - Koziol the difference

After mustering only three shots in the first and allowing three, St. Cloud clawed back and gave Elk River a great game in the second and third period Saturday in Maple Grove. Trailing 4-0 in the second period, the Huskies got two late second period goals to cut the Elks lead to 4-2. In the third period, St. Cloud began to pour on pressure lead by energizer bunny Blake Perbix who was a special play all day Saturday for the Huskies. In the third Perbix got pulled down on a breakaway to force a penalty shot that he missed by hitting the post. But the Huskies kept up the pressure and Perbix got his second goal on a second chance loose puck. 

That would be the last time they would threaten...Elk River goalie Josh Koziol stopped 29 shots - 26 in the final two periods, many point blank and many second chances to earn the win for the Elks.

The Elks move on to the Ox finals for the first time since 2013, when they won it in Brainerd.


Charles Deterding scores for Armstrong/Cooper in Saturday morning's loss to Alexandria.


Charlie Rusciano nets a goal for Orono.


Lex Lindow (11) scored for PCG Saturday

Lindberg to Devoe GWG

Player Team Comments
Jackson Kunz Grand Forks None better this weekend
Luke Kron Andover Had GWG in OT for Huskies
Joe Palodichuk Park Cottage Grove Had 7 points in two games
Humphrey/Michaelis Elk River Best 1-2 punch in Minnesota
Blake Perbix St. Cloud Thomas Edison would be proud
Zack Simon Orono 5 goals...OMG
Jack Wandmacher St. Louis Park Dominated White Bracket with 8 points Saturday
Scott Nelson Centennial Rare combo of hands and quickness
Charlie Strobel Stillwater Great player who is very productive with and without the puck
Ben Jenson Alexandria Very under rated talent, had a hatty Saturday in win over AC

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