Grand Forks has proven itself through one-and-a-half days of completion.
Jon Bell had two including the GWG for St. Cloud Saturday
Grand Forks downed Andover 4-1 in the first game of the day at the Maple Grove Community Center, as the Aviators fly into the Gold Bracket semifinals with a full head of steam.
Jackson Kunz plaid distributor for the Aviators, handing out three assists as Hayden Helgeson potted two goals with Tyler Zahradka and Peter Loyland adding single scores. Michael Clough scored the lone goal for the Huskies.
Centennial scoring four unanswered goals to pull away from Osseo-Maple Grove in a 5-2 win, with five Cougars marking the scoresheet.
Mason Wistrcill, Scott Nelson, Connor Thompson, Pavel Salter and Josh O'Hara earned the goals for Centennial, while Justin Janicke and Samuel Jacobs scored for the Leafbirds.
Elk River notched its second shutout of the tournament, blanking Wayzata 2-0 behind goals by Zach Michaelis and Micah Olson.
St. Cloud dispatched Stillwater 6-4 in arguably the most exciting game of the afternoon, with Jon Bell and Blake Perbix each netting a pair of tallies to lead the Huskies to victory.
Zach Michaelis dug deep to help the Elks win Saturday
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.
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.
Alexandria held off Armstrong/Cooper to emerge with a 4-2 victory, led by a Hatty from Ben Jenson and his heat-seeking missile of a shot. Andrew Revering added the other goal for the Cardinals. Noah Weisjahn and Charlie Deterding scored one goal each for the Wings.
Zack Simon scored five goals for Orono to lead the Spartans to a resounding 9-0 victory over St. Paul on Saturday morning. Hadley Stephenson, Charlie Rusciano, Paddy Burns, and Nick Messerli all chipped in single goals in the win for the Spartans.
The depth and speed of Park of Cottage Grove was on full display in an 8-2 win over Pine City. Jaeger Muellner and Joe Palodichuk each scored two goals for the Wolfpack, with Palodichuk adding three assists for an impressive five-point game.
Charlie Rusciano nets a goal for Orono.
Lex Lindow (11) scored for PCG Saturday
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 |