The only loss suffered this entire season for Woodbury came against White Bear Lake, a team the Predators could meet in the semifinals if both sides are fortunate enough to escape the first round. It took a 3-2 overtime win over Edina for the Predators to capture the East Region, No. 1 seed, their ninth straight victory since the loss to White Bear Lake. Judging from Bemidji’s scores, this team could have topped 40 wins with a lucky bounce or two. Of the 14 losses for the Lumberjacks this year, a whopping 12 have been by two goals or less, including a 4-3 defeat at the hands of high-powered Moorhead during the North Regional. The Lumberjacks have outscored their opponents 232-126 in 48 games this season. 

White Bear Lake pounded its way through the South Region, handing losses to Blaine, Rosemount, and St. Louis Park by a combined score of 20-3. The Bears have won 14 straight games since a 5-3 loss to Orono in late January, and have been held under three goals in a game during that span. Eden Prairie had no such path, squeaking out victories over Cottage Grove 4-2, Osseo-Maple Grove 2-1, and then the Leafbirds again in the lower bracket final 4-3. Both wins over OMG came in overtime, the only games this season where the Eagles have gone to an extra session. 

With a methodical three wins, Stillwater earned the top seed out of the West Region, handing losses to Champlin Park, St. Michael-Albertville, and then Eden Prairie in the upper bracket final. The Ponies have been an offensive force all season, racking up 317 goals in 54 games, an average of 5.87 goals-per-game. Rosemount fell to White Bear Lake in the South Region semifinals bu a score fo 5-1, then rebounded with a wild 10-7 win over Andover and a pair of 6-4 victories over Chaska-Chanhassen and St. Louis Park, respectively. Including the White Bear Lake loss, the Irish have won six of their last seven and 11 of their previous 13 contests. 

Moorhead has won six straight games, with three of those coming during North Region play, heading into the weekend. The Spuds have scored four or more goals in all of those wins, and have accomplished the same feat in eight of their last nine games. Eight of the Spuds’ nine losses have been by two goals or less. Minnetonka bounced back from a 5-0 loss to Woodbury during the East Region Tournament with wins over Lakeville South, Rogers, and Edina to earn a birth in Albertville. The regional run caps an excellent turnaround for the Skippers, who went 2-6-2 in the 10 games leading up to regions.