EDINA VS. #3 MAPLE GROVE

A juicy second quarterfinal of the day features two of the deepest programs in the state. Edina won 6-5 in a season-opening battle between these two. This is their first ever meeting at the Tourney.

Edina (20-8, #7, 2-seed in 6AA)

State appearances: 40 (6 as Edina East/West in 70s and 80s; last in 2019)

Championships: 13 (1969, 1971, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1997, 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2019 as Edina; 1974, 1978, and 1979 as Edina East)

Key section wins: 1-0 (OT) vs. #10 Wayzata, 4-0 vs. #4 Benilde-St. Margaret’s

The Hornets had an up-and-down season, at times looking dominant and at times disappearing, but they have locked in down the stretch, shutting out all three of their opponents in the 6AA minefield.

Jimmy Clark (17) and Trey Fechko (10) are a potent one-two punch offensively, and a second line featuring the beastly Jackson Nevers (18) and sniper Matt VanderVort (19) might give them the most potent second unit in the field. Curt Giles’ defense has been the key down the stretch, though, with Wyatt Wurst (4) being the star; the rest of the defense won’t dot the scoresheet much, but they aren’t asked to; Caden Morgan (7) and Henry Whittlef (24) are solid, and Eddie Revenig (6) is the next in the great Hornet lineage.

Robbie Clarkowski (1) has been hot in goal and could be key to their hopes. If they continue to play the way they have been, they will be a very tough out.

Maple Grove (21-6-1, #5, 2-seed in 5AA)

State appearances: 5 (3 in a row)

Key section win: 4-2 over #12 Rogers

The Crimson, like many teams this season, enter the Tourney on a hot streak.

Landen Gunderson (17) is second only to Alex Bump in points in the AA field, and his linemates Finn Brink (27) and Joshua Giuliani (19) make for a formidable threesome. The versatile sophomore Danny Nelson (20) is the next great Crimson star, and Luke Margenau (13) adds some offensive punch from the defense.

Their scoring depth is not on the level of some other Tourney entrants, but the lower lines still skate well, and they have an absolutely lethal power play. Toby Hopp (1) has proven he can hold up under a lot of shots and could be a thorn in someone’s side.

If their top line can bust loose, this team has an ability to bury opponents offensively matched perhaps only by Edina; if they can keep up their defensive improvement over the second half, there is definitely a formula here for winning it all. Can they bust through and finally do it, a season later than the smart money would have guessed?