Best Dressed 

During last year’s Bantam B Gobbler Tournament, the Shakopee coaches showed up in suits that would make the fine folks on the red carpet turn green with envy. 

This season, with those Bantam B coaches now pacing the Bantam A bench, the effect seems to have trickled down to their players, as evidenced below. 

You can’t put a price on class, and you can’t put a price on a suit like that.

Best Goal 

Almost 15 years ago, New York Rangers defenseman Marek Malik, a lumbering, 6-foot-6 mountain of a man, scored a shootout goal against the Washington Capitals. 

Malik’s goal, which he scored by shooting between his legs, has been viewed almost 650,000 times on YouTube. 

During the Blue Ox, Minnetonka’s Holden Pajor channeled his inner Marek Malik, scoring a shootout goal in the same fashion to help the Skippers to the Black Bracket semifinals. 

Maybe in 15 years, Pajor’s goal will surpass Malik’s in digital popularity.  

Best Jersey 

Once again a hot topic among YHH staffers, three uniforms were standouts during the Blue Ox. 

Lakeville South’s black-and-maroon road jerseys were lauded for their balance of two colors that may seem clash-y and for the incorporation of the Cougar logo. 

Minnetonka’s home whites blended nicely with its striking blue logo and striping. It can be difficult to make a traditional combination, such as blue-and-white, feel new and fresh, but Minnetonka managed to do so. 

Finally, and this should come as no surprise to anyone, White Bear Lake drew the most praise for its all-orange kits, though a Moorhead parent who will remain unnamed pointed out that the model was the same as a set of rent Spuds uniforms. Great minds must think alike. 

Best Surprise 

Like most teams at the Blue Ox, Lakeville South has been bitten by the injury bug, missing multiple players on an already roomy bench. The Cougars also drew the double-whammy of a required play-in game.  

Going up against teams will a full locker room of players, the Cougars made a valiant march to the Black Bracket semifinals before bowing out against eventual champion Moorhead. The Cougars won three straight games before their collective legs gave out. 

Playing virtually every other shift all weekend, Jackson Ernst broke the tournament scoring record of 19 points, set last year by Minnetonka’s Drew Stewart. Ernst recorded 12 goals and 21 points in five games to set the new record. Ernst and Trey Newgard combined to score 17 of the team’s 25 goals. 

Best Volunteers 

How do you choose just one? Or two? Or three? 

Without the help of the Moorhead Youth Hockey Association, the Battle for the Blue Ox never comes to be. 

YHH would like to extend our deepest thanks to all those who took tickets, sold programs, ran scoreboards, played music, filled out scoresheets, and took care of so many little things behind the scenes. 

Special thanks to MYHA Executive Director Rob Gramer and Operations Manager Elli Laurila for their help organizing volunteers, not to mention the coffee and donut delivery that kept YHH staffers alive on Sunday morning.

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