The Star 
Hermantown's depth

Six goals, six goal-scorers for the Hawks in their opening game in St. Paul, made all the more impressive by the fact that none of those scorers had the last name of Plante or Hanson. 

Pick your poison when trying to stop the Hawks. 

The Stalwart
Kade Kohanski, Hermantown 

Kohanski missed nine games this season with an injury, and is more than making up for lost time with his performance this postseason. 
Kohanksi had three assists in this morning's contest, giving him five helpers in his last two playoff games. The senior forward has now totaled 15 goals and 34 points this season. 

The Savior 
Tyler Arends, Luverne 

Easy choice, given that Arends faced 41 shots on goal and generally stood tall until the final three minutes of regulation when the Hawks tacked on the fifth and sixth goals of the game. 

With one guaranteed game left, Arends has posted six performances with 30 or more saves in a game this season. 

The Quote 
River Freeman, Hermantown 

"All the boys, we're working hard all the time. We get shots on net, and we score."

The Star 
Cory Bohmert, Mahtomedi 

Bohmert came into today's game with eight goals on the season. He left the ice on Wednesday afternoon with more than a third of his season total, racking up a hat trick and an assist in the win. The hat trick was the first of the senior's career. 

The Stalwart 
Charlie Drage, Mahtomedi 

The Zephyrs' most consistent forward, Drage recorded a goal and two assists, with the second coming on a jaw-dropping backhand pass that to Bohmert for Bohmert's second goal of the day. Drage has now recorded a point in each of the Zephyrs' last 12 games. 

The Savior 
Elijah Rasmussen, Alexandria 

Rasmussen kept the game closer than it could have been with his play, concluding the contest with 42 saves on 48 shots as the Cardinals were outshot by 30. 

The Quote 
Corey Bohmert, Mahtomedi 

"Their (linemates Charlie Drage and David Wolsfeld) passes are just unreal, and I just get backdoor (goals). I'm so happy to play with them. It's been so fun."

The Star 
Jayson Shaugabay, Warroad 

Shaugabay's stat line of one goal and three points is nice and all, but his play in all three zones on Wednesday impressed anybody with eyeballs. His pass to Carson Pilgrim on Pilgrim's second goal was divine, and his steal-and-send assist on Murray Marvin Cordes's tally was a perfect example of his two-way abilities. 

The Stalwart 
Nick Hansen, St. Cloud Cathedral

Hansen made 38 saves with his legs, arms, chest, and stick paddle, but in the end, it wasn't enough. 

The Crusaders have the majority of this year's team returning next season, and Hansen promises to be a key cog in the Crusader machine in the 2023-2024 season. 

The Savior 
Carson Pilgrim, Warroad

The Warriors didn't need saving during this game, but I wanted to work the hat-trick-scoring Pilgrim into the recap anyway. Somebody has to bury those pretty passes from Jayson Shaugabay, and Pilgrim does so with his own brand of panache and aplomb. 

The Quote 
Carson Pilgrim, Warroad 

"It's a blast. The chemistry is obviously there. We've been playing together since we could walk pretty much. It's always fun to play with your uncle."