Andover at Centennial 
January 11 (7:00 PM) 

It's a battle of cats and dogs in this intriguing Northwest Suburban showdown between the Huskies and Cougars at Centennial Sports Arena in the first of their two meetings this season. Which team will win the first game of this series?

Andover is coming off a 2-1 victory over Osseo and has won four out of their last five games. The Huskies' forward group is led by seniors Crosby Perry (8 goals, 3 assists, 11 points), Ben Doll (3-4-7), Brooks Cogswell (6-9-15) and Gavin Sullivan (3-6-9) as well as junior Luke Babineau (4-9-13) along with gifted sophomores Keaton Coe (4-6-10) and K.J. Sauer (1-3-4), provide scoring through Andover's top two lines. Andover's power play has been getting better and better as of late and is finding the back of the net at a 29.3% rate.  

On defense, seniors Brody Munnelly (1-5-6) and Anthony Pardo (2-7-9), junior Drew Law (1-4-5), and sophomore Casey Rodgers (2-2-4) are a well-rounded group that is poised and capable at both ends of the ice.  

Junior goaltender Cal Conway (.905) has been leaned on for most of the starts for Andover. Still, they have also utilized sophomore Cash Cruitt (.930 save percentage).

Centennial is coming off a 9-1 rout of Coon Rapids and has won two of their last five games. The Cougars are led at forward by seniors Harper Searles (11-14-25), Heath Nelson (11-11-22), and Alex Clampitt (4-6-10), as well as sophomores Gavin Cunningham (3-6-9) and Joey Hemr (6-3-9) carry most of the scoring for Centennial. YHH interviewed Harper Searles as part of their Rink of Fire podcast.  

On defense, seniors Austin Petersen (4-9-13) and Jake Robinson (0-2-2), as well as sophomore Cooper Hehir (2-8-10), keep it simple on their end of the ice.  

Centennial has split starts at goaltender between 6'4", 220lbs senior Gavin Schahn (.930 save percentage) and junior Easton Cody (.896 save percentage) this season.

Hermantown at St. Cloud Cathedral 
January 11 (7:00 PM) 

The titan of Section 7A makes its way down to the MAC in St. Cloud to take on the Crusaders, who have had a solid first half of the season thus far. This game could have some seeding implications at the state tournament. Which team will improve its chances of earning a higher seed after this game?

Hermantown is coming off a 5-4 victory over Eden Prairie and has won four out of their last five games. At forward, the Hawks return seniors Josh Kauppinen (7-2-9), Andrew Johnson Jr. (4-6-10), and Evan Gunderson (1-5-6), as well as junior River Freeman (8-10-18) and sophomore Ford Skytta (5-6-11) have carried most of the scoring load for the Hawks this season. Talented sophomore A.J. Francisco (YHH's Bantam Player of the Year in 2022-23, 4-10-14) is now back from injury to give Hermantown another ace for its forward group.  

On defense, seniors Will Esterbrooks (5-12-17), Drew Nelson (1-3-4), and Weston Bohlman (1-6-7), as well as junior Henry Peterson (1-3-4), are a very capable top four.  

Senior goaltender Dane Callaway (.945 save percentage) has made every start this season for the Hawks.

St. Cloud Cathedral is coming off a 3-2 victory over Cloquet/Esko/Carlton and has won three out of their last five games. The Crusaders are led at forward by juniors John Hirschfeld (7-25-32) and Joey Gillespie (15-10-25), as well as seniors Andrew Dwinnell (14-19-33), Landon Swenson (2-5-7) and Cole Hwang (8-8-16) which should give St. Cloud Cathedral solid scoring punch through its top two lines.  

On defense, seniors Ben Petroske (1-1-2) and Vince Gebhardt (2-6-8), as well as sophomore Griffin Sturm (2-9-11), are workhorses on St. Cloud Cathedral's back end, stifling scoring chances and helping the Crusaders stay on the attack.  

Since the Crusaders lost senior goaltender Nick Hansen (.923 save percentage last year) due to injury, St. Cloud Cathedral has split starts between fellow senior Matthew Janu (.836 save percentage) and sophomores Blake Kayser (.780 save percentage) and Keaton LaGrande (.887 save percentage) this season. 

Holy Angels at East Grand Forks 
January 12 (7:30 PM) 

The Academy of the Holy Angels makes its way north and west to take on the mighty Green Wave of East Grand Forks. Both clubs have lots of skill and the potential to make the Tourney. Can the Stars fly past East Grand Forks, or will the Green Wave sweep under them?

Holy Angels is coming off a 6-3 loss to Gentry Academy and has won two of their last five games. Holy Angels are led at forward by junior Henry Lechner (St. Thomas commit, 8-21-29), as well as gifted sophomores Cole Cheeseman (14-9-23) and Lincoln Ayers Assad (7-12-19), who give the Stars skill and scoring punch up front. Freshman Teddy Lechner (3-4-7) moonlights between forward and defense for the Stars.  

On defense, 6'2" junior Connor Hanley (2-3-5) leads a young group where skilled sophomores Gabe Perron (2-13-15), Avi Kasargod (3-7-10), and Leo Stebbins (3-2-5) are a trio that combines mobility and stout defensive play.  

Junior goaltender Luke Marsalek (.918 save percentage) is the Holy Angels' go-to option between the pipes all season long.

East Grand Forks is coming off a 4-1 victory over Thief River Falls and has won three out of their last five games. The Green Wave is led at forward by seniors Brock Schultz (9-12-21), Landon Jamieson (10-10-20) and Jace Fore (4-6-10), juniors Hunter Varnson (6-7-13) and Jace Van Eps (6-9-15) has good scoring balance through its top two lines. Freshman Jace Panzer (1-5-6) has made an impact since being moved up from the Green Wave's junior varsity team.  

On defense, senior Grady Magner (7-7-14), as well as juniors Nick Corbett (4-3-7) and Judd Pesch (1-5-6), help keep the Green Wave on the attack by helping East Grand Forks transition quickly from defense to offense.  

At goaltender, the Green Wave have leaned mostly on junior Ryan Rockstad (.863 save percentage) as the season has progressed but have given opportunities to seniors Lucas Wavra (.885 save percentage) and Thomas McMahon (.845 save percentage) as well.

Princeton at Detroit Lakes 
January 13 (2:00 PM) 

You only see this matchup a few times as Section 5A Princeton travels to Kent Freeman Arena to battle Section 8A Detroit Lakes.   

Princeton is coming off a 5-2 loss to Rock Ridge and has won two of their last five games. The Tigers are led at forward by seniors Gabe Nichols (3-6-9) and Niko Bratulich (3-8-11), as well as a trio of juniors Brody Kok (8-8-16), Lane Olson (21-8-29) and Connor Stokke (4-3-7) carry most of Princeton's offense.  

On defense, senior Christopher Eli (2-4-6), as well as juniors Dominic Patnode (3-9-12) and Cullen Drews (0-5-5), are capable puck movers. They try to keep play tilted in the opposing end of the ice.  

The Tigers have split starts at goaltender between juniors Kole Roth (.899 save percentage) and Liam Dufner (.899 save percentage) this season.  

Detroit Lakes is coming off a 4-1 loss to Warroad and has won four out of their last five games. At forward, the Lakers are led by senior Cole Deraney (10-7-17), juniors Kash Benson (9-7-16), Easton Wahl (3-6-9), and Brock Bender (6-8-14), and sophomores William Cymbaluk (3-15-18), Easton Kennedy (8-10-18) and Carter Whitworth (3-7-10) give Detroit Lakes a fair amount of scoring depth.  

On defense, senior Dalton Songstad (10-10-20), juniors Tommy Suckert (1-7-8) and Jace Fields (2-3-5), as well as sophomore Hudson Pettit (6-13-19) are experienced and a very offensively active blueline.  

At goaltender, the Lakers have given senior Kale Witt (.900 save percentage) the lion's share of the starts but have also provided opportunities to freshman Griffin Lindberg (.930 save percentage) this season.

Northern Lakes at Duluth Marshall 
January 13 (7:00 PM) 

The Lightning make their way to Mars Lakeside Arena to take on the Hilltoppers at the end of a challenging week. Can Northern Lakes rise to the challenge again, Class AA Duluth Marshall, or will the Hilltoppers give the Lightning a long ride home? 

Northern Lakes is coming off a 3-1 victory over Thief River Falls and have won four out of their last five games. The Lightning is led at forward by seniors Logan Verville (8-9-17), Taylor Berg (7-6-13), and Kolby Severson (4-6-10), as well as juniors Drew Paulbeck (9-12-21), Jerome Martin (10-5-15) and Easton Anderson (5-4-9) give Northern Lakes quality scoring depth.  

On defense, senior Isaac Peterson (2-4-6), junior Wyatt Balmer (3-9-12), and freshman Grant Vershey (0-4-4) are a group that likes to get involved at both ends of the ice.  

Senior goaltender Nigel DeSanto (.887 save percentage) has made most of the starts this season. Still, the Lightning have used sophomore Hunter Moreland (.933 save percentage), too.

Duluth Marshall is coming off a 4-1 victory over Rochester Lourdes and has won four of their last five games. The Hilltoppers are led at forward by senior Jonas Martinelli (5-2-7) as well as sophomores Bennett Scissons (6-8-14), Pacey Adduono (10-4-14), Benson Peterson (4-8-12) and Kyler Black (3-8-11) carry the majority of the scoring load for Duluth Marshall.  

On defense, senior Reinat Sukhonos (0-1-1), junior Owen Marsolek (1-3-4), sophomores Thomas Ojard (3-7-10) and Layton Anderson (2-6-8) are a well-rounded group that don't make a lot of mistakes or take a lot of risks in their end.   

At goaltender, freshman Kaenen Smith (.952 save percentage) has shouldered most of the starts. Still, the Hilltoppers have also utilized junior Landon Wheeler (.880 save percentage).