2024 Prep Elite League champions, the North Stars.
Evan Wanner scored twice in all three playoff games over the weekend for the North Stars. He finished PEL play with 12 goals and 18 points.
Anyone familiar with the Prep Elite League, or Minnesota hockey for that matter, should have seen what was coming for the league’s playoffs.
Once the venues changed from West St. Paul, Bloomington Ice Garden, or Andover to the Fargo-Moorhead area, it was all but certain that the team made up of hearty northern boys would emerge victorious.
The North Stars, seeded fifth entering the Prep Elite League’s quarterfinals on Friday afternoon, peeled off three starlight wins to capture the PEL’s inaugural championship, topping HockeYak, Blue Army, and Training Haus over the weekend.
Without leading scorer Gavin Andersen (Warroad) for the weekend, the North Stars found other help. Evan Wanner (Moorhead) scored two goals in the team’s quarterfinal win over HockeYak, while Alexander Nickin (Hermantown), Sam Berry (Duluth East), and Beau Christy (Hermantown) chipped in single goals. Goaltenders Finn Hanson (Warroad) and Jack Simac (Elk River) combined to stop 20 of 22 shots in the in.
Wanner again stood out in the 4-3 overtime win over top-seeded Blue Army in the semifinals, scoring in regulation and then netting the game-winner early in the overtime session. Mick Martalock (Hermantown) and Colin Otto (Sartell) also marked the goal column for the North Stars, and Jack Stimac stopped 20 of 22 shots in the second half of the game.
In the finals against Cinderella Training Haus, Wanner again produced, scoring twice and adding an assist. Cole Swanson (Hibbing-Chisholm) also registered three points, scoring once and helping on two others. Wanner’s Moorhead teammate, Brady Steffen, scored the other goal for the North Stars. Hanson and Stimac again partnered on an outstanding performance, combining for 37 saves on 39 shots.