Bantam AA 

Kale Johnson, Moorhead 

Numerous names jump off the page for the Moorhead. Cam Coulter and Owen Kraft have combined for 11 goals and 17 points through two games. Tate Bergeson has slotted in nicely as a first-year forward at the Bantam level, and Henry Laurila leads all tourney defensemen with six points. 

But a single play highlighted Johnson’s contributions in Friday night’s win over Prior Lake. Late in the first period, Johnson snatched a puck along the boards in the Moorhead zone, surveyed the scene, and shoveled a pass to Bode Ferrie to spark a Spuds’ breakout. In the same split-second sequence, Johnson was crunched with a hard, clean body check by an attacking Laker. 

Johnson’s willingness to pay the price by making the right play is one of those micro events that lead to wins. 

Ryan Cui, White Bear Lake 

A newcomer to the Bears from the Forest Lake association, Cui is relatively green when it comes to actual game action, but you wouldn’t know it by watching him play. 

Cui’s large frame and aggressive style cut down shooting angles before they become quality chances, and his body control during spiraling saves eliminates most sweep-style attempts on goal. Cui backstopped the Bears to a 6-5 win over Farmington and a 5-4 shootout win over Andover, wowing the Scheels Rink crowd with his acrobatics during the one-on-ones. 

Braeden Branton + Beckett Johnson, Rogers 

After an impressive run to a third-place finish at last year’s Bantam AA State Tournament, Rogers needed to adjust in its top six after the aging out of players like Alex King and Landon Medin. 

After Friday morning’s performance by Branton and Johnson, Royals fans can rest easier this season. 

Johnson from Branton. Branton from Johnson. Branton from Johnson. That was the scoring line from this morning’s 3-2 overtime win over Brainerd. While the Royals fell in the evening session to East Grand Forks, this spring could still include a state tournament appearance, especially if the pair of second-years can continue feeding each other. 

Porter Schmaltz, East Grand Forks 

Highly regarded by coaches and teammates alike, Schmaltz is another in the long line of beefy defensemen to come out of the East Side in recent years. 

Schmaltz combines his size with soft hands and feet, routinely breaking the puck out of the EGF zone with his legs, or feeding a crisp pass to a streaking forward. He leads the power play, blocks shots, and gets physical when he has to. 

What more can you ask for?

Luka Vanek, Stillwater 

To my knowledge, Vanek doesn’t own a cape, but he sure played the hero on Friday night. 

In a back-and-forth slugfest, Vanek’s goal with under two minutes to play in the third period proved to be the difference, pushing the Ponies through to the quarterfinal round on a beautiful effort. The goal gave Vanek a hat trick for the game, all of which were assisted by his brother, Kade Vanek. 

Nursing a 4-3 lead, Vanek teamed with the rest of the Ponies’ first power play unit to mercilessly kill the clock with a Hound in the penalty box, squeezing every last second off the clock like a boa constrictor with a nifty mix of saucer passes and player movement. 

Bantam A 

Jasper Goulet, Minnetonka 

With his five goals and seven points, Goulet has factored into over half the Skippers’ 13 goals through two games this weekend. Goulet’s two goals and three points powered a 5-0 win over Grafton in the opening round, then his hat trick and assist helped the Skippers to an 8-5 victory over West Fargo. 

Goulet and the Skippers will face Woodbury in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon. 

Chase Schoeman, Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids 

Through two games, Schoeman has faced the second-most shots on goal (70) among all tournament goaltenders. Of those 70 shots faced, Schoeman has allowed just two goals, earning a sparkling goals-against-average of 0.97 and a .971 save percentage. After a 1-0 win over Osseo-Maple Grove and a 2-1 loss to White Bear Lake, Schoeman’s SLP/CR squad will play Moorhead in the consolation round on Saturday morning. 

Cade Christensen, Woodbury 

Like most of the players on these lists, Christensen is one of several talented players on his team. Tonight, Christensen gets the nod as the co-leading scorer of the Bantam A Division, tied with Minnetonka’s Jasper Goulet with seven points in two games. Christensen’s hat trick and assist helped the Predators to a 10-2 win over Bismarck in game one, and the dynamic forward added a goal and two helpers in the nightcap’s 7-4 victory over Grand Forks Aviators Red. 

Kane Wandschneider, Stillwater 

I like goalies. Sue me. 

Like Schoeman, Wandschneider has posted some quality numbers through two games, including a 1.50 goals-against-average and a .948 save percentage while facing 58 shots. Wandschneider started the day with 25 saves on 26 shots in a 5-1 win over Grand Forks Aviators Blue, then shut the door on the host Moorhead Spuds with a spectacular 31-save outing in a 3-2 win. 

Madden Moen, West Fargo 

It’s nice to score goals, but someone has to pass the puck. 

Moen leads the Bantam A Division with five assists through two games, and had six total points on a Friday that saw the Stampede defeat Blaine 7-0 before falling to Minnetonka in an 8-5 thriller. Moen posted three assists in the loss to the Skippers. 

Ayden Lageson, Rogers 

There is something to be said for consistency, and there’s also something to be said for scoring four of your team’s seven goals on the opening day of the Battle for the Blue Ox. Lageson did both on Friday, scoring twice in a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Moorhead, and then adding two more tallies in a 3-2 win over Grand Forks Aviators Blue.