Both teams struggled in the early going.  Passes were slightly off and more often set up their opponent’s defense than generated any offense.  But it became clear as the period progressed that the two teams had different approaches to this game.  The MSPers style was to force the action in the corners and look to move the puck quickly into the slot.  They played to gain possession in the Banker’s zone, set up, and look to score.

The Bankers were living off the rush, beating the defense in the neutral ice with playes that turned into 3-on-2 or 2-on-1 rushes.  To counter the Bankers rush, the MSP defense focused on taking away the weak side scoring opportunities leaving MSP’s goalie, Kevin Driscoll/Eastview, to handle the rusher.

The first period stats show the results of the two teams contrasting styles of play.  The Bankers put two unassisted goals in the net and led 2-1 after the first period; the MSP team outshot the Bankers 17-11 in the first period.

MSP scored first on a hard one-timer from the high slot by Dylan Woolf/Holy Family six minutes into the first period.  The MSPer’s led 1-0. Three minutes later the Bankers tied the game 1-1 scoring off a 2-on-1 rush.  Luc Snuggerud/Eden Prairie beat Driscoll on a solo move from right to left putting the puck in the net just beyond Driscoll’s skate save attempt.

In the final minutes of the first period, the Bankers’ Cole Borchardt/Burnsville took a pass on another 2-on-1 rush on the right side and scored to give the Bankers a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period.  The TCF team looked to be in control of the game as the first period ended.

The first period was a fast, clean, game.  The second period was all up tempo and wide open.  Both teams came out charging and six minutes into the second period, the MSPer’s took charge of the game.  Led by Joey Lau/Blaine’s two goals, Team Northeast scored three goals in three minutes to forge a 4-2 lead.  It was a two goal lead the MSPers never gave up.

The MSP team started to move the puck smartly early in the second period once they established control in the Bankers’ zone.  Their goals were triggered off of their play at the Banker’s blue line where the MSP defensemen would move the puck by skating along the blue line first, finding an opening and then passing.

Often the passes would be a sharp one to the weak side.  Joey Lau scored the tying goal from the weak side off a pass from a moving defense man at the blue line.  His one-timer beat the Banker goalie Grant Martens/Jefferson (note: Martens wore Lindgren’s jersey in last night’s game).

A minute later, Lau scored again beating Martens on a breakaway.  Lau setup his own breakaway by checking the puck off a Bankers’ breakout attempt at the blue line, letting his teammate pick up the loose puck while he circled back to the center ice.  His teammate hit Lau in stride on a solo skating down the slot for the goal.

Leading 3-2, a minute later MSPer’s Seamus Donohue/St. Thomas Academy scored to put Team Northeast up two goals.

After that, it was a “see saw” as teams traded scores.  The Bankers’ Cole Borchardt scored his second goal to cut the lead to 4-3; MSPers Alex Copa/Blaine responded to score to put his team up by two goals again 5-3.  The Bankers’ Ryan Zuhlsdorf/Edina scored to cut the lead to 5-4; MSPers’ Pete Sienko/Spring Lake Park scored to put his team up 6-4.

The second period ended with MSPers leading 6-4.

The MSP starting goalie, Kevin Driscoll was hurt in the second period.  He finished the period, but didn’t return for the third.  In a wide open third period, MSPers’ Jake Gerdes/Eden Prairie took over the nets for Driscoll and played well, stopping 19 of 20 Banker shots on the net including a couple of close-in, hard shots in the opening minutes.

But MSP put the game away scoring a goal in the first minute to take a 7-4 lead and adding two more at the 11 minute mark.  Tyler Cline/Blaine got the early goal; Mtchel Slattery/Hill-Murray and Zack Hale/Benilde-St. Margaret’s scored at the 11 minute mark to give the MSP team a 9-4 lead.  Nick Reis/Cretin-Durham Hall scored for the Bankers late in the period to end the scoring 9-5.

After tonight’s battle between the Bankers and Shattuck, the UMHSEL ends its season next weekend with games at two locations.  The top teams travel to Eau Claire, WI to play their final games.  Team Wisconsin, with another Banker loss tonight at Shattuck, could be a possible title contender.  The Badgers had their title hopes damaged when they lost to Team North last weekend.  They will need to beat the top three teams (Bankers, MSPers, and Shattuck) at Eau Claire.

The MSPers would appear to be in the drivers’ seat if Shattuck beats the Bankers; but they would need to beat both Shattuck and Team Wisconsin on the weekend.

It was Halloween weird last weekend; so weird that Team Northwest (Velocity) won both weekend games and with the others losing and moved into third place.  Three wins in their games played at Moorhead this weekend could give the Muscle Milk team the title depending how the games play out at Eau Claire.
 
The Elite drama continues as the teams end their season this week.