Hermantown > Affton Americans (1-0), Fargo Freeze Blue Arrapahoe (3-0), Brainerd > Hyland Hills Jaguars (8-0), Stillwater > East Grand Forks (3-1), STMA > Dallas Stars Elite (3-2), Fargo Angels > Minot Wolves (5-2), Woodbury > Armstrong Cooper (6-0), Chaska Chanhassen > Alexandria (8-1), White Bear Lake > Bismarck (10-2), OMG > Devils Lake (15-1), Edina Green > Lakeville South (6-1), Moorhead > Colorado Rampage (8-0), Minnetonka > Jr. Mavericks (5-1), Thief River Falls > Las Vegas Storm (6-3), Rosemount > Sioux Falls (14-0), MPLS > Mankato (6-1), Highland Central > Wayzata, Grand Forks Gladiators > Fort Frances (5-1), Fargo Freeze Black >

Arizona Hockey Union (8-1), Orono > Park Cottage Grove (8-3), Foothills Flyers > Sartell (4-2), Warroad > Fargo Freeze Silver (10-0), Jefferson > Forest Lake (2-1), Lakeville North > West Fargo (5-1), Carolina Jr. Hurricanes > St. Cloud (7-4), Eagan > Detroit Lakes, Prior Lake > Superior (5-4), Eastview > Roseau (4-0), Grand Forks Titans > Shakopee (3-2), Eden Prairie > MAML (5-0), Burnsville > Waconia (7-0).

Commentary: So far no surprises. Some of these outstate teams are so hard to predict (I picked Affton and Arrapahoe in the JXO office pool). Solid win for Woodbury over a very good Armstrong Cooper team.  The Preds have been playing some very good hockey the past 3 weeks.  My guess is they give Warroad all they can handle this afternoon in Moorhead. The GF Glads move on to face White Bear Lake this afternoon in Moorhead…20 games in, still no surprises. Warroad advances to face Woodbury in probably the best match up of afternoon. Forest Lake with the closest game against a top seed. First glimmer of a surprise, Lakeville North beats one of the best ND teams, West Fargo 5-1 (got that one right in the office pool). Okay the first eye opener of the day, Carolina Hurricanes over St. Cloud at the Coliseum caught my eye, nice job ‘Canes. Out of state teams are very hard to predict. Watch out Prior Lake. Editor’s note: you’d think that with 64 teams the Committee could have found a way for two teams like Waconia and Burnsville not to play each other in the first round.

Minneapolis > Foothills (10-1), Moorhead > Minnetonka (2-1), Rosemount > Hermantown (8-2), Jefferson > Grand Forks Titans (3-2), OMG and FF Blue tied 2-2 in the third period (MAJOR UPSET ALERT), check that OMG up 3-2 late in third.  OMG > FF Blue (3-2, Kyle Kukkonen with the GWB) final (upset avoided).

Eden Prairie > Eagan (6-2).Brainerd > Stillwater (4-1), Prior Lake > Jr. Hurricanes (5-0), Chaska Chan > STMA (6-0), White Bear > Grand Forks Glads (9-1), Edina Green > TRF (6-1), Warroad > Woodbury (8-4), Highland Central > Fargo Angels (8-3), Burnsville > AZ Coyotes (4-3), Eastview > FF Black (2-1), and Orono > LVN (7-3).

Commentary: As we head into the second round, my predictions of who makes it to the 2-0 Bracket are now on the line. So far 2 for 2. The Fargo website is down, scores until it comes back up will be done Old School via all of our contacts up north…stay tuned (Mouse, meet refresh button).  Games that make my predictions nervous are Warroad/Woodbury, Prior Lake/Jr. Hurricanes, and Eastview/FF Black. MAJOR UPSET Stillwater the #3 seed loses in the second round, Brainerd Warriors having another great tourney in Fargo this year. Big win for Warroad, the little team from up north story is still very much alive…thanks Warriors! Rosemount continues to impress.

Final Day 1 Commentary: 16 teams left…ALL Minnesota teams (cough cough) ALL Minnesota teams. Of the top 16 seeds only one is missing (Stillwater). I missed on Woodbury and Stillwater.  Warroad stumbled against Prior Lake (a team similar in speed and depth as Woodbury).  As for Brainerd…swing and a miss by Tony the Greek. Teams that impressed today were Warroad (historically strong in Fargo), Orono, White Bear and MPLS.

Saturday AM: Watch out for the following lower seeds Moorhead, Prior Lake, Edina Green, and of course Brainerd.

(Higher seeds on the left)

Ten Kids You Need to Keep off the Scoresheet Today: Joey Miller (MPLS), Tyler Oakland (OMG), Billy Rose (WBL), Grant Slukynski (Warroad), Johnny Mittelstadt (EP), Kyle Heffron and Luke Levondoski (Rosemount), Owen Neuharth (Prior Lake), Bobby Brink (Chaska) and Grant Ellings (Jefferson).

MPLS > Eastview (4-0)
Eden Prairie > Brainerd (4-0)
OMG > Moorhead (6-0)
Chaska Chan > Jefferson (2-0)
Prior Lake > WBL (4-2)
Edina Green > Warroad (4-3)
Highland > Orono (3-2)
Rosemount > Burnsville (4-2)

Commentary: Our first mini-surprise of the morning, Highland Central knocks off Orono in the 8/9 game. Edina keeps the 3-peat hope alive for the CakeEaters…nice win over a good Warroad squad. Our first top 4 seed goes out to a team from District 6, Prior Lake. D6 had six teams in the final 16 and now four in the Final 8 in a “down” year for the league. Somewhere in Edina sits a White team thinking of what could have been.

Some fun match-ups this afternoon.  MPLS is playing very well the last few weeks watch out for the Storm. OMG vs. CC should be a final four game, easily the game of the day (if I could only clone myself and be there!), D6 battle between PL and Edina Green…that game could go either way, slight edge to the Lakers. Could Highland Central be this year’s Cinderalla? Tune in later for a recap of all 4 great games.

MPLS > Eden Prairie (5-2)
OMG > CC (4-1)
Edina > Prior Lake (6-2)
Rosemount v. Highland Central (6-0)

Commentary: Minneapolis may be the hottest team in the tournament, they face District rival OMG in the Final Four tomorrow morning…congrats to the Storm.  OMG with a great effort against CC.  From all reports a great game today that could have gone either way (pipes and bounces went OMG way). Rosemount continues to roll along and Edina hasn’t lost in Fargo since 2010.

MPLS > OMG (2-1)
Rosemount > Edina (3-1)

Commentary: Edina Green hung tough with Rosemount this morning.  Tied 1-1 after 1 Rosemount scored one in the second and one in the third to hold off Edina. Down 3-1, the Hornets had their chances but couldn’t convert.  Well there you have it, the biggest upset of the weekend…MPLS Storm over OMG 2-1. Great story of success for Minneapolis Hockey, a program that has nearly tripled in size the last five years is now seeing the fruit of their efforts.

Rosemount v. MPLS: 1-0 Rosemount late first period, Weismiller for the Irish. 2-0 Kranz for the Irish. End of 1, Rosemount 2, MPLS 0. Shots 8-2 in favor of Irish. Full resurface and a 3 ref crew for the championship game. Second period action..Minneapolis has 5 on 3 but can’t convert…goal disallowed for MPLS on that PP. Rosemount more chances, no goals. Zabinski scores for MPLS, 2-1 Rosemount lead. Another PP for MPLS…quickly diminished when MPLS takes a penalty (refs calling it very close). End of 2, Rosemount 2, MPLS 1. Shots 16 RM, 8 MPLS. Another full resurface (the Fargo committee be short on concessions revenue  . Third period, Kranz hits pipe. The Irish might start to get frustrated here. Intensity is picking up for both teams…6 games in 3 days, these kids are giving it their all. Levondowski scores on a breakaway to give Irish 3-1 lead with 7:00 left. Retzlaff scores for Rosemount to give the Irish an insurmountable 4-1 lead, 5:30 left in the game. Zabinksi for the Storm scores his second on a wrap around between the 5 hole of Rosemount goalie. 1:48 left in the game. The Storm has been battling the entire game.  Never say die.

Final Score: Rosemount 4, MPLS 2. Final shots 28-12. Congratulations to both teams: Rosemount for winning every tournament they’ve entered and remaining undefeated for the season and MPLS for making it to the Championship with five straight wins and a certain spot in the YHH Top Ten this week.