A great first day of action Friday at the Battle for the Blue Ox in Brainerd, MN. Sixteen great teams converged on Central Minnesota to get their hands on the Blue Ox for a year. 

Team success in youth hockey in Minnesota usually means you have a team stacked with talented older birth year players for the level of play.  In Bantams, the '98 birth year kids born July 1 to December 31 are a premium.  Three of the top four Bantam teams are loaded with '98 superstars, Stillwater being the lone exception.  Today YHH got a chance to Elk River, Prior Lake and Eden Prairie's collection of top '98s. Each of these teams won in impressive fashion. Hermantown also advanced to the Winner's Bracket (Blue) with a convincing win.

Each of the other four games had their moments of drama. Centennial got past Jefferson 3-1 and Minnetonka got past upset minded St. Cloud 4-2. Both Lakeville North and STMA won in the final minute of their games to advance to the Blue Bracket.

Game 1

Hermantown knocked off Eastview 7-0. Matt Valure, Jesse Jacques, and Ryan Sandelin each scored a pair of goals for the Hawks as they rolled past the Lightning in impressive fashion. The Hawks tallied 40 shots on Eastview Goalie Trevor Lunde. 

Game 2 

Eden Prairie known for fast starts was matched in intensity by Grand Rapids in the first period. Each team scored a goal in the first.  In the second, EP got going when Grand Rapids got into penalty trouble and the potent Eagle power play took advantage. EP lead 3-1 after two. Early in the third, Nolan Sullivan got the hat trick 3 minutes in and the Eagles went onto win 5-1.  Grand Rapids goalie Zach Stejskal made 55 saves including one on a Penalty Shot by EP star Casey Mittelsadt in the first period.

Game 3

Centennial scored two goals in the first and seemed to be in control throughout the first two periods. Late in the third, Ethan Hight beat Centennial goalie with a wrist shot past Austin Ilvonen to cut the Cougar lead to 2-1.  The Jags applied pressure late but were eventually turned away by a late empty net goal by Hayden Brickner. Final score 3-1.

Game 4

Prior Lake came out fast but were unable gain the lead from Rosemount. Colin Pomeroy got loose for the Irish shorthanded and gave them an early 1-0 lead. After that it was all Lakers, outshooting Rosemount 64 to 12, Prior Lake used their speed and puck movement to beat Rosemount 7-1. Jake Stathopoulos, Tanner Burggraaff, and Jake Cohn each had a pair of goals for Prior Lake. Ben Garrity had 57 saves for the Irish.

Game 5

Elk River ranked number 1 in Minnesota showed the host Warriors from Brainerd why they are so highly touted. The Elks and Warriors played a competitive first period, but ER converted on their chances and lead 2-0 after 1. By the middle of the game, Elk River began to take control. Scoring two more goals in the second and four in the third, Elk River went on to win 8-0. Jax Murray had two goals and two assists, Kyle Bouten added a pair of goals, and Nate Horn had three points for the Elks.

Game 6

In one of the more entertaining games of the day, Lakeville North knocked off perennial power Edina 4-3.  In a tale of three games, Lakeville scored three goals in the first on just five shots.  In the second, Edina answered with three of their own.  Two by Hornet little man Sammy Walker. The third period was controlled by Edina, but Carter Springer was equal to the task for the Panthers. Late in the third while Edina was attacking, Lakeville's Keaton Pehrson sailed a high clearing pass nearly ceiling high that landed in the lap of Chaz Dufon for a breakaway goal giving the Panthers the win with 1:45 to go.

Game 7

Minnetonka took out the feisty Huskies 4-2 in a tightly played game. Leading 1-0 after 1, Tonka scored two in the second to take a commanding 3-0 lead going into the third. When St. Cloud battled their way back with two quick goals a minute apart by Michael Spethmann and Nick Portz. But a minute later, Tonka speedster TJ Rogers got loose between two Huskie defenders and scored on a breakaway to ice the game for the Skippers. Mitch McGannon, Miles McCarthy and Dominic Picciano each had two points for Minnetonka.

Game 8

The Tourney organizers saved their best game for last. Bemidji got out early when Alex Pollack scored on a rebound past STMA goalie Todd Scott. In the second, Zach Sjelin scored short handed for the Knights to even the score.  On the same man advantage, Bemidji's Chase Hartje flipped a puck that had more mystery than a JFK magic bullet and into the net to give the Jacks a 2-1 lead heading into the third. Late in the third in Ryan Copeland scored to tie it 2-2.  Even later in the third, Sjelin used his muscle in front of the Bemidji net on a three rebound scrum to give STMA the win with five seconds left.  The Knights advanced to the Blue Bracket to take on Minnetonka.

Commentary: Seven of the top eight seeds moved on to the Blue Bracket. Lots of big names made the score sheets in Brainerd (Murray, Elk River…Walker, Edina..Valure and Sandelin Hermantown…Sullivan, Eden Prairie).  And, some new names surfaced Jacques, Hermantown…Sjelin, STMA, Chaz Dufon, Lakeville North and Burggraaff from Prior Lake. 

Blue Bracket

Eden Prairie v. Centennial (EP is down to 11 skaters…Cougars could pull off the upset)

Hermantown v. Prior Lake (too tough to call)

Elk River v. Lakeville North (Red and Black will win)

STMA v. Minnetonka (Skippers are in a league of their own)