More hardware is handed out this Sunday than probably any other weekend in the year.  Burnsville, Hopkins, Eden Prairie, Blaine (Mounds View), Grand Rapids, Brooklyn Park, Chaska/Chan, and Roseau…the list is endless of teams who will kick of their season with a tourney win. 

A great display of why Minnesota Hockey is so great.  Teams from all over the state playing communities from far away or some that will be facing league rivals for hardware or the right for hardware.

No major surprises at any of the Squirt Levels.  Osseo Maple Grove is gliding through the North Metro field. They will take on D3 rival St. Louis Park.  Both Edina teams vie for tourney wins.  The White team takes on Mounds View up in Blaine and the Green team goes for a sort of repeat in the Hopkins tourney. Apple Valley faces Rosemount and Lakeville North takes on Prior Lake in the Burnsville tourney.  Winners of these tournaments set the table for a visit to the YHH T10.  The top Squirt B's take off the gloves this weekend and start to separate themselves from the pack.

Predicted Winners: 

Pirate: OMG
Hopkins: Edina Green
Burnsville: Apple Valley
Mounds View: Edina White
Forest Lake: Mahtomedi

Shout Out: Alex Lesko and Jake Hacking as they go for hardware in the Squirt C tourney in Hopkins, the Eagles  have been tough so far.

PWA: Orono and Highland face off Sunday in Hopkins, a match up of two "A" teams.  Mounds View and Eagan have won both games so far this weekend up at the Super Rink and will vie for their Thanksgiving hardware. 

PWAA: It's an all D6 final four in Eden Prairie.  Tonka takes on Prior Lake and CC takes on Edina (a clear side-step of Edina by EP was thwarted by the Hockey Gods). CC plays the Hornets for the 4th time. Lots of upsets and uncertainty in Burnsville.  Minneapolis avoided all drama winning all 3 games, Roseville, suprising Alexandria replaces Rosemount who lost to Minnetonka "A" and Lakeville South who squeezes in as the Wild Card.

Prediced Winners:

Hopkins: Orono
Eden Prairie: Edina
Mounds View: Eagan
Burnsville: Minneapolis

Commentary: Stillwater went 0-0-3 in the EP Tourney. Those three ties are in addition to 4 more earlie this season. 

Bantam A: Osseo Maple Grove will take on Mahtomedi.  A match up of super-power OMG's second 15 versus Class A super power Mahtomedi's top team. Tartan will take on AA Champlin in the Mounds View tourney final.  The Titans will be tough to beat.

Bantam AA: A tight finish in Eden Prairie.  EP snuck in on goal differential tie-breaker of STMA.  Lakeville South beat Wayzata 2-1 to win their pool with a 2-0-1 record. On the other side of the Bracket, a great semifinal will take place between Stillwater and Prior Lake.  Number 2 and number 4 respectively should play one of the best games all weekend. White Bear Lake, Anoka, Highland and Wayzata "A" all made it out of the Burnsville Pool Play.  White Bear has to be the favorite, but don't count out Anoka or Highland. 

Predicted Winners:

Hopkins: Mahtomedi
Mounds View: Tartan
Eden Prairie: Stillwater
Burnsville: White Bear Lake

So Close: K'Andre Miller hit the post square today with a minute left for Minnetonka as they scrambled to tie #2 Stillwater today in Eden Prairie.

U10A: The final four is set in Edina (or should I say Bloomington). Edina Green and Minnetonka will settle a score from their earlier pool play game that finished in a 3-3 tie. Edina White, who won their win in Saturday with a 2-1 win over Stillwater, will take on Wayzata who won the craziest pool we've seen in a while.  Three teams with 2-1 recrods and separated by a goal each in goal differential. 

U12A: White Bear got by Lakeville South, 1-0. Both teams advance. As did Edina and Minneapolis.  Edina was never challenged in pool play and Minneapolis round out the Final Four.  Minneapolis had an entertaining contest with Stillwater.  Stilwater tied the game 1-1 and was pressuring to take the lead and took a penalty.  Minneapolis scored on the Power Play to go up 2-1 and then a minute later scored again on Special Teams, this time short handed to give the Storm a berth in the Final 4.

Predicted Winners:

U10A: Edina Green
U12A: White Bear Lake

Shout Out: Saw Izzy Daniel for Minneapolis today. This girl is lightning fast and a threat to score from anywhere on the ice.  She had several end to end rushes, victorious puck battles and great scoring chances.