Four teams remain in the Bantam AA bracket of the Edina Invitational.  Minnetonka, Wayzata, Centennial, and Carolina Jr. Hurricanes. Centennial had the easiest route to the Final Four with wins over Sibley, Roseville and Lakeville North. Tonka beat Edina, Carolina and Buffalo.  Wayzata gained the Final Four with two wins over St. Cloud and Chaska Chan and a tie with scrappy Anoka.

In game 1, Wayzata knocked off neighbor Minnetonka 3-0 to advance to the Finals.

In game 2, Carolina and Centennial waged a great battle. Centennial down four skaters, including team leader Graham Brickner, played a great game against a road tested Jr. Hurricanes team. The Cougars got on the board first when slick skating Carter Wagner scored on a pass from Hayden Brickner. With the score tied at 1, there was a flurry of goals to end the period. First, Riley Johnson scored for Carolina, then Matt Jennrich got an equalizer for Centennial to make it 2-2.  With 11 seconds left in the period Nick Wildgoose scored to give Carolina a 3-2 heading into the break.

After the Zamboni break, the teams came out flying.  Carolina carried the play, but never got a great chance in the second. The lone great chance was when a Centennial attacked rang a wrist shot off the Carolina post just missing a top shelf snipe. At the end of two, the Canes held a 3-2 lead.

The third period was more of the same.  The Canes had a slight advantage in puck possession, shots and chances but had nothing to show for it.  With 10 minutes to go, Carolina took the game's only penalty a hooking penalty by Carolina superstar Nick Hale. Centennial set up a nice power play and Dylan Klehr got a puck down low and made a pretty move creating a 2-1 situation where he promptly slid it back door to Matt Jennrich who got his second goal of the game to tie it 3-3. Once it was tied both teams really picked up the physical play and intensity. The Canes got a breakaway for Christian Roble and Cougar goalie Austin Ilvonen made a great save with seven minutes to go. A minute later the Canes got the puck on net again, a massive scrum ensued. The puck was still loose and Nick Wildgoose was able to sneak the puck past Ilvonen for the game winning goal.

Carolina will face Wayzata in what appears to be a great game for the Invite Championship.

Prediction: Wayzata over Carolina, 3-1 

Chaska Chan knocked off Sibley 3-2 in the morning game. Sibley was missing top player Brendan McFadden who was on his way to California to watch his brothers Pat and Connor compete in the Rose Bowl for Stanford today.

The StormHawks have made it the Championship game of every tournament they have entered this year (a feat not every team in PWAA can lay claim to).  

Edina knocked off Wayzata 7-1. Jett Jungels had two goals and Grant Sillianoff had three points for the Hornets.

Edina and Chaska/Chan have met four times already this season, with the Hornets holding a 3 to 1 advantage.  In tournaments, they have faced each other twice. Once in the BIG Pumpkin final in October (Edina won 4-1) and the other in the Eden Prairie Tournament Semifinal and the StormHawks won that one in OT, 3-2.

Expect Chaska/Chan to hold down the fort in the defensive zone and rely on their defensemen Mike Koster, William Magnuson, Danny Reddan and Joe Simpson and get great goaltending from Justin Bach in order for the StormHawks to stay close. Meanwhile, look for Edina to try and push the play with their speed and puck movement. They will have to production from their Big Six (Jensen, Sillianoff, Vorlicky, Brinkman, Malmquist and Jungels) and a good game from Weston Gervais in the nets.

If the game is within a goal after two periods, the StormHawks will have a mental advantage heading into the stretch. That is a big IF, especially considering the high octane offense and strong defensement the Hornets have.

Prediction: Edina 7-2