1. Eden Prairie (Overall 16-0-3, Section 2AA 4-0-0)-The opening minutes of last Saturday’s game told the Eagles’ story this year.  Eden Prairie were playing Minnetonka in a key Lake Conference game with the title at stake.  The Eagles opened the game soaring in the first period outshooting Minnetonka 16-5.  The Skippers responded by falling back into a box of five, playing the first period as if they were on the penalty kill.  It took Eden Prairie eleven minutes to score.  A hard shot from the right point was tipped on the way to the Skippers' net beating the Skippers goalie, Tatyana Delattre.  Eden Prairie's Charly Dahlquist got the score; Ashley Astor and Naomi Rogge got the assists.

Minnetonka abandoned their defense collapsing around their net and went on the offensive.  It took the Skippers 36 minutes of game time to tie the score.  Michaela Rothstein goal with Lauren Klein getting the assist.  The Skippers’ goal forced the overtime but Minnetonka gave up a power play goal to Rogge with just under four minutes gone in the overtime period.  It was the second 2-1 overtime win over Minnetonka by the Eagles in the past two weeks and the win put the Eagles in first place in the Lake Conference.  The Eagles are just a tough offensive and defensive team.  Minnetonka's tactic of weathering the opening on-slaught worked.  Despite being out shot 39-20, they held the Eagles to a single goal in regulation time; but the Skippers still could not beat the Eden Prairie's defense.  That is why the Eagles are #1.  Eden Prairie plays Minnetonka once more, at Minnetonka, January 27th.  This week the Eagles play two games this week, Jefferson and at Hopkins and should win.  Hopkins can be dangerous

2. Blake (Overall 17-1-0; Section 5A 3-0-0)-The Bears added three more wins to their record last week beating St. Paul United 3-1, Benilde-St. Margaret’s 3-0, and Orono 3-0.  Bear’s goalie Anna Kruesel was in the nets for all three games recording her second and third shutouts of the season and her fifth one goal game.  Kruesel (14-1-0 with a 1.7 goals against average stopping 93% of the shots on net) will likely be in the nets for the Bears when the play Breck next Tuesday, January 20th.  The game will be "round two" of their likely three round battle for Section 5A supremacy.  Blake plays Irondale Thursday and Totino-Grace Saturday before playing Breck for their second week of three games.  The Bears will have four regular season games to play after this week, the toughest being against South Suburban Conference leader, Lakeville South.  Blake is favored in all their remaining games and are waiting for the #1 Eagles to fall.

3. Maple Grove (Overall 18-0-1; Section 6AA 3-0-1)-Congratulations to the Crimson for winning the Northwest Suburban Conference.  Maple Grove (14-0 in conference play) beat two conference foes, Totino-Grace 3-2 in overtime and Spring Lake Park 4-0 last week to clinch the title.  They lead second place Elk River by three and a half games with three games left to play.  The Totino-Grace (4-15-1) game was a surprise in that it was close.  Grace lost their first 10 games, but has done well in their last nine games.  In non-conference play last week, Maple Grove beat Wayzata 3-0 to keep their unbeaten season in tact.  This week, the Crimson have a key Section 6AA match-up Thursday at Minnetonka.  Saturday, they play at Hill-Murray and Tuesday host school district rival North Metro in a conference game.  This week, the Crimson get tested.

4. Thief River Falls (Overall 15-1-3; Section 8A 6-0)-The Prowlers moved one game closer to finishing their season by going unbeaten in their last 19 games.  Last week they beat Warroad 5-2.  This week the Falls plays Crookston.  The Prowlers are favored to win their last six games and end the season with a 21-1-3 record.  In the process, they should get the #1 seed in Section 8A which means they will open Section 8A play in a semifinal game against the winner of the #4/#5 seeded teams (most likely Crookston/Park Rapids).   That game will be played at Crookston the second week in February.  The Prowlers are on their way to the Xcel.

5. Hill-Murray (Overall 12-4-0; Section 4AA 2-0-0)-The Pioneers continue to win as they finish a game packed ending to their season.  Beginning last night with their win over Mahtomedi, the Pioneers will play nine games in the last 17 days of January.  They play three more games this week at Tartan Friday, hosting Maple Grove Saturday, and hosting Hastings next Tuesday.  They still have five regular season games to play after next Tuesday before the season ends January 31st.  The Hill is making a charge the past week, but has a problem developing.  They will likely finish the season with a 4-0 record against Section 4AA teams; but Cretin-Derham Hall is headed to a 7-0-0 Section 4AA record.  The Raiders have played #1 Eden Prairie to a 2-2 tie just before Christmas.  Section 4AA is a seven team section this year and that means, like Section 6AA, the #1 seed gets a quarterfinal bye and plays the winner the #4/#5 seeds (most likely Roseville/Tartan).  The #2 seed gets to play a quarterfinal game against North St. Paul and most likely play a tough Stillwater team in the semifinals.  As it should be, the #2 has a tougher path to the championship.  The Hill's problem is stuck in those nine games left on the Hill’s schedule are games with Maple Grove and Wayzata that they can't lose.  If the Hill does, Cretin could claim the #1 seed.

6. Minnetonka (Overall 15-5-0; Section 6A 2-1-0)-Time is running out for the Skippers.  After losing last Saturday to Eden Prairie 2-1 (the second 2-1 loss to the Eagles in two weeks), Minnetonka beat Edina 2-1 Tuesday.  A loss to Maple Grove this Thursday will likely eliminate them from making any case for Section 6AA’s #1 seed even if they sweep their remaining four games (Wayzata, Hopkins, Eden Prairie, and Blaine).  Maple Grove will likely win out on the rest of their schedule and claim the #1.  If the Skippers don’t win Thursday, they will likely face Wayzata in the Section 6AA semifinals after playing either Armstrong or North Metro.  Maple Grove would get the quarterfinal bye and play the winner of Benilde-St. Margaret’s/Hopkins in their semifinal.  The #1 seed gets the advantage in Section 6AA this year.  But even if the Skippers beat Maple Grove this week, they would have to do well (preferably win their last four games) to claim the #1.  The Section 6AA tourney is going as predicted, a tough sectional filled with good teams.

7. Breck (Overall 12-5-1; Section 5A 1-1-0)-The Mustangs have as the song says “nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide".  Last week, they beat Minnehaha United 5-0, but next Tuesday they need to beat Blake.  It is the big game for Breck, but for Blake, it is a "free swing".  Blake can lose that game and still take the #1 seed in 5A.  Breck has to beat Blake and then the following week beat Dodge County at the Kasson Arena in a game played in front of what should be a packed hometown crowd.  Then to end the season, the Mustangs have to beat Edina in a game that will have significance for both teams.  Blake has an easier remaining schedule and should win out despite losing to Breck.  Both Breck and Blake play two games this week before playing each other. Breck plays Holy Angels Thursday and Mound/Westonka Saturday.  Both Blake and Breck should note that they both have Totino-Grace left on their schedule.  Grace might prove tough as regular season ends.

8. Dodge County (15-3-0; Section 1AA 2-1-0)-The Wildcats are still stung by that 1-0 loss to Section 1A foe Lakeville North over the holidays at Warroad.  The loss puts Dodge on a path to play both Lakevilles to get to the Xcel in the upcoming Section 1AA tourney.  Last week, they won three games beating Rochester Mayo 13-0, Jefferson 5-1, and the Bulldogs (St. Peter/Lesueur-Henderson/Tri-City United) 12-0.  This week Dodge County stays home to play Rochester John Marshall, St. Paul United, and Holy Family.  They will be favorites to win all three games this week and their first game of the following week against Centennial.  That leaves a season ending week with two key games to be played against Breck and Eden Prairie.  Wildcat wins against these two teams can get them the #1 Section 1AA seed.  By ending the season playing well the Wildcats would have the luxury of watching the two Lakevilles play each other for the right to play Dodge in the championship game.  Kasson Arena should be roaring by the time Breck arrives.

9. Roseau (Overall 14-3-2; Section 8AA 5-0-0)-Despite hitting a bump in their loss to Hibbing/Chisholm last week, the Ram remain on track to a tie in the Greater Minnesota Conference and to get the #1 seed in Section 8AA.  Buffalo remains their nearest challenger for the Section’s #1 seed, but Bison losses to Wayzata 5-3 and to Hopkins 2-1 last week hurt Buffalo’s shot to overtake the Ram’s leveraging Roseau's loss to Hibbing.  The Rams should win out and finish the season with a 9-0 record against Section 8AA foes.  Buffalo hosts North Wright County Friday in their fourth game against Section 8AA foes and need a win.  Buffalo can go 5-0 against Section 8AA foes, but the Bison need another Ram stumble against one of their four remaining Section 8AA foes (Moorhead, Sartell, St. Cloud, or Bemidji).  The Rams remain on a path to the Xcel.       

10. Lakeville South (Overall 15-3-1; Section 1AA 2-0-0)-Lakeville South is closing in on a South Suburban Conference championship.  They lead Lakeville North by 2 ½ games with five conference games left to play (Prior Lake, Eastview, Shakopee, Farmington, and Lakeville North).  The Cougars are favorites in all five games and should have the conference title locked before hosting Lakeville North in their last regular season game at Hasse Arena.  Last week, Lakeville South beat three Suburban South foes Rosemount 10-1, Burnsville 7-1, and Eagan 5-2.  The Cougars’ last game of the season against North should be a battle for Section 1AA’s all-important #1 seed.  The loser is likely to face Dodge County in the Section 1AA semifinals.  Going into that game South should have a 3-0-0 Section 1AA record including a win over North; North should have a 3-1-0 Section 1AA record with a win over Dodge County and a loss to Lakeville South.    

Teams to Watch: Edina (11-7-1), Red Wing (15-4-0), Lakeville North (14-4-1), St. Paul United (14-5-1), Chaska/Chanhassen (11-7-1), Hastings (13-4-1), Cretin-Derham Hall (12-3-3), Centennial (12-6-1), Proctor/Hermantown (18-3-0), Wayzata (12-5-2), Elk River (15-4-1), and Princeton/Big Lake/Becker (15-4-1).

Notes: In mid-December, Edina was beating all the top teams on a steady march to #1.  Since then, the Hornets have slid back by posting a 3-6-0 record.  A good team, the mystery here is how they managed to end up on the watch list.  The Lake Conference is tough in January, but should not be 0-5 tough for the now last place Edina team.  Red Wing is making some noise in Section 1A after winning their last six games.  The Section 1A champs from last year, the Wingers could be state tourney bound again.  St. Paul United has a chance to turn a corner but it will be a tough one for the Spartans.  They would have to beat Dodge County at Kasson Arena Friday.  Every time Chaska/Chanhassen loses they seem to follow with something good.  They are still a dangerous team.

Hastings took a tough loss last week and may not show much in the rankings, but they are one of the strongest picks to win their Section 3AA title and a trip to the Xcel.  Goalie Brooke Weber stopped 45 of 50 Hill-Murray shots in the Raiders 5-2 loss to the Pioneers last week.  Centennial (12-6-1) replaces Mounds View (10-6-1) on this list.  The Cougars have won three straight and have emerged as Section 5AA favorites challenged by Blaine (12-6-1) and Mounds View.  Proctor/Hermantown stumbled last week losing to Grand Rapids 3-2 at home.  Wayzata continues to win and lose and win.  Elk River lost to Anoka 3-0 last week.  The Elks will have to settle for second in the Northwest Suburban.  Still Elk River remains the favorite to win Section 7AA and win a trip to the Xcel.  That is not a bad consolation prize considering conference champs Maple Grove have a tough Section 6AA battle and may not make the big show.

Princeton/Big Lake/Becker makes their first appearance on this list.  The Tigers have had a good season and have won their last four games including a nice 5-1 win over Holy Angels.  Too bad that they are in Section 5A and trail Blake and Breck in the battle for a trip to the Xcel.