Hawks win!
Let the Celebrations Began
Noon Saturday, Hermantown stared down their archrival, another private school. The Hawks have been there for the past six years pointing to their zip code 55811. It is their moral link in the chase for the Class A title at the Xcel. All their players have roots in the Hermantown zip code. The private schools can’t make the same claim, but in winning four of the past six runner-up banners, Hermantown has lost the championship banner to private schools. The departure of private school St. Thomas Academy from Class A to Class AA two tourneys ago (a team that the Hawks had lost to in three of those six runner-up years) seemed to open the door for the Hawks only to have East Grand Forks walk through. The Green Wave beat the Hawks both years. Not this year, the Hawks rolled through their first two opponents 18-4 and then efficiently ended their six runner-up banner streak beating Breck 5-0. The next banner hung over the Hawks’ home ice will have champions on it. Congratulations Hermantown, 2016 Class A Champions.
Hermantown senior Cole Koepke celebrates scoring the first Hermantown goal in their Class A championship win over Breck.
This year, the door opened wide for the Hawks. It started last fall when the core of the Hermantown team (Wyatt Aamodt, Jesse Jacques, Eric Gotz, Ryan Sandelin, Dylan Samberg, Tyler Watkins, and Cole Koepke) combined with Grand Rapids and Duluth East talent on the Muscle Milk team. The M&Mers dominated the UMHSEL fall league, the toughest league in the “before” season of USA Hockey. When East Grand Forks failed in their bid for their “three-peat” losing to a tough Thief River Falls team, the door opened wider. After the Hawks efficiently beat their first two Xcel opponents (Litchfield/Cokato-Dassel and Thief River Falls) scoring on one out of every four shots, things had come together as a team. Stepping out on the ice at noon at the Xcel, it was all there for the Hawks. Hermantown seized the moment and beat Breck 5-0 winning despite being outshot 23-18. The Hawks bettered their one out of every four shots average for the game and won their championship banner.
For a very good Breck team that will return most of their roster next year (Chase Ellingson, Charlie Gamer, Tyler Scott, William Blake, and Justin Paulson will graduate), they can take solace in two things. The Hawks beat Class AA Champions Wayzata 5-3 in regular season play and was one of the top ranked teams in the state Class A or Class AA and that they won the runner-up banner to hang in Anderson Ice Arena along the side of their two Class A championship banners as a reminder for next year. A more mature Breck team will likely be back at the Xcel in 2017 to challenge the Hawks.
Class A Championship Game: Hermantown-5 Breck-0
The Hawks had been led to the first two wins by Cole Koepke (8 points/5 goals), Ryan Sandelin (8 points/3 goals), and Jesse Jacques (6 points/3 goals). That was no surprise. The three Hawks along with Tyler Watkins and defenseman Wyatt Aamodt figured in five of the eight goals scored in Muscle Milk’s 8-2 win over Shattuck/St. Mary’s in a late season UMHSEL win. Shattuck is currently the #2 ranked U18 Tier 1 team and headed for USA Hockey’s National Tourney held in San Jose CA this year. They were a significant part of the UMHSEL Muscle Milk team that dominated the league last fall and scared the USA U17 team before losing via penalties.
But Breck would not an easy win for the Hawks. The Mustangs, led by Chase Ellingson (6 points/4 goals), William Blake (4 points/3 goals), and Tyler Scott (5 points/2 goals), had their own “bona fide” players. Ellingson, Blake, and defenseman Dalton Weigel were top players on the UMSHEL’s MAP team that beat the M&Mers twice in UMHSEL play (Muscle Milk lost only 4 games last fall). Ellingson was the #2 goal scorer (17 goals) and #3 point getter (32 points) in the UMHSEL league.
The Hawks' Ryan Sandelin (#11) watches Jesse Jacques' shot hitting the back of the net for the second Hawk score in the opening period.
But key to this game would be the Mustang defense led by Weigel. Breck’s defensive corps held Mankato West and Thief River Falls scoreless in their first two games at the Xcel. More importantly, they held the two opponents to just 35 shots on goal. Returning Mustang goalieLinden Olness would be key. He would be facing a Hawk team that scored with efficiency. If his defensive corps didn’t slow the Hawk forwards, Breck would be in trouble
Period 1: Breck defense holds, then breaks
For the first ten minutes of the opening period, the Breck defensive corps could do no wrong. The Mustangs held the Hawk attack in check holding Hermantown to just two shots on goal. The Breck defensive corps drove the Hawk forwards wide at the Breck blue line and turned the puck quickly before the Hawk offense could set up inside the Mustang’s zone. In the tenth minute, that changed. The Hawk’s version of the Muscle Milk team developed a quick attack that resulted in the first Hermantown goal. Cole Koepke picked up a rebounding puck in the slot and buried the puck in the left side putting the Hawks up 1-0. Ryan Sandelin and Wyatt Aamodt got the assists. Three minutes later, a fourth M&Mer, Jesse Jacques scored the second Hawk goal. A hard shot from the right faceoff was stopped by Breck goalie Linden Olness. Olness slowed the puck and it rebounded into the right slot to Jacques. Jacques had an open shot and buried the puck for the Hawks second score. Sandelin and Koepke got the assists. The third goal came with five seconds left in the period. The Mustang defense relaxed and let Hawk James Lindberg snipe from the right end line. He roofed the puck for the third Hawk score. Hermantown led 3-0 going into the second period.
The Hawks James Lindberg (right) celebrating his "roof" goal from the lower right slot to put the Hawks up 3-0 just as the opening period ended.
Period 2: Hawks start to play "cool"
Breck defense started the period scrambling a little. Hermantown started to tie up the Breck forwards as they tried to clear their zone by attacking the Mustang receiving the pass along the boards. A single Hawk forward would time his check to when the Mustang took the pass; a second Hawk forward would battle for the loose puck usually along the boards, forcing a second Breck forward to cover. A third Hawk, usually a defenseman would close and clean up by swinging the puck to open space. The result was an open center ice or opposite boards that resulted in Hawk attacks on the Mustang net.
Breck had some scoring opportunities. Six minutes into the period, a Hawk defensive mistake forced Hermantown goaltender Luke Olson to make three consecutive stops to keep the zero on the Breck side of the scoreboard. After Olson made the stops, back came Hermantown taking the first player along the boards. This time the second Hawk had open ice to take the shot. He snapped a pass to a breaking Hawk forward for a hard shot on the net with short rebound left to Logan Judnick. Judnick, on the crease doorstep, moved left to put the rebound in the net for the goal. Hermantown led 4-0. Matt Valure assisted on Judnick’s goal.
After scoring the fourth goal, the Hawks offense became less aggressive not attacking deep and letting Breck initiate their attack before countering at the Breck blue line. Breck had some more scoring opportunities against the softer Hermantown defense, but their forwards could not connect. A Mustang penalty with four minutes left put Hermantown on the power play. The Hawks were still slow in their power play attack. Breck killed the penalty and almost scored as the two teams transitioned to 5-on-5. A Hawk trip put the Mustangs on the power play with a minute to play in the period. The second period ended 4-0 with Breck on the power play for 53 seconds going into the third period.
Period 3: Hawks Win!
Breck started the period with a minute left in the power play. Breck forwards just could not beat the Hawk defense inside the Hawk zone. Shot after shot attempt was blocked by the Hermantown defensive corps forcing the Mustang offense to re-group. The Hawk penalty ended and the play just wound down. Breck outshot Hermantown 9-5 in the third period, but consistently were denied the good shot and often any shot on the Hawk goal. Hermantown’s Ryan Sandelin scored a shorthanded goal late in the period with Koepke getting the assist. In the end, Breck got few shots on the Hermantown net and despite losing by four goals still managed to outshoot the Hawks 23-18 in the game.
Breck's William Blake (#26) looks for a tip against Hermantown's goalie Luke Olson.
Hermantown goalie Luke Olson makes the stop on this third period Breck attack.
Hermantown starts the championship celebration
Third Place Game: Thief River Falls-4 St. Paul Academy-1
In the third place game played Saturday morning, Thief River Falls took a 2-0 lead after the first period behind goals by Ethan Johnson and Lucas Magnusson. Magnusson’s goal turned out to be the game winner. The Prowlers’ Michael Johnson assisted on both scores.
The Falls led 4-1 after the second period, but ran into trouble as the period ended. The Falls’ Brendan Bushy scored five minutes into the second period putting Thief River up 3-0. Ethan Johnson got the assist. Five minutes later, St. Paul Academy’s Will Kelly scored to cut the lead to 3-1. Jack Johnston got the assist. Thief River Falls’ Kristopher Joppru scored with five minutes left to play. Joppru’s goal ended the scoring. Thief River Falls led 4-1.
On the power play with the second period ending, the Prowlers drew a cross-check to nullify a Falls power play creating instead a four on four. The Prowlers then drew a major for boarding as the second period ended. The Prowlers opened the third period playing shorthanded for five minutes. SPA could only manage four shots on the Prowlers’ net in the opening minutes of the third period. Their forwards just could not beat the Prowler defenders after the crossing the Falls’ blue line often getting stopped along the boards. Once the major ended, the Prowlers took control of the game forcing action in the SPA zone and outshooting the Spartans 15-7 in the period.
Thief River Falls finished the season with a 24-7-0 record and the third place title at the Xcel. St. Paul Academy finished with an identical 24-7-0 record and their first state tourney appearance ever. For a school with a high school hockey program that started 103 years ago, it is about time. The hope is that SPA returns soon.
This Ref watches closely the action around the Thief River Falls net on this attack.
Thief River Falls celebrates taking third place at state.
Tourney notes
1.Hawk hangings-The first picture in this corner of YHH from Hermantown will be of the banner hung over the Hawk ice. A great win for the Hawks over a tough Breck team.
2. St. Paul Academy: The Spartans have been quietly way ahead of hockey in Minnesota. The MSHSL is enjoying their 100th year in existence. Boys high school hockey held their first state tourney in 1945, but SPA is the first establishing a high school team in 1913, three years before the MSHSL was first formed.
3. Cathedral’s Keegan Karki: Karki exploded last summer on the Minnesota hockey scene. He made Minnesota Hockey’s HP-15 list and played in the fall UMHSEL for the Luther’s Auto team posting a 4-3-1 record stopping 89% of the shots on goal. His first high school games was in the UMHSEL league against top competition. In regular season play, Karki posted 11-6-1 record stopping 88% of the shots on goal. In a quirk, Cathedral played three games at the Xcel that all ended in 4-2 scores (losing to St. Paul Academy, beating Litchfield/Cokato-Dassel and Mankato West).
4. Litchfield/Cokato-Dassel: The Dragons bowed out after two games at the Xcel, but David Raisanen, Jared Peterson, Luke Benson, Ben Haugo and company will be remembered for their exciting 7-6 upset of Luverne. With Luverne’s leading 100 point scorers Jaxson Nelson potentially moving up to the USA National Team and Chas Smedsrud graduating, the Dragons win over Luverne has made a mark in Minnesota hockey that will become more appreciated over time.
This SPA shot bounces off the pipe in Saturday's third place game.
Did Minnesota hockey fans set another attendance record?
5. Hermantown Association’s peewees: Hermantown Association’s 2011-2012 peewee A team played in Minnesota Hockey’s peewee A championship game losing to Prior Lake. They beat Eden Prairie Association’s peewee A team in semifinals in that 2012 tourney. The core of the Eden Prairie peewee A team played on the varsity in the Class AA championship game Saturday. Both associations can pat themselves on the back for a job well done, but as anyone on the board will tell you, the coach always wants to know what is in the association’s pipeline.
6. Chase Ellingson: People misspell his name, but Ellingson is a great player that can score. His play has entertained YHH readers for the past four years and we wish him success.
7. Eveleth-Mesabi East in two years? Hermantown, Greenway, and a few other teams in northeastern Minnesota might not agree with that idea, but why not. Now that the Hawks have shown it can be done, perhaps other northern teams will follow.
Some Eveleth-Gilbert/Mesabi East fans were at the tourney including the Golden Bears Bantam A players.