Blades take hardware in Omaha and Detroit
The Minnesota Blades took home some nice hardware this past weekend winning titles in Omaha and Detroit. The U15 Blades took the Motor City Cup sweeping national Tier 1 teams including HPHL clubs Team Illinois and Little Caesars to win the title.
The U16 team powered by an overtime goal by Bryce Brodzinski ('00, Blaine), beat Chicago Mission 4-3 in the semifinals and then the Blades took out HPHL power Honeybaked to grab the USHL Fall Classic title at Ralston Arena in Omaha. Brodzinski and three others (Jack Bayless, Jack Perbix and Nick Strom) pitched in for the Blades in the 4-2 victory.
Dawson Klein (Lakeville South HS) and Jackson Perbix (Elk River HS) show off their banner Sunday in Omaha
Tonka Sails to Velocity Title Sunday
Velocity Hockey Center in Eden Prairie held a 3 on 3 tournament for association based PeeWee teams this weekend. Several top teams in the metro headed to the west metro for some good small area games.
Osseo Maple Grove beat Rosemount 18-9 in the third place game prior to the title game between Lakeville South and Minnetonka. The first half of the title game, the teams battled but found both goalies hard to solve (Ethan Dahlmeir, Lakeville and Christian Manz, Minnetonka). As the game wore on, the Skippers got more chances and eventually they were able to get and hold a two to three goal lead. Jack Rausch had four goals to lead the Skippers and Manz shut the door in tight situations.
Jack Rausch scores one of his four goals Sunday for Tonka
Velocity Leading Scorers
| Player | Team | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Blake | Eden Prairie | 32 | 16 | 48 |
| William Whitelaw | Rosemount | 28 | 5 | 33 |
| William Matzke | Osseo Maple Grove | 24 | 5 | 29 |
| Mitchell Dokman | Edina | 21 | 7 | 28 |
| Trent Stansberry | Eden Prairie | 21 | 7 | 28 |
| Quinn Schliesman | Eden Prairie | 23 | 4 | 27 |
| Luke Jech | Lakeville North | 13 | 12 | 25 |
| Josh Giuliani | Osseo Maple Grove | 7 | 17 | 24 |
| Max Burkholder | Chaska Chanhassen | 15 | 8 | 23 |
| Sam Rinzell | Chaska Chanhassen | 13 | 8 | 21 |
| Luke Savage | Hastings | 16 | 4 | 20 |
| Ethan Sillerud | Osseo Maple Grove | 15 | 5 | 20 |
| Bennett Jax | Osseo Maple Grove | 15 | 4 | 19 |
| Kaleb Hurd | Lakeville North | 12 | 7 | 19 |
| Austin Stoneking | Lakeville South | 11 | 7 | 18 |
| Nathan Jaglo | Osseo Maple Grove | 11 | 6 | 17 |
| Henry Whittlef | Edina | 9 | 8 | 17 |
| Wesly Brunello | Lakeville North | 12 | 4 | 16 |
Austin Stoneking beats Minnetonka's Christian Manz Sunday
Bruins grab BEL regular season title
The planets aligned for the Bantam Elite League Sunday when all six teams found themselves playing their final game against the team next to them in the standings. The Flyers and Stars met to solve who finishes last or not last. The Hawks looked to get their first win over the Penguins and the Pens with a win still had a shot at a BEL first round bye next week. Finally the Bruins and Kings faced off for with the league title on the line.
Mitchell Kohner stole the show scoring all three for the Bruins as they knocked off the Kings to edge them out of first place by one point in the standings. The Hawks played spoiler on Sunday as Jackson Kunz and Jack Smith grounded the Pens each notching three points in their 6-4 win. The Hawks went 3-0-1 over the weekend vaulting them out of the cellar into a very respectable fourth place. The Stars and Flyers entered Sunday a point apart meaning the loser would get last place and winner fifth. CJ Zins got the only goal of the shootout and the Flyers earned the fifth seed and will face the Blackhawks next Friday in the BEL playoffs.
Jack Smith tucks in a goal for the Hawks Sunday
CJ Zins sores in a shootout Sunday to lift the Flyers to a win over the Stars
Players to Watch
Brian Halonen, Delano/Team Northwest
Jackson Blake, Eden Prairie - put up 48 points in five games for EP in the Velocity 3v3 tourney this weekend. Will be hard to stop this year at PWAA.
Bryce Brodzinski, Blaine (U16 Blades) - the youngest of four Brodzinski brothers, Bryce netted GWG against Chicago Mission and added another in the finals against Honeybaked.
Brian Halonen, Delano (Northwest) - the Michigan Tech recruit had 8 points in three games for Northwest. The senior playmaker had two assists in all three games.
Austen Humphrey, Bruins (BEL) - big and very athletic...Humphrey took over the scoring lead heading into the final weekend.
Grant Johnson, Great Plains (HSEL) - the senior from Grand Forks (Central) had two goals and four assists for the Great Plains in the first weekend of the High School Elite League.
Kyle Kukkonen, Blackhawks (BEL) - quietly had five points in four games for the upstart Hawks last weekend. Made some great plays with the puck.
2016 Wiz Wyatt winner Kyle Kukkonen
Red and Black Kicks off
Jake Rutzick scores for Green in their 9-5 win over Teal
Tonka's Jayce Hopia scores for Red Sunday
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