As they have all weekend, the Minnesota Blades ran up the electricity bill ay Plymouth Ice Center, hanging nearly 10 goals on Green Bay in the finals of the 2004 Division and cruising to a 9-1 victory on Sunday. In five games, the Blades outscored their opponents 36-3. 

Isaac Howard led the assault with two goals and two assists, as nearly a dozen Blades earned ink on the scoresheet. Maddox Fleming notched a goal and three helpers, Cole Spicer scored twice and assisted once, and Landen Gunderson, Jimmy Clark, Nick Pierre, and Trey Ausmus all tallied one goal each for the Blades. Ausmus was named the tournament’s MVP after a five-goal, 11-point performance. 

Carter Daul scored the lone goal in the loss for Green Bay.  

Euro American Red halted Blue Army’s march toward two championships this weekend with a gutsy 3-1 win in the 2005 Division finals, as Wyatt Olson’s goal and assist and Wes Johnson’s glove propelled EAR to victory. 

Olson got the scoring started with 4:15 left in the first period before Blue Army’s Tommy Boisjolie tied the game midway through the second period. Danny Nelson gave EAR its eventual game-winner with a goal late in the second, with Connor Steljes and Dawson Jenson picking up the assists. 

Finn Brink tacked on an insurance goal with 1:59 to play in regulation, and EAR was able to withstand the late barrage by Blue Army thanks en route to victory. 

If the first championship game of the day sets the tone for the rest of the schedule, Sunday’s 2006 Division title match prepared parents and players alike for drama, intrigue, and frantic finishes. 

Keaton Orrey scored with just 1:45 remaining in overtime to lift Blue Army to a 3-2 win over the Black Bears, avoiding a shootout and completing a two-goal comeback. C.J. Eytcheson staked the Black Bears a 1-0 lead late in the first period, a 1-0 advantage that stood until Ryan Madigan evened the score at 1-1 with 6:21 to play in the second frame. 

The tournament’s leading scorer, the Black Bears’ Ashton Schultz, gave his team a 2-1 lead early in the third, with Blue Army unable to convert on several scoring opportunities throughout the later stages of the second much of the third. With 6:08 to play in regulation, Ryan Whiterabbit tied the game for the Blue Army, forcing the extra session and setting the stage for Orrey’s heroics. 

Blue Army forward Ryan Madigan was named the 2006 Division Most Valuable Player after notching a goal and assist in the final, finishing with seven goals and 10 points in five games.