DULUTH DENFELD HUNTERS

Coach: Dale Jago, second season

2018-2019 record:

14-9-3

Conference: Lake

Superior

Section: 7A

Key departures: F

Payton Budisalovich (16-22—38); F Zach

DeCaro (11-18—29); F Jacob Eskola (10-19— 29); D Darren Shykes (3-20—23)

Key returners: F

Griffin Lehet (27-17— 44); F Kade Shea (1223—35); F Logan Jasper (4-11—15); D Dylan Jouppi (1-12—13); G

Shawn Easty (2.78 GAA, .902 save percentage); G

Jacob Snyder (3.41 GAA, .881 save percentage)

Outlook: The Hunters overachieved in Jago’s first season behind the bench, winning their most games since the 2014-15 season and earning a No. 2 section playoff seed. But Jago isn’t complacent, stating his team should have won 17 games. The team loses Budisalovich, who scored a number of big goals, as well as scoring depth with DeCaro and Eskola. Lehet had three hat tricks, including one in the playoffs, while Shea was third on the team in scoring. A total of 35 players, a half dozen more than a season ago, are in the program. “We have a nice group that moved up from bantams last year, so we have added some speed and some skill. But we are a little bit younger than we were in the past,” Jago said. With Greenway’s surprising late run ending Hermantown’s section reign, the Hunters feel they could be the next team to surprise and make the state tournament for the first time since 1989. “If you get hot at the right time, with the right goalie and playing the right way, anybody can win,” Jago said.

Schedule

Home games at Heritage Center

Nov. 22 — Minnehaha Academy

Nov. 23 — Red Wing

Nov. 26 — at Two Harbors, 7 p.m.

Dec. 3 — Greenway, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 5 — at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 10 — at Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl, 7 p.m.

Dec. 14 — New Prague, 12:15 p.m.

Dec. 17 — at Hermantown, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 19 — Superior, 5:15 p.m.

Dec. 26-28 — Heritage Holiday Tournament

Jan. 3 — Bloomington Kennedy, 7 p.m.

Jan. 6 — at Duluth East (Heritage Center)

Jan. 10 — Chanhassen, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14 — Proctor, 5:15 p.m.

Jan. 17 — at International Falls, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 24 — Thief River Falls, 7 p.m.

Jan. 25 — Warroad, 2 p.m.

Jan. 28 — at Eveleth-Gilbert, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30 — at Hibbing-Chisholm, 7 p.m.

Feb. 7 — at Alexandria Area, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 8 — at Sartell-St. Stephen, 1 p.m.

Feb. 11 — Pine City, 7 p.m.

Feb. 13 — Duluth Marshall, 7 p.m.

Roster