HERMANTOWN HAWKS

Coach: Patrick Andrews, third season

2018-2019 record: 22-4-2

Conference: Lake Superior

Section: 7A

Key departures: F Brady Baker (2310—33); D Darian Gotz (10-17—27); D Sam High (10-17—27); F Elliot Peterson (6-19—25); G Cole Manahan (1.73 GAA, .912 save percentage)

Key returners: Sr. F Blake Biondi (34-29—63); jr. D/F Joey Pierce (1925—44); jr. F Ethan Lund (13-20—33); jr. sr. D/F Drew Sams (9-11—20); sr. D Indio Dowd (0-14—14); jr. D Jackson Lucia (2-14—16); jr. F Cole Antcliff (11-3—14); F Aydyn Dowd (1-8—9); jr. F Aaron Pionk (4-5—9)

Outlook: The Hawks’ nineyear run as section champs came to an end in a double-overtime loss to Greenway in the 7A championship game. But Hermantown returns 14 letterwinners and has 11 seniors and 13 juniors on its roster, meaning Patrick Andrews’ squad is favored to make its way back to St. Paul. Hermantown led the section in scoring (5.2 goals per game) and putting the puck in the net shouldn’t be a problem again. Captain Biondi, a Minnesota Duluth commit who played for the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League this fall and for Team USA during last summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scored six of his 34 goals in three playoff games. Joining him up front, the Hawks have a potent crew of forwards with Lund, Pionk, Antcliff and Aydyn Dowd, all of whom played large minutes for the Hawks last season.

Schedule

At 7:30 p.m., unless noted

Nov. 26 — Eveleth-Gilbert

Nov. 29 — Wayzata

Nov. 30 — at Lakeville South

Dec. 6 — at Eden Prairie (St. Louis Park), 6 p.m.

Dec. 7 — at Benilde-St. Margaret’s, 2 p.m.

Dec. 10 — Duluth Marshall

Dec. 13 — Totino-Grace

Dec. 17 — Duluth Denfeld

Dec. 21 — Mahtomedi, 3:15 p.m.

Hermantown's Blake

Biondi scored 38 goals last season and returns to try and help the Hawks return to the state tournament after their nine-year run was interrupted a season ago.

News Tribune file photo

Alternate captains Sams and Indio Dowd return to the blue line. Pierce, who made the U-18 National Development Camp All-Star Game last summer, is slated to move back to the blue line joining returning senior Zach Carson, Lucia and sophomore Jack Glockle, who saw considerable varsity time last season as a freshman. The biggest question mark lies in goal as senior Jacob Backstrom takes over the starting job after seeing limited varsity action as a junior backup.

Jan. 3 — St. Cloud Cathedral

Jan. 7 — Grand Rapids

Jan. 11 — Cretin-Derham Hall, 3:15 p.m.

Jan. 14 — at Greenway

Jan. 18 — at St. Cloud Tech, 3 p.m.

Jan. 21 — Hibbing-Chisholm

Jan. 23 — Proctor

Jan. 25 — at Holy Family Catholic, 3 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Cloquet-Esko-Carlton

Feb. 1 — at Hill-Murray, 2:30 p.m.

Feb. 4 — at Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl, 7 p.m.

Feb. 7 — Superior

Feb. 13 — at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m.