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March 22, 2018
Let’s Play Hockey
Stillwater Red Junior Gold 16 wins State Tournament
Stillwater 16U Red edged Minnetonka 32 to win the first ever State Title for a Stillwater 16U Junior Gold team. Stillwater Red was ranked No. 3 going into the state tournament below No. 1 Minnetonka and No. 2 St. Thomas Academy. The first game was played against Lakeville who Stillwater lost to during the regular season but beat in the first round of playdowns to win their ticket to State. It was a hard-fought game with Stillwater coming out with the 3-1 victory to move on to the semifinals. The semifinal game against St. Thomas Academy was another close game, but Stillwater came out with a 3-2 victory to
move into the State Championship game. In the title game vs. defending champion Minnetonka, Stillwater took an early 2-0 lead in the first period. Minnetonka answered with two goals to tie up the game in the second period. Both teams came out and played hard in the third period but Stillwater scored to win the State Title 3-2 over Minnetonka. Stillwater’s three strong offensive lines, solid defense, rock-solid goaltending and team mentality all contributed to their successful season. It was a season that will never be forgotten by coaches, players and parents.
Stillwater Junior Gold A takes second at State
After a strong season, Stillwater Junior Gold A was ranked No. 2 with a record of 26-8-5 heading into the State Championship game against the top-ranked powerhouse Edina team with a record of 38-1-1. With 17 seniors and two juniors, head coached by the tenured Mike Wasko, the team was posed to contest the Hornets. Unfortunately, they were unable to overtake Edina and placed second.
Stillwater’s success at Junior Gold (A, B, 16) over the last several years has been largely due to parent and coach encouragement to the boys that hockey beyond Bantams and high school does very much exist. In contrast to high school hockey, you can play twice the games, get more playing time, at a fraction of the politics and pressure. Sounds like more fun to me, and isn’t that what it’s about?
www.letsplayhockey.com
Edina Bantam A wins State Tournament
The Edina Bantam A Hornets walked into Parade Ice Arena knowing two things: They wanted to defend the State title earned by Edina in 2017 and if any of their games went to overtime, they liked their chances. A back-and-forth affair in the opening game ended up going as the script suggested it might. A Roseville goal with just over three minutes remaining in regulation tied the game 3-3 and served to provide Hornet and Raider fans some free hockey. Unlike their previous overtime victories during their playoff run that involved multiple extra frames, Edina was able to put home the winner after six minutes to advance to Saturday’s semifinal. As soon as the handshakes were done, the young Hornets turned their attention to the top-ranked team in the state, the Green Wave that had made its way down to the Twin Cities from East Grand Forks. In a mostly defensive affair, Edina held a 1-0 lead for most of the game, but a late powerplay goal for EGF set the table for some more overtime heroics. Unable to muster much pressure in over a period and a half of overtime, the Hockey Gods smiled upon the Hornets for the fourth time in their postseason. A seeing-eye wrist shot from the side boards found its way through
multiple bodies, into the back of the EGF net and set off an eruption amongst the Hornet fans as they would advance and play to defend their State title on Sunday afternoon. Edina faced off with Park Cottage Grove on Sunday afternoon for the State title with a bevy of fans having made the short drive from Edina for the championship game. Edina Hockey Association board members, players and coaches from the Hornets Varsity, Junior Varsity, Junior Gold, Bantam and PeeWee teams, players who had been coached in the past by Ryan Elbing and Co., as well as parents, grandparents, siblings and friends packed themselves into Parade Ice Arena. Edina would not disappoint those fans on this afternoon. Heading into the locker room after two periods with a 2-1 lead, every fan wearing green had that familiar feeling in the pit of their stomach as overtime seemed inevitable. But a strong defensive effort in the third period and a persistent forecheck made any additional time unnecessary. As the horn went off and the scoreboard still showing Edina up 2-1, the players poured over the boards to celebrate what will be a lifelong memory for parents, players and coaches. #GoHornets #LetsGoBoys
Farmington PeeWee B1 takes second at State
Coaches (l-r): Rich Wolf, Cory Bell, and Jeff Weinberger. Back row (l-r): Dylan Wolf, Vince Vonbank, Austin Kalmes, Nick Simon, Jason Mrosla, Jack Burdick, Jared Martin. Middle row (l-r): Luke Harris, Cade Fitzloff, Jarret Minchow, Zach Bell, Tyler Weinberger, Luke Rice, Noah Kirby. Goalies (l-r): Nick Fuller, Mitch Getting.
The stands at the MAC in St. Cloud are still buzzing with the roar of the absolutely electric Farmington fans. This past weekend, they cheered their Tigers to a stellar second place finish in the PeeWee B State Tournament. The Tigers finished the season with a 37-12-2 record and were the first PWB team ever to represent Farmington in the State Tournament. The Tigers’ success came through hard work, sticking to the fun-
damentals of good clean hockey, and a positive team-first attitude. All season long, the Tigers conducted themselves with integrity on and off the ice, whether they won or lost, and demonstrated sportsmanship that reflects their commitment to the spirit of hockey and youth sports. You may not have taken first, but you have proven yourselves to be worthy Champions. Congratulations on a great season!