Thursday, December 13th Game Preview

St. Cloud at Alexandria

St. Cloud started the year by losing their first 5 games. They have turned things around by winning 3 of their last 4.  Granted the schedule has been a little easier  over the last 4. Gabbie Rud leads the way with 12 in 8. 

Alexandria is 4-5 on the year but they play a relatively strong schedule- St. Paul United, Brainerd, TRF, Sartell, Fergus Falls, East Grand Forks all in the rearview mirror.  Mound Westonka, Fergus Falls, Brainerd, Edina, Sartell, Hibbing, and Grand Rapids/Greenway all to come. It should serve them well in the postseason although Section 6A is not that strong. In the meantime, they need to figure out how to put the puck in the net.  They are only averaging 1.89 goals per game.

Alexandria 3.  St. Cloud 1.

Thief River Falls at East Grand Forks

TRF is rolling their competition.  Their record is 10-2.  They are averaging 4.17 goals per game and only giving up 1.42 per game. Shelby Breiland and Khloe Lund lead the way offensively with 20 and 19 points respectively.  The goalie combo of Porter and Steele has been really good. Those two should start a law firm when the grow up-  Porter Steele.  

East Grand Forks is 6-3-2 on the year. 2 of their losses have come to Warroad.  Madison McDonald has 12 and 6.  Kendra Emery has 3 and 11.  They make a nice duo. 

TRF 4. EGF 2.

Cambridge/Isanti at Eden Prairie

Cambridge is off to a great start at 7-1.  They have some great talent in Skelton, Schintz, and Winters. Knowing this the staff made an effort to add some stronger competition this year.  One of those games is tonight. They have added Elk River as well.  Skelton leads the way with 19.  Winters has 14 and Schintz 13.  As good as Skelton is offensively she might be better defensively. If I were the coach I would have her on Langseth all night. Tonight’s game will be a great measuring stick.  

EP will go as Langseth goes.  All of the offense flows through her. As a team they have scored 27 goals.  13 have come from Langseth. 8 have come from Grace Kuipers.  Langseth had a hand in 6 of those 8.  6 goals from the rest of the team combined. 

Does Skelton neutralize Langseth? Tough one.  If it were home ice for C/I I would say yes as they would have the luxury of last change.  Matching lines will be hard for C/I to manage and that little detail might be the edge that EP needs.

EP 4.  C/I 3.  

Andover at Forest Lake

Oh this is a good one! This was the Section 7AA match up last season that Andover won 3-0 to go to the State Tournament.  These two will most likely meet again in the Section 7AA final this year. A combined record of 17-1.  The only blemish being a 2-1 loss for Andover to Minnetonka.  Forest Lake beat Minnetonka 3-2 at the final buzzer.  

Andover’s first line of Nelson, Hemp, and Krause is right there with Blake’s and Edina’s first lines as the best in the state. They will get theirs. The Huskies’ second line stepped it up last game.  Can they do it again tonight?  

Forest Lake’s point leaders are both defensemen- Rachel Golnitz and Brooke Remington each with 15. I know it lists Remington as a forward but I am pretty sure that she has been playing D.  Someone let me know if I am wrong. The first line of Parent, Rydel, and Mills has been very good combining for 37 points. Ally Goehner has been great in net and she will have to continue her stellar play tonight.  She will see a boatload of shots.

Andover 5.  Forest Lake 3.

Hutchinson at Mound Westonka

Hutch shoot puck.  Taylor save puck.

Mound Westonka 4.  Hutch 1.F