Game Preview- Holiday Tournament Edition

Here is a link to all of the holiday tournaments. Copy and paste if needed.

https://www.mngirlshockeyhub.com/holiday-tournaments

Here is a preview of some of them.

Walser Invitational

Games today…

Maple Grove vs. Stillwater- Maple Grove is a lock in this one.

Maple Grove 4. Stillwater 1.

Brainerd/Little Falls vs. North Wright County- NWC’s top line of Bourgerie/Lemke/Finnerty has a combined 110 points in 13 games. Easily the top scoring line in all of the land. These two teams played on the 18th. NWC held a one goal lead after two before giving up three goals in the third to lose 2-4.

NWC 4. Brainerd 3.

Grand Rapids vs. Breck- #8 in Class AA vs. #2 in Class A. The only common opponent between these two has been Edina. They both lost. This is a tough one but I think Breck is a little deeper and they have the edge in goaltending. GR/G’s scoring drops off significantly after the first line.

Breck 3. Grand Rapids 2.

Alexandria vs Edina- Edina wins this one.

Edina 5. Alexandria 1.

Edina will win the tourney beating Maple Grove in the final, 4-1.

Schwan’s Cup – Gold 

Games today…

Mahtomedi vs. St. Paul United- Although SPU has some talent with Kerin, Hoops, and Killian they just can’t quite put it together yet. New coaching a factor? Not sure but Mahtomedi wins this one 3-1.

Rogers vs. Andover- Andover wins this one easily, 6-2.

Blake vs. Holy Family- Holy Family will see what they are made of today! Are they ready for prime time? Not yet. Blake 5. Holy Family 1.

Proctor/Hermantown vs. Centennial- Centennial gave Edina a game in their last contest. I think they string a couple good ones together. Centennial 3. Proctor 1.

Blake will meet Andover in the final. Blake takes home the chip, 5-2.

Schwan’s Cup – Silver 

Games today…

Spring Lake Park vs. Buffalo. Jada Habisch will roll. Buffalo 4. SLP 1.

Duluth Marshall vs. Delano/Rockford- This is a good match up. DM has lost two close ones in a row to two really good teams in Grand Rapids and TRF. They are battle tested and it will serve them well today. DM 3. Delano 2.

Cambridge-Isanti vs. Jefferson- Jefferson has a hard time scoring goals. But they have a good goalie in Mara McClain. Cambridge 3. Jefferson 1.

Duluth vs. Rochester Lourdes- Lourdes has a top line that can score goals and two D1 defensemen. They win 4-1.

Cambridge meets Buffalo in the final and Cambridge wins 4-2.

Schwan’s Cup- Bronze

Games today…

Totino Grace vs. St. Francis/North Branch- StF/NB wins this one, 3-0.

East Ridge vs. Moose Lake- Why is East Ridge in the Bronze division?! They win this one by at least 5 goals.

International Falls vs Minneapolis- Minneapolis can be pretty good at times. There are a couple games where they’d like a do-over. They win this one 6-2.

Red Wing vs. Irondale- Irondale has a tough time putting the biscuit in the basket. Red Wing wins this one 4-0.

East Ridge beats Minneapolis in the final, 4-1.

Schwan’s Cup- Open Divisions

Unfortunately there are too many out of state teams in both of the Open Divisions for me to even know where to start.

Mid-Winter Meltdown

Games tomorrow…

Shakopee vs. Minnetonka- Was the 6 goal outburst by the Sabers vs. Rosemount an aberration or a sign of things to come? Shakopee beat the Skippers in the section semifinals last year but Minnetonka is the two time Mid-Winter Meltdown defending champs.

Tonka 4. Shakopee 1.

Chaska/Chan vs. Roseau- Roseau is too good for CC. They have lost only two games on the year. One to Breck and one to Brainerd.

Roseau 5. CC 1.

BSM vs. CDH- BSM has won 3 in a row after having gone winless in the 4 games prior to that. CDH has gone 2-4-1 in their last 7. Do the trends continue? Or do they change as all trends eventually do? Let’s go with the former. BSM 3. CDH 2.

Eagan vs. Eden Prairie- You would think EP would give themselves an easier first round match up seeing as they are the host! Eagan has won 12 in a row. But all good things must come to an end as they say.

Eden Prairie 4. Eagan 1.

Tonka meets EP in the final. Tonka wins their third Mid-Winter Meltdown in a row, 3-2.

Mid-Winter Border Battle

Games tomorrow…

Forest Lake vs. White Bear Lake- Forest Lake has lost only one game and that was the stinker to Edina. WBL hasn’t lost in 4 games after having lost 7 of their first 10.

Forest Lake 4. WBL 2.

Central Wisconsin vs. Hopkins/Park- I know nothing about Wisconsin hockey. This is Sota Girls Hockey after all. So I am going to go with Hopkins.

Hopkins 5. Central Wisconsin 3.

Fegus Falls vs. Bismarck- I actually think Bismarck is alright. But Fergus Falls is legit.

Fergus Falls 4. Bismarck 2.

Anoka vs. Blaine- Anoka has been playing better as of late. Blaine is having a bit of a down year.

Anoka 4. Blaine 3.

Forest Lake beats Fergus Falls in the final, 5-2.

Kaposia Classic

Games Friday…

Roseville vs. Mounds View- Roseville needs to figure out how to score some goals.

Mounds View 2. Roseville 1.

Lakeville South vs. Hill Murray- Hill Murray has boatloads of talent. If they can put it together they are as good anyone.

Hill 4. Lakeville South 1.

Champlin Park/Coon Rapids vs. Elk River- No one has been able to contain Elk River’s Kelsey King.

Elk River 5. Champlin 2.

Hibbing vs. South St. Paul- South St. Paul is really strong defensively allowing only 1.62 GAA.

South St. Paul 3. Hibbing 1.

Elk River will meet Hill Murray in the final. Hill wins 5-4.