2018 STATE CLASS A GIRLS QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE
GAMES PLAYED WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 AT XCEL ENERGY CENTER, ST. PAUL
11:00: Marshall vs. Breck (Seed 2)
1:00: Proctor/Hermantown vs. Red Wing (Seed 3)
6:00: New Ulm vs. Warroad (Seed 1)
8:00: St. Paul United (Seed 5) vs. Alexandria (Seed 4)
Examining the Field: The 2018 edition of the State Girls Hockey Tournament gets underway with Class A quarterfinal play and opening up the festivities is the Marshall Tigers in their third trip to St. Paul and the second seeded Breck Mustangs. The Tigers took home the Section 3 title trophy with a 2-1 overtime win over the Mankato West Scarlets. As for the Mustangs, who are back in the tournament for the first time since they beat South St. Paul for the Class A championship in 2012, they also won via way of overtime with a 3-2 victory over the Orono Spartans. The Mustangs have played a brutal nonconference schedule that included 10 games against state tournament teams and have gone 6-4. They have overcome a 1-5 start to go 15-5-1. They have the talent that could put them in their first Class A final in six years.
Wrapping up the afternoon session is the Proctor/Hermantown Mirage in their fourth tournament appearance and the Red Wing Wingers who make their seventh trip up Highway 61 to the X. The Mirage have been on a three game winning streak since ending their regular season with a loss to the South St. Paul Packers and beat Hibbing/Chisholm to win the Section 7 trophy. It will be a rematch of a December 9 game against the Wingers that Red Wing won 5-2. The Wingers have not lost a game since they fell to the Hutchinson Tigers in the Farmington tournament December 29. This is a team that can bunch goals together. In their last four games, Red Wing has outscored their opponents 32-4. Keep an eye on Red Wing they could go for the gold after four third place finishes.
Now to the evening session as the New Ulm Tigers battle the top seeded Warroad Warriors. Poor New Ulm. They are in their eighth state tournament and they have not advanced to the semifinals. Their record in tournament play is 2-14 and it doesn't get easier against a Warroad team that has won 10 straight games and looking for its first Class A title since 2011. They have not lost a game since Roseau beat them 3-1 on January 4. They have also played two games against North Dakota teams and have outscored them 26-0, including a 20-0 rout in their own tournament December 27. Warroad is one of the favorites to win the Class A title.
Concluding the Wednesday quarterfinals is fifth seeded St. Paul United and the fourth seeded Alexandria Cardinals. St. Paul United, comprised of students from St. Paul Academy and Visitation is in their third straight trip to state. The last two seasons, they finished second, losing to the Blake Bears who moved up to Class AA. They beat the South St. Paul Packers 2-1 in overtime to return to the X. They will face the Cardinals who are making their 13th trip down I-94 and in the hunt for their first Class A title since 2008. The Cardinals have been on a 12-3 run since they lost to Brainerd/Little Falls on December 21 They are 3-2 against teams from the Twin Cities, losing to Maple Grove and Breck. Can SPU return to the semifinals or will Alexandria end a possible return to a third consecutive Class A final?
Next up, the Class AA preview.
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