2019 State Class AA Girls Hockey Tournament Preview

                                 2019 STATE CLASS AA GIRLS HOCKEY QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE
                                  (THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21 AT XCEL ENERGY CENTER, ST. PAUL)

11:00:  Farmington vs. Andover (Seed 2)
 1:00:  White Bear Lake vs. Brainerd (Seed 3)
 6:00:  East Ridge vs. Edina (Seed 1)
 8:00:  Minnetonka (Seed 5) vs. Maple Grove (Seed 4)

                                                       EXAMINING THE FIELD
Thursday is the eight Class AA team's turn in the Xcel Energy Center spotlight and the day leads off with the Farmington Tigers returning to St. Paul after a year's absence to face the second seeded Andover Huskies.  The Tigers have outscored their Section 1 opponents in tournament play 24-4 and they picked up the championship trophy with a 5-4 overtime win against the Lakeville North Panthers.  Last season in their first trip to state, the Huskies took home the Class AA consolation championship trophy.  Andover has won 11 of their last 12 games, including a pair of overtime victories in the Section 7 tournament over the Elk River/Zimmerman Elks and the Forest Lake Rangers.  Could the Huskies bring the school's first title trophy back to Andover?  Should they play Edina in the finals, the Huskies opened their season November 8 with a 4-3 win over the Hornets.  A rematch is possible.

The afternoon session closes with the White Bear Lake Bears battling the third seeded Brainerd Warriors.  The Bears will be headed down White Bear Way for the first time since 2002 by way of three consecutive section shutouts, including a 2-0 win over top seeded and perennial Class AA power Hill-Murray.  The Warriors are back in the state tournament and are on a five game winning streak.  They have also beat a couple of the state's top teams, including Maple Grove and Breck.  Excitement is brewing in Lakes country as the Warriors are on their quest for their first state title.

In the evening session, the city of Woodbury will be represented for the first time as East Ridge Raptors fans will be headed down I-94 to downtown St. Paul to take on the top seeded and defending champion Edina Hornets.  Edina has a chance to become the first school since Lake Conference rival Minnetonka to win three straight Class AA titles.  The Hornets are on a seven game winning streak since losing to their Section 6AA rival the Blake Bears 2-1 on January 18.  Edina would beat Blake in the section final 3-2 to clinch their fifth consecutive trip to the X and ninth overall.  There will be a lot of green in the X's green seats as the Hornets have a great chance to make history.

And speaking of the Minnetonka Skippers, they are the fifth seed and back in the state tournament for the first time since 2015.  The Skippers have been on a roll since finishing the regular season 3-6 and upset the top seeded Eden Prairie Eagles in the Section 2AA final.  The fourth seeded Crimson are back in St. Paul for the first time since 2016 and have won eight of their last nine games.  It could be a late night in downtown St. Paul for Crimson fans.  Seven of their regular season games have gone into overtime and Maple Grove is 4-2-1 in extra sessions.  Can the Skippers continue their Cinderella post season run or will the Crimson send them to the consolation bracket which will be played this year at the new TRIA Rink that's not to far from the X?

It should be an outstanding four days of girls high school hockey.  Head over to downtown St. Paul for all the action.