2019 State Class A Boys Hockey Tournament Preview

        2019 STATE CLASS A BOYS HOCKEY TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE
         (GAMES PLAYED WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6 AT XCEL ENERGY CENTER, ST. PAUL)

11:00:  North Branch vs. St. Cloud Cathedral (Seed 2)
 1:00:   Minnesota River Bulldogs vs. East Grand Forks (Seed 3)
 6:00:  New Ulm vs. Mahtomedi (Seed 1)
 8:00:  Delano (Seed 5) vs. Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin (Seed 4)

                                              EXAMINING THE FIELD
For the first time in program history, the North Branch Vikings will be headed down I-35 to St. Paul as they open up the 75th edition of the Minnesota State High Boys Hockey Tournament. The Vikings are on a six game winning streak after they beat the Chisago Lakes Wildcats in the Section 5A Finals.  The Red and White had a tough draw as they got the second seeded St. Cloud Cathedral Crusaders.  The Crusaders have made their ninth trip to state and their third in four years.  It's also the combined 25th state tournament appearance by a Granite City school and there have been no state championships.  Could this be the year for the Crusaders?  They got off to a 12-0 start before falling to the Hermantown Hawks.  It could be a big week of hockey for St. Cloud fans.

Concluding the afternoon session is another first time entry, the Minnesota River Bulldogs and the third seeded East Grand Forks Green Wave in their 12th trip to St. Paul.  Fans in St. Peter, Le Sueur and Henderson are celebrating the Bulldogs first trip to state as they will head up Highway 169 to cheer on the Bulldogs, who have won 11 or their last 12 games since losing to Mankato East/Loyola 4-3 in overtime December 22.  The Green Wave won back to back Class A titles in 2014 and 2015 and have been playing pretty pretty pretty good hockey since they lost three straight games in February.  In their last four games, East Grand Forks has activated the red light 17 times and allowing only one goal, which was to Warroad in the Section 8A final.  Can the Bulldogs pull off the upset or will the Green Wave continue their quest for the gold.

To the evening session which begins with the New Ulm Eagles returning to the X for the first time since 2015.  The Eagles were seeded third in Section 3A and have won five straight games.  They go up against the top seeded Mahtomedi Zephyrs who have won six of their last seven games and are in their 11th trip to state but still looking for their first state championship.  Could this finally be the year head coach Jeff Poechel leads the Zephyrs to a state title?  Not so fast Zephyr fans.  They still have to get past St. Cloud Cathedral or East Grand Forks if they can hoist the championship trophy March 9.

Wrapping up the Class A quarterfinals is the team that ended the Orono Spartans Class A title reign the fifth seeded Delano Tigers who will battle a team you didn't expect to make the trip to St. Paul, the Greenway/Nashwauk Keewatin Raiders.  The Tigers make their first trip down Highway 12 since 2017 and went through the Section 2A tournament outscoring their three opponents 10-0.  As for the Raiders, in a dramatic finish in Duluth, they ended the Hermantown Hawks nine year state tournament run with a 2-1 double overtime win in the Section 7A final, earning the Coleraine based school their first trip  to state since 2001 and 10th overall.  Can their momentum continue?

Next:  The Class AA preview