2021 Boys Hockey Section Preview

 Following a preview of the eight girls hockey sections in Class A & AA, here's a look at the eight Class A & AA boys hockey sections.  

Leading off with Class A.  In Section 1, it could be a three team race with the Dodge County Wildcats and two teams from Mankato, the Mankato East/Loyola Cougars and the Mankato West Scarlets.  

Section 2 has three hot teams, the Breck Mustangs, the Providence Academy Lions and the Delano Tigers.  Don't count out Southwest Christian/Richfield.  

Over in Section 3, the Hutchinson Tigers are the top seed but looking to keep the Tigers from heading down Highway 7 toward St. Paul are the New Ulm Eagles and looking for their first trip to the X, the Windom Area Eagles.  

The top seed in Section 4 is the unbeaten Gentry Academy Stars as they attempt to end the reign of the defending Class A champion Mahtomedi Zephyrs.  

In Section 5, the top seeded Monticello Moose is on a four game winning streak but look out for the Northern Lakes Lightning, the Chisago Lakes Wildcats and the Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets.  

Up in Section 6, the top seeded Little Falls Flyers have a shot at heading down Highway 10 to St. Paul for the first time since 2012.  but the Fergus Falls Otters and Alexandria Cardinals could ground the Flyers chances at the championship hardware.  

Now this sounds familiar in Section 7.  The Hermantown Hawks are the number one seed and vying for their 11th trip to St. Paul in 12 years.  Their only regular season loss was to the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks.  Can they get past the Duluth Denfeld Hunters for another section trophy?  

And in Section 8.  It's been a great hockey season in Hockeytown USA as the Warroad Warriors enter sections on a four game winning streak.  Don't count out the East Grand Forks Green Wave and the Kittson Central Bearcats.

Now to Class AA and Section 1, which is led by the unbeaten Lakeville South Cougars.  Looking to keep the Cougar team bus from heading down I-35 are the Owatonna Huskies and the Rochester Mayo Spartans.  

In Section 2, the top seeded Eden Prairie Eagles are on a 15 game unbeaten streak since losing to their Lake Conference rival the Edina Hornets.  Can they get past the second seeded Prior Lake Lakers?

Over in Section 3, the top seeded St. Thomas Academy Cadets are three games away from their fifth straight trip to the X.  But Irish eyes could be smiling in Rosemount as the second seeded Irish looks for their first state tournament berth since 1992.  

In Section 4, the Hill-Murray Pioneers have won 10 straight games as they face another showdown with the White Bear Lake Bears.  

To Section 5 where the Maple Grove Crimson have been the top ranked team for most of the season until they were beaten by Lakeville South on March 9.  The Crimson's high power offense will have to slow the Centennial Cougars chances of heading down I-94 to St. Paul.  

Once again, Section 6 is a tough one to pick, starting with the top seeded Cretin-Derham Hall Raiders, the second seeded Benilde-St. Margaret's Red Knights and the third seeded Edina Hornets.  The Hornets face the St. Louis Park Orioles in the quarterfinals.  Oriole fans, you might want to bring a thermos of coffee to Braemar Arena.  It's an 8:30 PM game on March 18.  

Up north to Section 7 where the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks only loss in the regular season was to perennial Class A power Hermantown.  Could the Andover Huskies have a successful season like their female counterparts?  Their only losses this season were to the Maple Grove Crimson.  

Finally to Section 8 where the Rogers Royals are in the hunt for their first trip to state.  But a couple of northern teams are in their path, the Moorhead Spuds and the Roseau Rams.  Keep and eye on this section.  It should be interesting.