2023 MINNESOTA STATE CLASS A GIRLS HOCKEY TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE
(Games Played Wednesday, February 22 at Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul)
11:00: Mankato East vs. Proctor/Hermantown (Seed 2)
1:00: Luverne vs. Orono (Seed 3)
6:00: Albert Lea vs. Warroad (Seed !)
8:00: Fergus Falls (Seed 5) vs. South St. Paul (Seed 4)
EXAMINING THE FIELD
The 2023 edition of the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament gets underway as the Mankato East Cougars make their second straight trip up Highway 169 to face the second seeded Proctor/Hermantown Mirage. The Cougars enter the tournament on a six game winning winning streak and breezed through Section 2 competition scoring 10 unanswered goals. The streak could be in jeopardy against the Proctor/Hermantown Mirage, playing in their eight state tournament and third in a row. It's no mirage that Proctor/Hermantown has played in two straight Class A finals and won in 2021 but lost to Warroad. Could a rematch be possible with the Warriors or will the Cougars pull the upset?
Wrapping up the afternoon session is the Luverne Cardinals, back for the fourth straight year and fifth overall battling the third seeded Orono Spartans. The Cardinals have won 10 of their last 11 games, including a 4-0 shutout against rival New Ulm in the Section 3 final. The Spartans, in their second straight appearance, have not lost a game since December 28, including ties against South St. Paul and Bebilde-St. Margaret's. Their high powered offense outscored their Section 5 tournament opponents 14-1. Could Orono bring their first state title back to Long Lake?
Opening the evening asession will bea another team out of the Big Nine Conference making their second consecutive state tournament appearance, the Albert Lea Tigers. The Tigers took home the Section 1 title trophy with a 3-2 overtime win over the Dodge County Wildcats. They will have a difficult task in the top seeded and defending Class A champion Warroad Warriors. The Warriors are playing in their eight straight tournament and 14th overall and lost two of their three games to Class AA tournament teams Edina and Andover. Warroad is 3-5 in state title games. Can they make it four?
Ending the day's festivities will be the fifth seeded Fergus Falls Otters and the fourth seeded South St. Paul Packers. The Otters playing in their third state tournament and the first since 2019. Fergus Falls has not lost a game since December 17 when they lost 3-2 to Bemidji. The Packers are back. That's right. South St. Paul is playing in their 17th state tournament, the most of any in this year's tournament. The Packers earned their trip to state by packing up their Metro East Conference rival, the Simley Spartans. Will Fergus Falls head for a possible showdown with Warroad or will South St. Paul continue their momentum?
Next: The Class AA preview
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