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goldy313 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 12, 2021 12:39 am Luverne gets dropped for winning. East loses to Century but Century gets beat by Faribault.

Your rankings, your criteria. I guess

Stang5280 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 12, 2021 10:40 am A few notes ahead of the rankings:
- I didn’t realize until I came here that I have the exact same top 8 as ClassAGuy
- I am not at all confident in these rankings below about #12
- Lastly, a programming note: due to some health care issues (not actual health, I am generally fine), I likely won’t be doing rankings write ups for the next few weeks)

1. Hermantown (4-0-0) [LW 1]
W 2-1 @ Wayzata, W 6-3 vs Rosemount
The Hawks knocked off two more AA foes, though the weekend came at a steep cost. Superstar Zam Plante came out of the Friday game early, clutching his wrist area, and didn't return to the lineup. Obviously that is a big loss if he is out for an extended period. On the ice, Wayzata pushed Hermantown (in multiple ways) over the final two stanzas, but the speedier Hawks held up and prevailed. The Rosemount game was a choppy, chippy affair, but the Hawks were able to draw upon their depth to light the lamp half a dozen times times. Opsahl has been shaky in net during his two starts, so Callaway may get the nod going forward in big games. Hermantown finally has its first 7A contest, followed by a much anticipated showdown with Mahtomedi.
Tue vs Duluth Marshall, Thu @ Greenway, Sat @ Mahtomedi

2. Mahtomedi (4-2-0) [LW 2]
L 2-3 @ H-M, W. 3-2 vs STA
The Zephyrs split with their two AA conference rivals by the same score, and that's more than enough to keep them tucked into the two spot. Dardis continues to play at almost superhuman level in net - he was credited with 55 saves against Hill (which seemed a bit dubious) and 35 more versus STA. The offensive production has not completely dried up, however. Brent Gulenchyn has a goal in each of the last three games, and Charlie Drage scored twice against STA. There's only one game on deck, but it's a doozy, and maybe the game of the season in Class A.
Sat vs Hermantown

3. Warroad (5-0-0) [LW 5]
W 6-0 vs Rock Ridge, W 4-3 (OT) vs Grand Rapids
The Warriors performance was more reminiscent of a top-flight team this week, and the ping pong back into the third slot. Manhandling Rock Ridge was a good sign, though the Wolverines have been plenty disappointing, but the Rapids win was huge. Fergus Falls doesn't have any results on this level, so Warroad leapfrogs them. The Warriors let a 3-0 lead slip away in the final 23 minutes of regulation, but Murray Marvin-Cordes saved the day in overtime. He has a goal in three straight games, and Jayson Shaugabay went off for two goals and five points against Rock Ridge, so Warroad is relying less on Daimon Gardner to carry the offense. Warroad has upcoming dates with two more tricky adversaries: their section archrival and ascendant Rogers. Escaping without adding a blemish to their record will be impressive.
Thu @ EGF, Sat vs Rogers

4. Fergus Falls (5-0-0) [LW 4]
W 6-1 vs Sauk Rapids, W 7-1 vs Hutchinson
Following postponement of the Sartell scrap, the Otters devoured two overmatched opponents. Not much to glean from these two performances other than the fact that Isaac Johnson and Michael DeBrito continue to put up absurd point totals, while Cole Zierden net minder Ben Swanson has only surrendered five goals in five games. The schedule remains soft despite three AA opponents, with only Century providing a moderate challenge.
Tue @ Brainerd, Fri @ Century, Sat @ Owatonna

5. Little Falls (7-0-0) [LW 6]
W 7-6 (OT) vs Alex, W 6-3 @ Pine City
The Flyers pulled off a comeback for the ages Tuesday night, erasing a five-goal deficit over the final 19 minutes and sealing the deal with a shorthanded goal in extra time. The win over Pine City wasn't pretty, but kept the ball rolling. Little Falls will need to tighten up their discipline and defensive zone play if they wish to avoid such escapades in the future. While the defense and goaltending have been shaky, the top line has been a force, with Matt Filippi and Hayden Johnson among the state scoring leaders. This week kicks off a run of six straight lower-tier opponents through the end of the year, and the Flyers could well turn the calendar to 2022 sporting a bagel in the loss column.
Thu vs Cambridge, Sat vs Sauk Rapids

6. Delano (4-1-0) [LW 3]
L 2-4 @ Chanhassen, W 2-1 vs Mound
As good as the Tigers were in the first three games, they looked exceedingly average this week. The youngsters from Chan outskated and outhustled Delano in knocking them from the ranks of the unbeaten. This was followed by a listless performance against the White Hawks that was a rough watch. Still, a win is a win and it is hard to justify placing them behind EGF. Will Brown is still leading the way by far in goals, though Anders Peterson is coming on of late. Huotari has put up far superior stats in goal, but has faced lesser competition. The upcoming week brings two more section contests against teams Delano should dispatch easily, at least on paper.
Thu vs Breck, Sat vs Hutchinson

7. East Grand Forks (4-2-0) [LW 7]
W 14-0 vs Crookston, W 3-2 vs GF Central
The Green Wave have ripped off three straight wins since the disastrous performance against Mahtomedi and appear to have righted the ship, at least for now. We won't speak of the Crookston walkover, but EGF comported itself well in the first of its border battles and posted a nice comeback win over Central. The offense continue to revolve around Panzer, but sophomore Grady Magner and defenseman Sam Frost have chipped in with scoring recently. Sophomore Lucas Wavra started his first two varsity contests this week and seems to have added a stabilizing presence (granted, he only faced one shot versus Crookston). The intensity will be turned up a notch with skirmishes against two fellow top ten teams.
Thu vs Warroad, Sat vs Alexandria

8. Minneapolis (5-1-0) [LW 12]
W 8-2 vs Providence, W 4-2 @ Alex
Minneapolis is my team of the week after stellar performances against two ranked opponents. The two games were mirror images of sorts. The Providence contest was tied 2-2 after the first period, and Minneapolis blew open the game from there. Minneapolis jumped on Alexandria right out of the gate, and the Cardinals only scratched back late. Jack Hanson had two goals and four assists on the week and has emerged as the scoring leader. Two section skirmishes are ahead, with Orono being the more interesting of the pair.
Tue vs Hutch, Thu @ Orono

9. Duluth Denfeld (4-2-0) [LW 10]
W 5-0 @ Hibbing, W 6-2 vs Cloquet
I compared the Hunters to EGF last week, and they likewise showed marked defensive improvement in posting a pair of resounding victories. The game flows were quite similar, with Denfeld pulling away in the third period both times. Connor McClure has been an offensive force, with nine goals overall and two in each of the past three games. Goalie Austin Wick was much better than his early performances, saving 37 of 39 shots on the week. Nothing particularly interesting on the horizon, and the Hunters should continue to solidify their section positioning.
Tue @ Rock Ridge, Thu @ Superior, Sat vs Proctor

10. Northfield (4-1-0) [LW 9]
W 5-0 vs Red Wing
The Raiders continued to rip through the soft underbelly of the Big Nine and 1A. Last week I sung the praises of Cayden Monson, but this time it was fellow sophomore Kamden Kaiser who broke out in a big way. Kaiser figured into all five goals in the Red Wing win, including a hat trick. Keaton Walock has been stingy between the pipes, posting his second straight shutout and boasting a 0.946 save percentage. There's only a single game on the slate again, a return date with a Faribault team they also blanked 5-0.
Thu @ Faribault

11. Alexandria (1-3-0) [LW 8]
L 6-7 (OT) @ Little Falls, L 2-4 vs Minneapolis
While it's probably unfair to place the Cardinals this far behind Little Falls, Alex was outscored 7-3 following an early five minute power play during which they scored three times. The Cardinals came out flat on Saturday and couldn't mount a comeback of their own. The only win thus far is over a weak River Lakes squad. Brycen Berg and Joe Gronholz accounted for five of the six goals, while senior goalie Gabe Evink picked up the win over River Lakes in his first varsity start. Alexandria has basically two warm-up contests prior to a weekend trip up I-94.
Tue vs Sauk Rapids, Thu vs River Lakes, Sat @ EGF

12. Northern Lakes (2-1-0) [LW 13]
W 4-2 @ Brainerd, W 8-0 @ Becker
Our third 6A team, the Lightning chained together a few triumphs over a very down Brainerd and crummy Becker/Big Lake. More importantly, Northern Lakes secured the "The Battle for the Paddle" traveling trophy with the Brainerd win. Goaltender Cyril Thull has been rock solid in his first varsity action, earning two wins and a shutout. The activity level will ramp up with three games this week, though it should amount to two cakewalks with a juicy Thursday matchup sandwiched in between.
Tue vs Morris, Thu vs Detroit Lakes, Fri @ Park Rapids

13. Chisago Lakes (4-0-1) [LW NR]
W 4-1 @ Monticello, W 12-1 @ Becker
The Wildcats enter the rankings with a bang by comfortably defeating a mercurial Monticello crew, and then pounding poor Becker/Big Lake. Chisago has averaged a ridiculous 7.0 goals per game in the early going, and Nicholas Helland and Ryan Schmidt lead the pack with 17 points apiece. The Wildcats apparently adjusted to their new section digs in 4A about as well as I remember that they changed sections, as they only face three in-section foes all season. They continue their run of middling 5A/Mississippi 8 opponents before a potentially interesting date with enigmatic Mound Westonka.
Tue @ Pine City, Thu vs Princeton, Sat vs Mound

14. Mankato East (4-3-0) [LW NR]
W 8-3 @ Mankato West, W 8-0 @ Austin, W 2-0 vs Owatonna
The Cougars re-enter the rankings after a three-win week. All of East's losses were at the hands of decent AA opponents, and they do own a win over Mound Westonka. This is a team with very well balanced scoring – three players are tied at the top with eight points, including sophomore Christian Theuninck, and several more are right behind. Anthony Parker registered a goal in all three games this past week. The Cougars should continue to feast on weaker Big Nine competition.
Thu vs Winona, Sat vs Rochester JM

15. Mound Westonka (3-3-0) [LW 14]
L 1-3 vs Chanhassen, W 5-3 @ Breck, L 1-2 @ Delano
I feel gross keeping the White Hawks up in this range after a two-loss week, but they do have the win over Providence and a close loss to Delano.
Max Krebsbach and Michael Doshan continue to be a potent tandem up front, supported by Cooper Kantola chipping in from the point. Mound Westonka hits the road twice this week, with two games outside of their conference and section.
Tue @ Monticello, Sat @ Chisago Lakes

16. Providence Academy (3-2-0) [LW 15]
L 2-8 @ Minneapolis, W 6-0 vs Hutch
The Lions slip a spot after a very uneven week in which they split two six-goal decisions. After a first stanza that ended with the teams tied 2-2, Minneapolis turned on the jets and ran them out of Parade. Providence flipped the script Saturday and controlled the Tigers from start to finish, with Andrew Owen netting a hat trick. Sophomore Evan Villagomez stopped all 17 shots to earn his first career shutout. Next on the agenda are two lower-tier AA squads that the Lions should defeat without too much difficulty.
Tue @ Hopkins, Sat @ Armstrong/Cooper

17. Detroit Lakes (3-2-0) [LW NR]
W 4-1 vs Park Rapids, W 9-0 @ Prairie Centre
The Lakers blasted two more opponents to bring their record above .500. The scoring has been extremely balanced, with Cole Larson and Spencer Bergman atop the heap with seven points each. The goaltending situation has also been a timeshare; Josh Mack stepped into the fray to great effect this week after Elijah Blow had played the first three games. The difficulty level ramps up considerably with a resurgent Bemidji and the reigning 5A champion upcoming.
Tue @ Bemidji, Thu @ Northern Lakes, Sat vs Crookston

18. Southwest Christian (4-1-0) [LW 16]
W 3-2 @ Hopkins, W 3-1 vs Dodge County
The Stars continue to fall after two uninspiring outings. Hopkins outshot SW Christian, and the Stars needed a late tally to edge out the winless Royals. Scoring has been limited, led by Jared Greiner; fellow sophomore Kaden Feltmann added two goals and a helper versus Dodge County. The play in goal has been strong, with both netminders posting at least a .930 save percentage. Only one game awaits the Stars, but it's the defending Class A champs. At this rate SWC may need a decent showing to remain among the ranked.
Sat vs Gentry

19. St. Cloud Cathedral (3-3-0) [LW NR]
W 6-4 @ Princeton, W 6-3 @ Duluth Marshall
The Crusaders were an early season surprise, mainly for keeping things unexpectedly close against a barrage of top ten opponents. Well, Cathedral now has a few more victories under their belt, and look to be on the rebound after bottoming out last season. Senior Nolan Widman leads what has not been a high scoring group, though there are some nice younger pieces like freshmen John Hirschfeld and Joe Gillespie. Sophomore goalie Nick Hansen has done a respectable job against a difficult opening stretch. The Crusaders enter a less challenging run over the next few weeks which should pad their win total.
Tue @ Prairie Centre, Sat vs Wadena

20. New Prague (2-1-1) [LW NR]
T 3-3 @ Orono, W 6-0 vs Faribault
I am more bearish on the Trojans at this point than others. New Prague's only decent results are the Orono tie and an overtime loss to Shakopee. This is a youthful group, with the top two scorers being freshman Luke Portner and sophomore Braeden Woitas. The Trojans face a big week ahead, with the Chaska/Chan duo, now conference mates, coming up.
Thu vs Chaska, Sat @ Chanhassen

Out: Orono (2-4-1) [LW 11], Monticello (1-4-0) [LW 17], Hibbing (2-3-0) [LW 19], Breck (0-3-0) [LW 20]

ClassAGuy wrote: ↑Sun Dec 12, 2021 10:53 am Great work as always Stang I look forward to comparing notes with you weekly. Our Top 10 is the same but overall really good thoughts and notes. Most importantly I hope your Health issues go smooth and you can return quickly. I always look forward to your rankings and notes throughout the week. Be well my friend and I hope you have a good Christmas and Happy and Safe New Year.

elliott70 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 12:52 pm And early (real early) picks for section finals:

1 Northfield - New Prague
2 Delano - Mound

3 New Ulm - Mankato East
4 Mahtomedi - Chisago Lakes

5 Little falls - St Cloud Cath
6 Fergus Falls - Alexandria

7 Hermantown - Duluth Denfeld
8 Warroad - East Grand Forks

elliott70 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 9:56 am Just for fun before the weekend games.

1 Hermantown
2 Mahtomedi
3 Warroad
4 Delano
5 East Grand Forks
6 Little Falls
7 Duluth Denfeld
8 Detroit Lakes
9 Minneapolis
10 SW Christian
11 Fergus Falls
12 Northern Lakes
13 Alexandria
14 Providence Academy
15 Northfield
16 Chisago Lakes
17 Mound
18 St Cloud Cathedral
19 Mankato East
20 Thief River Falls

east hockey wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 11:55 am
Your top four are an exact match for PageStat. We'll see how it looks when I publish the first ratings on Sunday.

Lee

east hockey wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 11:55 am

elliott70 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 17, 2021 9:56 am Just for fun before the weekend games.

1 Hermantown
2 Mahtomedi
3 Warroad
4 Delano
5 East Grand Forks
6 Little Falls
7 Duluth Denfeld
8 Detroit Lakes
9 Minneapolis
10 SW Christian
11 Fergus Falls
12 Northern Lakes
13 Alexandria
14 Providence Academy
15 Northfield
16 Chisago Lakes
17 Mound
18 St Cloud Cathedral
19 Mankato East
20 Thief River Falls

Your top four are an exact match for PageStat. We'll see how it looks when I publish the first ratings on Sunday.

Lee