Class A QF #2 seed 7A Hermantown (25-2-1) vs 3A Luverne (21-6-1)
Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 10:14 am
BHS Class A Quarterfinal
#2 seed 7A Hermantown (25-2-1) vs 3A Luverne (21-6-1)
Section 7A Champions Hermantown Hawks
Head Coach: Pat Andrews 6th year
Record: 25-2-1
Road to State: W 15-1 North Shore, W 3-2 Hibbing, W 3-1 Rock Ridge
State Tournament History: 19th appearance- 1994, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2007 (State Title), 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (State Title), 2017 (State Title), 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 (State Title), 2023
Meet The Hawks: Head Coach Pat Andrews and the Defending Class A State Champions return to St. Paul for the 13th time in the last 14 years and for their 19th appearance overall. This year's version of the Hawks is a team that has grown throughout the year playing a road heavy AA schedule and comes into the St. Paul having been tested as they were pushed like never before in the 7A playoffs. The Hawks lineup features their program staple of good depth as Seniors #4 Wyatt Carlson (20-17-37 pts) & #17 Matthew Kauppinen (4-18-22 pts) & #19 Joshua Kauppinen (17-7-24 pts.) has been excellent all year. Add in the scoring threats of Senior #11 Kade Kohanski (16-15-31 pts.) and Junior #24 Dallas Vieau (21-32-53 pt.) and they have an emerging Sophomore #23 River Freeman (12-11-23 pts.) that gives the Hawks a very dangerous top six group of forwards for the opponents to match up with. Hermantown also has good scoring depth as Seniors #3 Samuel Swenson (8-16-24 pts.), #14 Aaron Evjen (8-10-18 pts.), #16 Mason Sundbom (6-8-14 pts) and Junior #7 Evan Gunderson (4-12-16 pts.) all have contributed well this winter and the Hawks who have played 4 lines at times this year. The Hawks blueline is led by Senior #22 George Peterson (12-30-42 pts.) who has been a game changer for them all season running their power play and is currently their 2nd leading scorer. Junior #9 Will Esterbrooks (5-20-25 pts) has been an excellent defenseman in his own right when those two are paired together they are a tough duo to get much done against. Junior #8 Drew Nelson (2-7-9 pts.), Senior #12 Nolan Baker 4-8-12 pts.) and Junior #13 Weston Bohlman (4-10-14 pts.) have helped strengthen the depth of d core. The depth theme is also true in the net for Hermantown as the Hawks have split their goaltenders this year Junior #32 Dane Callaway (14-1-0) record 1.66 GAA .922 SV% was the starter last year and has been good this winter but so has Senior #31 Garron Opsahl (11-1-1) 1.10 GAA .934 SV %. Hermantown took off after the return of Kohanski from injury which really seemed to ignite this team and they will be a very good bet to go back to the State Title game this year where they will look to go back to back.
Section 3A Champions Luverne Cardinals
Head Coach: Phil Paquette 7th year
Record: 21-6-1
Road to State: W 5-2 Windom, W 6-2 Mankato East, W 4-2 New Ulm
State Tournament History: 3rd appearance- 2014, 2017 & 2023
Meet The Cardinals: Head Coach Phil Paquette has done an outstanding job building a very good hockey program in his hometown down in Southwest Minnesota. Through his efforts and dedication he has turned Luverne into a State Tournament contender year after year in Section 3A and produced D1 level talent like Jaxon Nelson and Chaz Smedsrud under his leadership in the far southwest corner of the state. This year he brings in a young but red hot Cardinals team that really took off down the stretch of their season. The Cardinals went (17-2-0) in their last 19 games and avenged all their earlier losses on the year including knocking off #1 seed New Ulm in the 3A Final. They are led up front by Senior #11 Brock Behrend (38-21-59 pts.) who along with Junior #9 Owen Sudenga (17-30-47 pts.) & 9th Grader Maddux Domagala (12-10-22 pts.) make up the first line. They back that up with Senior #8 Brady Bork (17-14-31 pts.) and Juniors #19 Patrick Kroski (20-40-60 pt) & #11 Elliott Domagala (21-19-40 pts.) all of the Top 6 forwards have double digit goals and the Cardinals only played 2 lines throughout the winter which will be helped by TV timeouts at the Xcel. On backend they have Sophomore #13 Blaik Bork (11-25-36 pts.) who has double digit goals as well and Senior #2 Ethan Langseth (2-15-17 pts.) & Junior #23 Henry Hartquist (3-11-14 pts.) both have double digit points on the year. In net Junior #30 Tyler Arends (21-6-1) 2.24 GAA .908 SV% has been very solid playing every minute this winter. Luverne has excelled with the man advantage as their Powerplay unit is clicking at 32.4% and was a catalyst to their playoff run. The Cardinals have proven to be a team that will not be intimidated on the big stage as they pushed Hermantown in their previous state appearances, in 2014 and 2017, and they could be a thorn as a random draw team for whichever seeded team they face in the Class A Quarterfinals.
#2 seed 7A Hermantown (25-2-1) vs 3A Luverne (21-6-1)
Section 7A Champions Hermantown Hawks
Head Coach: Pat Andrews 6th year
Record: 25-2-1
Road to State: W 15-1 North Shore, W 3-2 Hibbing, W 3-1 Rock Ridge
State Tournament History: 19th appearance- 1994, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2007 (State Title), 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (State Title), 2017 (State Title), 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 (State Title), 2023
Meet The Hawks: Head Coach Pat Andrews and the Defending Class A State Champions return to St. Paul for the 13th time in the last 14 years and for their 19th appearance overall. This year's version of the Hawks is a team that has grown throughout the year playing a road heavy AA schedule and comes into the St. Paul having been tested as they were pushed like never before in the 7A playoffs. The Hawks lineup features their program staple of good depth as Seniors #4 Wyatt Carlson (20-17-37 pts) & #17 Matthew Kauppinen (4-18-22 pts) & #19 Joshua Kauppinen (17-7-24 pts.) has been excellent all year. Add in the scoring threats of Senior #11 Kade Kohanski (16-15-31 pts.) and Junior #24 Dallas Vieau (21-32-53 pt.) and they have an emerging Sophomore #23 River Freeman (12-11-23 pts.) that gives the Hawks a very dangerous top six group of forwards for the opponents to match up with. Hermantown also has good scoring depth as Seniors #3 Samuel Swenson (8-16-24 pts.), #14 Aaron Evjen (8-10-18 pts.), #16 Mason Sundbom (6-8-14 pts) and Junior #7 Evan Gunderson (4-12-16 pts.) all have contributed well this winter and the Hawks who have played 4 lines at times this year. The Hawks blueline is led by Senior #22 George Peterson (12-30-42 pts.) who has been a game changer for them all season running their power play and is currently their 2nd leading scorer. Junior #9 Will Esterbrooks (5-20-25 pts) has been an excellent defenseman in his own right when those two are paired together they are a tough duo to get much done against. Junior #8 Drew Nelson (2-7-9 pts.), Senior #12 Nolan Baker 4-8-12 pts.) and Junior #13 Weston Bohlman (4-10-14 pts.) have helped strengthen the depth of d core. The depth theme is also true in the net for Hermantown as the Hawks have split their goaltenders this year Junior #32 Dane Callaway (14-1-0) record 1.66 GAA .922 SV% was the starter last year and has been good this winter but so has Senior #31 Garron Opsahl (11-1-1) 1.10 GAA .934 SV %. Hermantown took off after the return of Kohanski from injury which really seemed to ignite this team and they will be a very good bet to go back to the State Title game this year where they will look to go back to back.
Section 3A Champions Luverne Cardinals
Head Coach: Phil Paquette 7th year
Record: 21-6-1
Road to State: W 5-2 Windom, W 6-2 Mankato East, W 4-2 New Ulm
State Tournament History: 3rd appearance- 2014, 2017 & 2023
Meet The Cardinals: Head Coach Phil Paquette has done an outstanding job building a very good hockey program in his hometown down in Southwest Minnesota. Through his efforts and dedication he has turned Luverne into a State Tournament contender year after year in Section 3A and produced D1 level talent like Jaxon Nelson and Chaz Smedsrud under his leadership in the far southwest corner of the state. This year he brings in a young but red hot Cardinals team that really took off down the stretch of their season. The Cardinals went (17-2-0) in their last 19 games and avenged all their earlier losses on the year including knocking off #1 seed New Ulm in the 3A Final. They are led up front by Senior #11 Brock Behrend (38-21-59 pts.) who along with Junior #9 Owen Sudenga (17-30-47 pts.) & 9th Grader Maddux Domagala (12-10-22 pts.) make up the first line. They back that up with Senior #8 Brady Bork (17-14-31 pts.) and Juniors #19 Patrick Kroski (20-40-60 pt) & #11 Elliott Domagala (21-19-40 pts.) all of the Top 6 forwards have double digit goals and the Cardinals only played 2 lines throughout the winter which will be helped by TV timeouts at the Xcel. On backend they have Sophomore #13 Blaik Bork (11-25-36 pts.) who has double digit goals as well and Senior #2 Ethan Langseth (2-15-17 pts.) & Junior #23 Henry Hartquist (3-11-14 pts.) both have double digit points on the year. In net Junior #30 Tyler Arends (21-6-1) 2.24 GAA .908 SV% has been very solid playing every minute this winter. Luverne has excelled with the man advantage as their Powerplay unit is clicking at 32.4% and was a catalyst to their playoff run. The Cardinals have proven to be a team that will not be intimidated on the big stage as they pushed Hermantown in their previous state appearances, in 2014 and 2017, and they could be a thorn as a random draw team for whichever seeded team they face in the Class A Quarterfinals.