6A Final- #1 Northern Lakes vs #2 Alexandria
Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2025 8:48 pm
Section 6A Final I February 27th, 2025 | 7:00 PM CT | @ MAC Arena, St. Cloud
#1 seed Northern Lakes Lightning (18-8-1)
Northern Lakes enters the 6A Final for the 2nd year in a row after playing in just one Section Final in their program history before then. Then add in the championship pedigree brought in by their new legendary head coach and there's plenty of optimism their time is now to return to State. To do so they will have to take down the three time defending 6A Champ Alex who have been a nemesis to them in recent years but they look to change that in this one.
Lightning Leaders- Seniors #24 Drew Paulback (36-23-59 pts) & #9 Jerome Martin (17-16-33 pts) and Junior #14 Jacob Peterson (14-12-26 pts) all have been very productive this year. On the blueline Senior #13 Preston Verness (4-9-13 pts) and Sophomore #27 Grant Vershey (1-13-14 pts) have led the way for a team that has really bought into defensive hockey this winter.
Lightning Goalie- Sophomore #1 Sam Suja (17-7-1) 2.03 GAA .918 SV% the transfer from Colorado was a key piece that was added to begin the year to help transition this team into a more defensive group. He has been outstanding in net all year and has 8 shutouts this season.
Lightning 2-3 Forecheck- Northern Lakes was known as an explosive offensive team. Then this offseason they made a big splash when they hired coaching legend Mike Randolph who brought with him his defensive mindset and the 2-3 forecheck. It took some time but the Lightning eventually bought in and they are now (14-5-1) since January 1st. As he always does Coach Randoph tinkered with the lineup and made moves like converting one of their top returning dman Senior #25 Wyatt Balmer (4-28-32 pts) into a center and they are now all fully locked into the defense 1st approach.
Lightning Special Teams- The Power Play is at 31.8% and Penalty Kill is at 84%
#2 seed Alexandria Cardinals (14-13-0)
Alexandria enters the 6A Final looking for their 4th straight section championship. The Cards have played well down the stretch as after a dreadful (2-6-0) start to the year they enter this game having gone above .500 for the 1st time this year. They now will be facing a Lightning team that has beaten them twice during the year. However, playing at the MAC in a game they are familiar with and that they have had lots of success in recently giving this team lots of confidence
Alex Leaders- Senior #6 Jacob Nicholson (10-9-19 pts), Junior #10 Brody Berg (18-6-24 pts) & Sophomore #10 Ehren Anderson (12-6-18 pts) have led the way up front as each play on different lines and have double digit goals on the year. Junior #15 Niklas Schultz (1-13-14 pts) and Sophomore #18 Grady Suchy (2-5-7 pts) are the leaders of the blueline group that have been solid all year.
Alex Goalie- Junior #31 Brady Schluter (10-9-0) 2.64 GAA .905 SV% shared the net for most of the year but he won the starting role late in the year. They will need a big game from him in the net if they want to knock off the Lightning in this one and he has played well of late.
Alex Annual 2nd Half Push- Alex, as they tend to always do, has made a 2nd half push and they were able to fully recover from a very slow start and enter this one above .500 for the first time this season. On of the big reasons for their late push was the growth of their underclassmen as Juniors #10 Brody Berg (18-6-24 pts), #21 Evan Klimek (8-15-23 pts) & #9 Charlie Bassen (9-14- 23 pts) and Sophomores #3 Grady Olson (9-22-31 pts) & #10 Ehren Anderson (12-6-18 pts) have taken over the top two lines and have been much more productive late in the year to make them more potent.
Alex Special Teams- The Power Play is at 23.5% and Penalty Kill is at 76.4 %
#1 seed Northern Lakes Lightning (18-8-1)
Northern Lakes enters the 6A Final for the 2nd year in a row after playing in just one Section Final in their program history before then. Then add in the championship pedigree brought in by their new legendary head coach and there's plenty of optimism their time is now to return to State. To do so they will have to take down the three time defending 6A Champ Alex who have been a nemesis to them in recent years but they look to change that in this one.
Lightning Leaders- Seniors #24 Drew Paulback (36-23-59 pts) & #9 Jerome Martin (17-16-33 pts) and Junior #14 Jacob Peterson (14-12-26 pts) all have been very productive this year. On the blueline Senior #13 Preston Verness (4-9-13 pts) and Sophomore #27 Grant Vershey (1-13-14 pts) have led the way for a team that has really bought into defensive hockey this winter.
Lightning Goalie- Sophomore #1 Sam Suja (17-7-1) 2.03 GAA .918 SV% the transfer from Colorado was a key piece that was added to begin the year to help transition this team into a more defensive group. He has been outstanding in net all year and has 8 shutouts this season.
Lightning 2-3 Forecheck- Northern Lakes was known as an explosive offensive team. Then this offseason they made a big splash when they hired coaching legend Mike Randolph who brought with him his defensive mindset and the 2-3 forecheck. It took some time but the Lightning eventually bought in and they are now (14-5-1) since January 1st. As he always does Coach Randoph tinkered with the lineup and made moves like converting one of their top returning dman Senior #25 Wyatt Balmer (4-28-32 pts) into a center and they are now all fully locked into the defense 1st approach.
Lightning Special Teams- The Power Play is at 31.8% and Penalty Kill is at 84%
#2 seed Alexandria Cardinals (14-13-0)
Alexandria enters the 6A Final looking for their 4th straight section championship. The Cards have played well down the stretch as after a dreadful (2-6-0) start to the year they enter this game having gone above .500 for the 1st time this year. They now will be facing a Lightning team that has beaten them twice during the year. However, playing at the MAC in a game they are familiar with and that they have had lots of success in recently giving this team lots of confidence
Alex Leaders- Senior #6 Jacob Nicholson (10-9-19 pts), Junior #10 Brody Berg (18-6-24 pts) & Sophomore #10 Ehren Anderson (12-6-18 pts) have led the way up front as each play on different lines and have double digit goals on the year. Junior #15 Niklas Schultz (1-13-14 pts) and Sophomore #18 Grady Suchy (2-5-7 pts) are the leaders of the blueline group that have been solid all year.
Alex Goalie- Junior #31 Brady Schluter (10-9-0) 2.64 GAA .905 SV% shared the net for most of the year but he won the starting role late in the year. They will need a big game from him in the net if they want to knock off the Lightning in this one and he has played well of late.
Alex Annual 2nd Half Push- Alex, as they tend to always do, has made a 2nd half push and they were able to fully recover from a very slow start and enter this one above .500 for the first time this season. On of the big reasons for their late push was the growth of their underclassmen as Juniors #10 Brody Berg (18-6-24 pts), #21 Evan Klimek (8-15-23 pts) & #9 Charlie Bassen (9-14- 23 pts) and Sophomores #3 Grady Olson (9-22-31 pts) & #10 Ehren Anderson (12-6-18 pts) have taken over the top two lines and have been much more productive late in the year to make them more potent.
Alex Special Teams- The Power Play is at 23.5% and Penalty Kill is at 76.4 %