#2 Seed Monticello (18-5-3) comes into this game earning their 18th win of the season with their victory over Becker/Big Lake in the 5A Quarterfinals. They have been one of the best structured teams in all of Class A all season long again, as they have only given up 1.96 goals a game on the year, which is one of the top team defenses in all of Class A. The Moose's strength is in their back end, as Srs. Brady McGriff & Levi Welle, along with star Jr. Nicklas Nelson, who have all been excellent this year, and add to them goaltender Jr. Nolan Wurm, who has been very good down the stretch for them in net. Now they will turn their attention to Pine City, a team that they swept during the year and have owned over the last decade. This is never an easy game for the Moose, and it will most likely play to their style, which is a low-scoring, structured game of suffocating defensive hockey. Last year, they had to survive in Double Overtime in this same game.
#3 seed Pine City Area (17-8-1) comes into this game fresh off one of the most dramatic games of the playoffs so far, as it took 7 goals and double overtime for them to get the win over River Lakes in the 5A Quarterfinals. The Dragons will need to hope that the scoring duo of Sr McCall Leger & Jr. Carson Anderson can stay hot as they both had big point nights in the win. Now comes the challenge of Monticello, which has been a thorn for the Dragons for years and seems to be that one mountain that just can't be climbed, as they have had their season ended by them on numerous occasions. They have already been swept by them, and the keys in this one will be if they can find the back of the net more as they were held in check in the first two meetings and they will need to get a big game out of Sr. Milo Babolik in net as he has had moments but they will need his best game for an upset here.
5A SF- #2 Monticello vs #3 Pine City
Moderators: Mitch Hawker, east hockey, karl(east)
Re: 5A SF- #2 Monticello vs #3 Pine City
Monticello 4
Pine City 3
Pine City 3