In one of the strongest high school boys hockey state tournament fields in recent memory, the No. 1 seeds both hail from the Northland.
Duluth East in Class AA, and Hermantown in Class A claimed the top spots for this week's tournament at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Duluth Marshall also qualified in single-A, but was left unseeded during Saturday's coaches' vote.
The Greyhounds (27-1) drew Lakeville South (20-8) in a quarterfinal at 6 p.m. Thursday. The No. 12-ranked Cougars are the lowest ranked of the eight teams.
According to Let's Play Hockey's rankings, No. 3 Maple Grove, No. 4 Edina, No. 5 Eagan, No. 6 Benilde-St. Margaret's, No. 9 Hill-Murray and No. 10 Moorhead all qualified. East's only loss this season came to No. 2 Minnetonka, which was knocked out in the Section 6AA finals by Benilde-St. Margaret's.
The Red Knights enter the tournament as the sentimental favorite after Jack Jablonski, a member of the junior varsity, was paralyzed during a December tournament. If Benilde skates past Edina and East tops Lakeville South, the teams would meet in a Friday night semifinal.
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The championship game, which East lost in triple overtime a year ago, is 7 p.m. Saturday.
Hermantown (28-0), runners-up in each of the past two seasons, opens against Rochester Lourdes (20-8) at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The Class A field is strong as well, featuring No. 2 St. Thomas Academy, No. 3 Breck, No. 4 Thief River Falls and sixth-ranked Marshall. The Hilltoppers (21-7) face Breck (24-3-1) at approximately 1 p.m. Wednesday. The Class A final is noon Saturday.
Minnesota Boys State Hockey Tournament
Xcel Energy Center
Class AA
Thursday, March 8
Hill-Murray (22-6) vs. No. 2 Maple Grove (24-2-2), 11 a.m.
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Moorhead (21-6) vs. No. 3 Eagan (24-3-1), 1 p.m.
Lakeville South (20-8) vs. No. 1 Duluth East (27-1), 6 p.m.
Benilde-St. Margaret's (22-6) vs. No. 4 Edina (23-5), 8 p.m.
Friday, March 9
Semifinal games, 6 and 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 10
Championship Game
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
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CLASS A
Wednesday's Quarterfinals
Little Falls (19-9) vs. No. 2 St. Thomas Academy (23-5), 11 a.m.
Duluth Marshall (21-7) vs. No. 3 Breck (24-3-1), 1 p.m.
Rochester Lourdes (20-8) vs. No. 1 Hermantown (28-0), 6 p.m.
New Ulm (17-11) vs. No. 4 Thief River Falls (22-4-2), 8 p.m.
Thursday's Games
Consolation Semifinals
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At Mariucci Arena
Little Falls/St. Thomas Academy loser vs. Duluth Marshall/Breck loser, 10 a.m.
Rochester Lourdes/Hermantown loser vs. New Ulm/Thief River Falls loser, noon
Friday's Semifinals
St. Thomas Academy/Little Falls winner vs. Breck/Duluth Marshall winner, 11 a.m.
Hermantown/Rochester Lourdes winner vs. Thief River Falls/New Ulm winner, 1 p.m.
Saturday's Games
Championship
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Semifinal winners, noon
Third Place
Semifinal losers, 9 a.m.
Fifth Place
At Mariucci Arena
Consolation winners, 10 a.m.
