Moorhead Spuds Feast on Power Plays to Upend 
Elk River/Zimmerman Elks 6-3The Moorhead Spuds (4-5-1) capitalized on two crucial power plays to secure a 6-3 victory over the Elk River/Zimmerman Elks (3-5-0) in Tuesday night’s Section 8AA clash. Both teams came into the game looking to snap losing streaks, but it was the Spuds who found their groove, converting 40% of their man-advantage opportunities while keeping the Elks at bay despite their own strong power play showing (50%).
Moorhead wasted no time setting the tone, striking within the first minute on a Brooks Cullen power-play goal assisted by Brandon Mickelson and Zac Zimmerman. Tyden Bergeson added another in the first period for a 2-0 lead, before Elk River/Zimmerman responded with a power-play goal of their own from Tristan Kriech.
The Spuds kept their foot on the gas in the second period, with Zimmerman and Carson Kuntz adding goals to extend their lead to 4-1. The Elks battled back in the third period, capitalizing on a scramble in front of the Moorhead net for Braden Hansberger’s tally, followed by Daniel Babcock’s snipe to make it a two-goal game. However, Moorhead’s Zimmerman would have the final say, putting the game away with his third goal of the night late in the third.
This win serves as a much-needed confidence boost for Moorhead, while Elk River/Zimmerman will look to regroup and tighten up their discipline heading into their next matchup.
Andover 4
Duluth East 2The Andover Huskies (5-4) cruised to a 4-2 victory over the Duluth East Greyhounds (2-7) in a chippy affair on Tuesday night. Both teams traded penalties throughout the game, but it was the Huskies’ opportunistic power play that proved decisive, converting two of their three chances while holding the Greyhounds to two goals on five power plays.
Andover took control early, striking twice in the first period on the power play thanks to goals from Crosby Perry and Gavin Sullivan. The Huskies continued their dominance in the second, extending their lead through Luke Babineau and Caleb Goar, both scoring at even strength.
Duluth East finally got on the board in the third period with a power-play goal from Luke Anderson, assisted by Thomas Gunderson and Noah Teng. However, their comeback hopes were dashed when Teng’s own power-play goal with under four minutes remaining came too late.
This win puts Andover firmly atop the Section 7AA standings, while Duluth East will need to tighten up their discipline and find more offensive consistency to keep pace in the competitive section.
Delano 4
Providence Academy 2In a penalty-filled battle, the Delano Tigers (5-2-0) edged out the Providence Academy Lions (3-6) by a score of 4-2 on Tuesday night. Despite neither team finding success on the power play, Delano capitalized on even strength goals throughout the game to secure the win.
The Tigers wasted no time establishing their presence, striking twice in the first period. Mason Hargarten and Teague Collings found the net, assisted by Coppin and Collings respectively. Providence Academy responded quickly, however, as Louis Wehmann evened the score with an even-strength tally of his own.
Delano regained the lead early in the second period through Jake Heinzen, putting the Tigers back in front with Perlich and Kangas providing the assists. The game remained a tight affair until the third period, when Daniel Halonen’s goal with five minutes remaining secured the victory for Delano. Providence Academy managed another goal from Wehmann late in the game, but it was too little too late.
Hutchinson 4
New Ulm 3The Hutchinson Tigers (2-5-0) secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the New Ulm Eagles (7-2) in a penalty-filled battle on Tuesday night. Despite having less control over the puck and facing more shots on goal, the Tigers capitalized on their power play and opportunistic even-strength goals to come away with the win.
Hutchinson struck first with Manny Pearce’s power-play goal assisted by Toren Miller and Emmett Reiter in the first period. However, New Ulm quickly responded with Brody Nordby’s even-strength tally, setting the stage for a tight, back-and-forth contest.
The second period saw both teams exchange goals early on. Charles Renner gave the Tigers the lead before New Ulm’s Austin Uecker tied the game again. Nathan Thode then put Hutchinson back on top before the end of the period.
The third period proved equally tense, with Toren Miller’s even-strength goal for the Tigers seemingly putting them in control. New Ulm refused to give up, though, and Kaden Larson’s goal with under six minutes remaining brought the Eagles within one. Despite strong pressure in the closing minutes, they were unable to find the equalizer, allowing the Tigers to hold on for the win.
Champlin Park 6
White Bear Lake 5The Champlin Park Rebels (4-3-1) edged out the White Bear Lake Area Bears (5-2) in a thrilling 6-5 shootout on Tuesday night. Both teams traded goals throughout the game, but ultimately, the Rebels’ offensive firepower proved too much for the Bears to handle.
The game started out with a flurry of goals, as both teams found the net within seconds of each other in the first period. Will Burnevik put the Rebels on the board first, but Nolan Roed responded with two quick goals for the Bears. Champlin Park wouldn’t back down, however, as Trevor Aberwald and Brent Solomon each scored before the end of the period to give the Rebels a 3-2 lead.
The second period continued the scoring spree, with both teams adding three more goals apiece. Solomon netted two more for the Rebels, while Roed completed his hat trick for the Bears. Rafa Bastida also found the net for White Bear Lake, bringing the score to a tie at 5-5 heading into the third period.
The final frame remained scoreless until midway through, when Solomon completed his remarkable night with his fourth goal of the game, putting the Rebels back in front. White Bear Lake pressed hard for the equalizer but couldn’t beat Champlin Park’s netminder, and Maverick Timmons’ empty-net goal sealed the victory for the Rebels with just seconds remaining.
Hermantown 2
Duluth Denfeld 2In a game defined by strong defensive play and missed opportunities, the Hermantown Hawks (4-0-2) and Duluth Denfeld Hunters (5-3-1) skated to a 2-2 tie on Tuesday night. Both teams had numerous scoring chances, but stingy goalies and penalty troubles kept the puck out of the net for much of the night.
Hermantown got on the board first in the first period, with Jack Slattengren capitalizing on an even-strength opportunity assisted by Andrew Johnson and William Esterbrooks. The Hawks continued their momentum in the second period, adding another goal through Bradford Skytta, again assisted by Esterbrooks and River Freeman.
However, Duluth Denfeld refused to go away quietly. In the second period, they capitalized on their power play when Brady Wick found the net with assists from Nolan Harju and Valtteri Luhtalampi. The Hunters continued their pressure in the third period, and with just under four minutes remaining, Cory Backstrom converted another power play opportunity, assisted by John Scott and Harju, to level the score.
Despite both teams pushing for the winning goal in the closing minutes, neither could break the tie, sending the game to overtime. The extra frame remained scoreless, resulting in a hard-fought draw.
