đź“… Game Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2025
đź“Ť Location: Aldrich Arena, Maplewood
⏰ Puck Drop: 7:30 PM
The Mahtomedi Zephyrs (9-15-2) take on the St. Paul Highland Park Scots (8-16-2) in the Section 4A Semifinals, with the winner moving one step closer to a trip to the state tournament.
While Mahtomedi has historically been a strong contender in Class A, this year has been a challenging one for the Zephyrs, finishing in the middle of the Metro East Conference. Meanwhile, St. Paul Highland Park enters the game with momentum after a 7-4 quarterfinal win over Southwest Christian/Richfield.
Despite an up-and-down season, Mahtomedi is still a dangerous team come playoff time. Led by Devin O’Donnell (12G, 25 PTS) and Laken Decker (10G, 17 PTS), the Zephyrs have the scoring depth to create problems for Highland Park’s defense.
The biggest strength for Mahtomedi lies in goaltender Jackson Chesak, who boasts an impressive .922 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average. His play between the pipes could be the deciding factor.
The Scots have proven they can score goals in bunches, as seen in their seven-goal outburst in the quarterfinals. Isaac Johnson (12G, 29 PTS) and Leo Kirsch (14G, 26 PTS) have led the offense, and if they can get past Mahtomedi’s defensive structure, they’ll have a chance to pull off an upset.
However, goaltending remains a question mark for Highland Park, with Calum Axelson (4.04 GAA, .891 SV%) needing a big performance to keep his team in the game.
🔹 Mahtomedi: Use their structured play and goaltending advantage to control the tempo. If they keep this game low-scoring, they’ll have the edge.
🔹 Highland Park: Push the pace offensively and force Mahtomedi into a track meet-style game. If they can capitalize on special teams, an upset isn’t out of the question.
This one could be closer than expected, but Mahtomedi’s playoff experience and goaltending advantage should give them the edge. Expect a tight game early, but look for the Zephyrs to hold off Highland Park late and advance to the Section 4A Championship.
