Class A QF #3 seed 4A Mahtomedi (20-8-0) vs 6A Alexandria (14-12-1)

[ClassAGuy]

BHS Class A Quarterfinal
#3 seed 4A Mahtomedi (20-8-0) vs 6A Alexandria (14-12-1)

Section 4A Champions Mahtomedi Zephyrs
Head Coach: Jeff Poeschl 26th year
Record: 20-8-0
Road to State: W 10-0 St Paul Johnson, W 9-1 St.Paul Academy, W 3-1 Chisago Lakes
State Tournament History: 14th appearance- 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 (State Title), 2022, 2023

Meet The Zephyrs: Head Coach Jeff Poeschl in his 26th year at the helm of Mahtomedi will bring the Zephyrs back to the Class A State Tournament for the 14th time. Mahtomedi has prepared itself for another deep tournament run by playing a schedule filled with tough AA teams that they have had good success against this winter. The Zephyrs have rolled three lines much of the winter. They are led up front by a great core of Seniors #11 Charlie Drage (30-21-51 pts.), #4 David Wolsfeld (11-28-39 pts.) and #24 Corey Bohmer (8-23-31 pts.)t makes up their top line. While another group of Seniors #15 Seth Nelson (22-17-39 pts.), #9 Jonny Grove (10-22-32 pts.) and #22 Carter Haycraft (12-23-35 pts.) make up a very good 2nd line. Both lines could be considered their top line and to add to their depth underclassmen 9th grader #21 Jimmy Egan (4-1-21 pts.) & Junior #17 Patrick Egan (7-8-15 pts.) along with Junior #8 Jake Hodd-Chlebeck (11-10-21 pts.) makes for a very deep group of forwards. The defensive unit led by Senior #2 Cav Bruner (7-26-33 pts.) who runs the powerlay and controls the play when he is on the ice and he is often paired with Junior #7 William Brummel (0-7-7 pts.). Smooth skating Sophomore #6 Sam Harris (1-17-18 pts.) is one to watch as he plays mega minutes for a youngster and is very talented. Add in 6’7 Junior #16 Wyatt Tarnowski (4-4-8 pts.), 6’5 #26 Senior Carson Marshall (0-8-8 pts) and 6’3 Junior #5 Cole Swanson (2-17-19 pts.) and there is not a lot of time in space given by the Mahtomedi D-core which has become the backbone and blueprint of their success over the last decade. In net Junior #30 Charlie Brandt (13-8-0) 2.62 GAA .910 SV% ended winning that starting gig and has been steady in net and seems to play his best in the biggest games. This is a deep and experienced team that returned the core of its 3rd place group a year ago and they will look to win their 2nd ever State Title this weekend in St. Paul.

Section 6A Champions Alexandria Cardinals
Head Coach: Josh Meyers 3rd year
Record: 14-12-1
Road to State: W 14-0 Breckenridge/Wahpeton, W 7-2 Wadena Deer Creek, W 5-4 OT Fergus Falls
State Tournament History: 7th appearance- 1992, 1996, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2022, 2023

Meet The Cardinals: After a very slow (0-7-0) start to the year, which has been a trend of teams in the three year tenure under Head Coach Josh Meyers, the Cardinals really found their footing in the 2nd half of the year, going an impressive (13-5-1) since the start of 2023 and are making their 7th overall appearance at State. Alexandria does have depth with a good group of forwards in Seniors #7 Tyler Kludt (19-22-41 pts.) & #29 Nicholas Peterson 19-10 29 pts.) & Junior #21 Evan Anderson 6-3-9 pts) on the top line. They back that up with a very good scoring 2nd line in Senior #6 Joe Lamski (13-21-34 pts.) and Juniors #3 Leo Kompelien (13-11-24 pts.) & #8 Gavin Olson (12-12-24 pts.) who have given them some good scoring depth as the winter has gone along. On the Blueline Seniors #16 Henry Ramstorf (1-3-4 pts.) & #19 Mason Loch(0-4-4 pts) along with Junior #2 Jack Lamski (4-12-16 pts.) & 4 Gage Castle (1-10-11 pts.) all play good minutes and their overall D-core has improved as well as the year has gone along. The biggest improvement though has been in the net as goaltender Senior #1 Elijah Rasmusen (12-8-0) 3.04 GAA .874 SV% overall numbers are not pretty but he has played much better in the second half of the season and as he has gained confidence the Cardinals started to pick up momentum toward the end of the year. Alexandria played a scheduled filled with good Class A and AA teams throughout the year they are playing their best hockey right now as they enter the Tourney going (12-2-0) in their last 14 games and they will not be normal cakewalk that the top three Class A seeds are used to seeing in the Quarterfinal round.

[ClassAGuy]

Two of the largest schools in Class A are set to due battle in what should be a good game. Mahtomedi has 3 deep lines and loads of experience throughout the lineup. Alexandria has a deep group of forwards themselves and comes into the Tourney playing great hockey going (12-2-0) in their last 14 games. This is a rematch of the 3rd Place game a year ago which the the Zephyrs won.

Can Alex stay hot and pull off a big upset or will Mahtomedi's depth throughout the lineup be too much?

[raidergrad72]

I like Alex partially because they refused to fold the tent after a rough start, much like Hill Murray.
Close score of 4-3.

[elliott70]

COMING UP NEXT - IT WILL NOT STRAT AT 1PM.

[elliott70]

Hopefully more balanced then game #1.

[ClassAGuy]

Mahtomedi scores early 1-0 1st period

[ClassAGuy]

Alex answers its 1-1 1st period

[ClassAGuy]

Alex AGAIN

2-1 Cards!

[ClassAGuy]

Mahtomedi scores on the PP due to Alex player taunting after last goal

its 2-2 lots of action wow

[SpreadOut!]

Mahtomedi scores on the PP due to Alex player taunting after last goal

its 2-2 lots of action wow

There was no taunt. I know we are not allowed to criticize officials at all in the year 2023 of our lord but that was a terrible call that gifted Mahtomedi a power play and goal. Brutal.

[ClassAGuy]

Alex answers Back!

3-2 Cards now

Wide open Race horse hockey at the Tourney

[dherman8]

Mahtomedi scores on the PP due to Alex player taunting after last goal

its 2-2 lots of action wow

There was no taunt. I know we are not allowed to criticize officials at all in the year 2023 of our lord but that was a terrible call that gifted Mahtomedi a power play and goal. Brutal.

He had to have said something, right? The one announcer said he watched the whole scene play out and it didn't look like the Alexandria player even looked in a different direction than at his own bench the whole time. Seems like there would have had to be certain words that maybe were said. I guess an explanation would be nice at some point. Would be a shame if there was a botched call there. They showed the conversation between the player, the Alexandria coach, and the ref. Didn't seem like the player was arguing about it.

[ClassAGuy]

Mahtomedi scores on the PP due to Alex player taunting after last goal

its 2-2 lots of action wow

There was no taunt. I know we are not allowed to criticize officials at all in the year 2023 of our lord but that was a terrible call that gifted Mahtomedi a power play and goal. Brutal.

He had to have said something, right? The one announcer said he watched the whole scene play out and it didn't look like the Alexandria player even looked in a different direction than at his own bench the whole time. Seems like there would have had to be certain words that maybe were said. I guess an explanation would be nice at some point. Would be a shame if there was a botched call there. They showed the conversation between the player, the Alexandria coach, and the ref. Didn't seem like the player was arguing about it.

He jumped into the glass of the opposing Student section my guess as to why it was called that is frowned upon by the MSHSL on TV as bad sportsmanship eventhough it happens all season long. I have seen it called at the Tourney only before

[SpreadOut!]

There was no taunt. I know we are not allowed to criticize officials at all in the year 2023 of our lord but that was a terrible call that gifted Mahtomedi a power play and goal. Brutal.

He had to have said something, right? The one announcer said he watched the whole scene play out and it didn't look like the Alexandria player even looked in a different direction than at his own bench the whole time. Seems like there would have had to be certain words that maybe were said. I guess an explanation would be nice at some point. Would be a shame if there was a botched call there. They showed the conversation between the player, the Alexandria coach, and the ref. Didn't seem like the player was arguing about it.

He jumped into the glass of the opposing Student section my guess as to why it was called that is frowned upon by the MSHSL on TV as bad sportsmanship eventhough it happens all season long. I have seen it called at the Tourney only before

Thanks for the explanation. Seems dumb to call that…he wasn’t taunting the students or anything. You hate to see bad calls dictate outcomes of games. They don’t call that all season long in regular games. I’ve seen blatant taunting that doesn’t get called during regular season.

[ClassAGuy]

He had to have said something, right? The one announcer said he watched the whole scene play out and it didn't look like the Alexandria player even looked in a different direction than at his own bench the whole time. Seems like there would have had to be certain words that maybe were said. I guess an explanation would be nice at some point. Would be a shame if there was a botched call there. They showed the conversation between the player, the Alexandria coach, and the ref. Didn't seem like the player was arguing about it.

He jumped into the glass of the opposing Student section my guess as to why it was called that is frowned upon by the MSHSL on TV as bad sportsmanship eventhough it happens all season long. I have seen it called at the Tourney only before

Thanks for the explanation. Seems dumb to call that…he wasn’t taunting the students or anything. You hate to see bad calls dictate outcomes of games. They don’t call that all season long in regular games. I’ve seen blatant taunting that doesn’t get called during regular season.

100% agree! Just have seen it called before and its a point of emphasis on TV the MSHSL is big on "presenting" sportsmanship.....

[dherman8]

There was no taunt. I know we are not allowed to criticize officials at all in the year 2023 of our lord but that was a terrible call that gifted Mahtomedi a power play and goal. Brutal.

He had to have said something, right? The one announcer said he watched the whole scene play out and it didn't look like the Alexandria player even looked in a different direction than at his own bench the whole time. Seems like there would have had to be certain words that maybe were said. I guess an explanation would be nice at some point. Would be a shame if there was a botched call there. They showed the conversation between the player, the Alexandria coach, and the ref. Didn't seem like the player was arguing about it.

He jumped into the glass of the opposing Student section my guess as to why it was called that is frowned upon by the MSHSL on TV as bad sportsmanship eventhough it happens all season long. I have seen it called at the Tourney only before

I suppose that could be it. Don't agree with it, but wouldn't be surprising in our day and age I guess. How dare them for celebrating a goal. I miss the days when a kid could salute the St. Thomas Cadets student section after scoring a goal and not end up in the penalty box. Might be a 10 minute game misconduct these days.

[bardown27]

It got called in the first Edina Wayzata game this year. Kvasnicka scored to make it 3-1 Edina, jumped into the glass in front of Edina students, took a penalty, Edina scored on the ensuing power play to make it 4-1.

[ClassAGuy]

Mahtomedi ties it up with 17 second left in the 2nd period

Dominate period for Zephyrs outshot Alex 20-6 in the 2nd period alone

Tied 3-3 heading to the third period

[ClassAGuy]

Mahtomedi scores early in the 3rd period leads 4-3

[ClassAGuy]

Beautiful goal Hat trick for #24 Corey Bohmert

Mahtomedi up 5-3 now n the third period

[ChrisK]

He had to have said something, right? The one announcer said he watched the whole scene play out and it didn't look like the Alexandria player even looked in a different direction than at his own bench the whole time. Seems like there would have had to be certain words that maybe were said. I guess an explanation would be nice at some point. Would be a shame if there was a botched call there. They showed the conversation between the player, the Alexandria coach, and the ref. Didn't seem like the player was arguing about it.

He jumped into the glass of the opposing Student section my guess as to why it was called that is frowned upon by the MSHSL on TV as bad sportsmanship eventhough it happens all season long. I have seen it called at the Tourney only before

I suppose that could be it. Don't agree with it, but wouldn't be surprising in our day and age I guess. How dare them for celebrating a goal. I miss the days when a kid could salute the St. Thomas Cadets student section after scoring a goal and not end up in the penalty box. Might be a 10 minute game misconduct these days.

That was Ben Hanowski of Little Falls who saluted the STA student section one of the first years the Flyers were in the tourney, so it wasn't all that long ago. If it's something they can do during the season they should be able to do it in the tourney too. And if the teams had been specifically warned before the game not to do that, then it's just a kid making a dumb mistake, but c'mon, it's a goal in the tourney, they should be able to celebrate.

[ClassAGuy]

Mahtomedi pulling away now goes up 6-3 3rd period

[ClassAGuy]

BHS Class A Quarterfinal #2
(3) Mahtomedi 6
Alexandria 3
Final

Mahtomedi uses a big three goal third period to put upset minded Alexandria away. Zephyrs #24 Corey Bohmert gets the Hat trick.

Zephyrs move into the Class A SF to face Hermantown on Friday

[Eagles93]

He jumped into the glass of the opposing Student section my guess as to why it was called that is frowned upon by the MSHSL on TV as bad sportsmanship eventhough it happens all season long. I have seen it called at the Tourney only before

It's not a state tournament/TV rule, I've seen teams penalized for this in the regular season. It's a pretty common rule in HS hockey now, the player should have known you can't jump into the opponent's student section.

[ClassAGuy]

He jumped into the glass of the opposing Student section my guess as to why it was called that is frowned upon by the MSHSL on TV as bad sportsmanship eventhough it happens all season long. I have seen it called at the Tourney only before

It's not a state tournament/TV rule, I've seen teams penalized for this in the regular season. It's a pretty common rule in HS hockey now, the player should have known you can't jump into the opponent's student section.

I have seen it not called a ton this year watching games. Seems to be enforced by some but not much elsewhere.

Either way agree Refs meet with players and coaches before the games at State.

However, why was thr Mahtomedi kid allowed to wave bye bye to the Alex Student section at the end of the game with no penalty?

The rule seems to be enforced at times and not at others....