AA Quarterfinal: Lakeville North vs. #3 Edina
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 5:07 pm
LAKEVILLE NORTH VS. #3 EDINA
1:00 Thursday
-This AA quarterfinal is the most lopsided one on paper, though it isn’t a complete shoo-in for the favored Hornets. This is the first ever meeting between these two teams.
Lakeville North (11-16-1, unranked, 1-seed in 1AA)
State appearances: 4 (first since 2011)
Key section win: 6-3 over defending section champion Lakeville South
-The Panthers may have the worst record ever seen for a AA Tourney entrant, but they can’t be taken too lightly; they finished 5th two years ago with a similar record, rolled through sections, and played a strong schedule that included some close games against very good teams. Tristen Hazlett (11) and Jack Diercks (4) are their leading scorers, and sophomores Nick (7) and Jack (3) Poehling have also been productive. Will Dupont (30) emerged as the top goaltender down the stretch, and if the defense led by Erik Rutt (10) can keep things tight, this team could hang around with Edina for a while. Special teams are not a strength, so staying out of the box will be essential for the Panthers to have any chance at a big upset.
Edina (22-6, #6, 1-seed in 2AA)
State appearances: 35 (6 as Edina East/West in 70s and 80s; 7 in a row)
Championships: 10 (1969, 1971, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1997, and 2010 as Edina; 1974, 1978, and 1979 as Edina East)
Key section wins: 5-4 over #13 Bloomington Jefferson, 3-2 over #12 Burnsville
-The Hornets, one of the preseason favorites, return to St. Paul with a favorable first-round match-up and the pieces necessary to add another trophy to the case. They boast perhaps the most explosive player in the Tourney in Connor Hurley (16), and his linemate Dylan Malmquist (20) is not far behind. The Hornets’ biggest asset, however, is their depth; they have three quality lines that are legitimate scoring threats. Their weakness is in back, where they have struggled at times this year, despite the presence of Parker Reno (5) and Tyler Nanne (23). Goaltender Wille Benjamin (1), while capable, is also not among the most dominant net-minders in the Tournament field. If they can stay tight defensively, they have a good shot at overpowering the teams in their way.
1:00 Thursday
-This AA quarterfinal is the most lopsided one on paper, though it isn’t a complete shoo-in for the favored Hornets. This is the first ever meeting between these two teams.
Lakeville North (11-16-1, unranked, 1-seed in 1AA)
State appearances: 4 (first since 2011)
Key section win: 6-3 over defending section champion Lakeville South
-The Panthers may have the worst record ever seen for a AA Tourney entrant, but they can’t be taken too lightly; they finished 5th two years ago with a similar record, rolled through sections, and played a strong schedule that included some close games against very good teams. Tristen Hazlett (11) and Jack Diercks (4) are their leading scorers, and sophomores Nick (7) and Jack (3) Poehling have also been productive. Will Dupont (30) emerged as the top goaltender down the stretch, and if the defense led by Erik Rutt (10) can keep things tight, this team could hang around with Edina for a while. Special teams are not a strength, so staying out of the box will be essential for the Panthers to have any chance at a big upset.
Edina (22-6, #6, 1-seed in 2AA)
State appearances: 35 (6 as Edina East/West in 70s and 80s; 7 in a row)
Championships: 10 (1969, 1971, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1997, and 2010 as Edina; 1974, 1978, and 1979 as Edina East)
Key section wins: 5-4 over #13 Bloomington Jefferson, 3-2 over #12 Burnsville
-The Hornets, one of the preseason favorites, return to St. Paul with a favorable first-round match-up and the pieces necessary to add another trophy to the case. They boast perhaps the most explosive player in the Tourney in Connor Hurley (16), and his linemate Dylan Malmquist (20) is not far behind. The Hornets’ biggest asset, however, is their depth; they have three quality lines that are legitimate scoring threats. Their weakness is in back, where they have struggled at times this year, despite the presence of Parker Reno (5) and Tyler Nanne (23). Goaltender Wille Benjamin (1), while capable, is also not among the most dominant net-minders in the Tournament field. If they can stay tight defensively, they have a good shot at overpowering the teams in their way.
