Benilde-St. Margaret’s at Duluth Marshall
7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 23

Anything you can do, I can do better? Or, follow the leader? Benilde-St. Margaret's set the blueprint more than a decade ago for small, private schools to move up to the Class 2A ranks and experience success. Duluth Marshall hopes to follow that same path after announcing it was going to be playing in Class 2A beginning next winter.

The two schools play Tuesday night at Mars Lakeview Arena in Duluth.

In the 13 years since moving up, the No. 8-2A Red Knights (3-3-2) have had one losing season, are averaging nearly 19 victories a year and won a state title in 2012. It’s been a bit of a rough start this year for coach Ken Pauly and the Red Knights, however. Benilde-St. Margaret's is just 1-3-2 in its last six games with its vaunted offense averaging 2.5 goals per game in that span. Mark Kaske (2-8-10) is the only player with double-digit points and Zach Risteau (6-2-8) is one of only two players with more than two goals.

The No. 2-1A Hilltoppers (8-0-0) aren’t necessarily a team to get offensively healthy against. Marshall pitched three shutouts and allowed nine total goals in its first seven games. The Hilltoppers, however, gave up four goals in a 5-4 victory over Rochester Lourdes in its most recent game. Senior Alex Murray (6-0-0, 1.63, .930) is among the state’s leaders in most goaltending categories and senior Jordan Fralich (2-7-9) is a hard-hitting defenseman with a heavy shot.