Duluth East at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton
7:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 2

Time for a grudge match between traditional northeastern Minnesota rivals Duluth East (10-9-2) and Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (9-10-2). While neither is experiencing a highly successful season, the Greyounds and Lumberjacks are jostling for Class 2A, Section 7 seeding position, as neither would like a semifinal matchup against No. 6 Elk River/Zimmerman, which appears locked into the top seed after a 1-1 tie against Duluth East last Saturday. The Greyhounds actually led 1-0 until late in the third period on a goal from Garret Worth (7-2-9), but couldn’t hold on against the Elks’ potent offense.

That’s a good road result for the Duluth East, which is coming off a loss at Anoka and is sorely in need of momentum entering the playoffs. 

The Greyhounds have a leg up in seedings thus far courtesy of a 3-1 victory over Cloquet-Esko-Carlton at the Heritage Center in Duluth on Dec. 11. Luke Dow (7-7-14) and Luke Lamaster (2-3-5) scored third-period goals to break open a 1-1 game, and Lumberjacks goaltender Casey Holshouser (6-5-1, 2.63, .874) made 26 saves.

Cloquet-Esko-Carlton is also coming off an impressive tie, knotting up No. 1-1A Hermantown 3-3 last Thursday. Dylan Johnson (15-7-22) and Dalton Johnson (3-20-23) scored in the third to erase a 3-1 deficit in a game the Lumberjacks outshot Hermantown 30-24.