Edina vs. White Bear Lake 
7:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 05

Edina enters this week with plenty momentum after seizing last weekend’s Schwan Cup Gold Division championship. The No. 7-2A Hornets defeated No. 4-2A Eden Prairie and No. 5-2A St. Thomas Academy en route to the title, suggesting Edina ought to make a significant leap in the rankings when the new coaches’ poll is released.

The Hornets (8-3, 1-1) continue to improve week by week, as expected from a group that is young but ultra-talented. Four players are averaging more than a point per game, with Bram Scheerer (8-9-17), Sam Walker (8-9-17) and Lewis Crosby (7-10-17) tied for the team lead in points. Sophomore Jett Jungels (8-5-13) is also a major offensive contributor. 

White Bear Lake (7-2-1, 4-1) is off to its strongest start in years and has developed into a legitimate challenger to Stillwater in Class 2A, Section 4. The No. 14-2A Bears won’t see the No. 1-2A Ponies for another week, but an elite Edina team promises to deliver a solid litmus test.

White Bear Lake has a plus-2 goal differential (3.70-1.70) through the end of December and has seen steady offensive production from junior forwards Chase Hamsted (9-10-19) and Max Jennrich (10-5-15).