Moorhead vs. St. Cloud
7:15 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 31

Moorhead (13-3-3, 4-1) has to be considered the Class 2A, Section 8 frontrunner heading into Tuesday's showdown at St. Cloud, but the position is tenuous considering Bemidji, St. Michael-Albertville, Roseau and Brainerd also have a good shot of emerging from the section.

The No. 15-2A Spuds are coming off a 1-1 tie with No. 17-2A St. Michael-Albertville last Saturday night. If Moorhead can take care of business against St. Cloud and also Bemidji on Feb. 14, the Spuds could wrap up a top seed. 

Junior forwards Carter Randklev (19-18-37) and Cole O’Connell (20-12-32) have accounted for nearly half the the Spuds’ goals (87) this season.

St. Cloud (10-6-1, 8-2-1) has been competitive in its first season as a co-op program, posting a strong goal differential (4.76 to 2.53), as well as a penalty kill (91.5 percent) that rates among the best in the state. With losses this month to Roseau (4-3 on Jan. 7) and Bemidji (4-2 on Jan. 14), St. Cloud is a long shot for a first or second seed, but could it still make a run starting with a win over Moorhead. 

Junior Nick Portz (18-16-34) leads St. Cloud offensively, averaging 2.0 points per game.