Eden Prairie vs. Edina
Edina Holiday Classic
8:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20

It’s impossible to pick a favorite game from this week’s Edina Holiday Classic at Braemar Arena, so we’re going to go right to the back end of the schedule, a Saturday night feature game between the host Hornets (5-1-1), ranked No. 2-2A, and No. 7-2A Eden Prairie (5-1-0). If tournament organizers expect that to be the showcase game, so will we. The tournament features four teams ranked among the top-12 in Class 2A playing a round-robin series of games. The field also includes No. 6-2A Elk River and No. 12-2A Grand Rapids. Each team plays one game against the other three in a withering three days of top hockey.

Edina swept its three games to win last year’s title, beating Grand Rapids in overtime (4-3) and then doubling up Elk River (6-3) and Eden Prairie (4-2). The Hornets have a great history in their own tourney, not having lost in it since the 2005-06 season — a winning streak now at 24 games. The last team to beat the Hornets in this event? Eden Prairie. The Eagles recorded a 4-0 shutout way back on Dec. 23, 2005.