Critics of Benilde-St. Margaret’s coach Ken Pauly’s coaching style often disparage his teams for a lack of defense.
But an overwhelming offensive presence proved to be an equally stunning defense as the Red Knights dominated puck possession and grinded their way to a 5-1 victory over Hill-Murray on Thursday night at Aldrich Arena.
“(For) any team, it’s hard to play when you don’t have the puck on your stick,” Benilde-St. Margaret's senior Cade Gleekel said after a two-goal performance. “We’re doing a great job of keeping it away from our opponent.”
Gleekel transferred from Blake after registering 51 points as a sophomore. His junior year was a quiet one with just 12 points, a result of adjusting to playing with his new Red Knights' teammates.
“People kind of underestimate how difficult that transition can be,” Pauly said.
Gleekel, now well-acquainted with his starting linemates Auggie Moore and Zach Risteau, leads Benilde-St. Margaret's with six goals and four assists.
“They’re getting me the puck and I just have to tap it in,” he said.
Despite picking up a win against the Pioneers - a team the Red Knights hadn’t defeated since the 2012 Class 2A championship - Benilde-St. Margaret's wasn’t concerned with who its opponent was.
“I told them that playing Hill-Murray’s not a big game. We’re playing the game, we’re not playing the opponent,” Pauly said.
That type of internal focus has led the Red Knights to a 5-0 start in which they have outscored their opponents 30-7 and defeated three of the state’s top teams in Grand Rapids, Burnsville and perennial state tournament contender Hill-Murray.
“This is probably the best puck-movement team I’ve had in a while this early on,” Pauly said.
After having his team shut out last season in the section playoffs against Eden Prairie for the first time in his career, Pauly said his aim this season was to have the program reclaim Red Knights hockey.
Through dominant possession play, Benilde-St. Margaret's features nine players with at least five points and helped the Red Knights jump six places in the Class 2A coaches’ poll to the No. 3 spot.
“I think it’s validation for our kids very early on that what we’re doing is the right thing and to stay on that,” Pauly said.
A 7-0 shutout over a tough Blaze team that took No. 5-2A Edina to overtime and stuck with Hill-Murray 4-3 last Saturday surprised Pauly.
After defeating the No. 4-2A Pioneers, Pauly is confident this year's team may have that special something - reminiscent of the Red Knights' teams that featured Grant Besse (2009-13).
“I don’t see them (Hill-Murray) being down. We just might be up, but we’ll see. We gotta continue rolling,” he said.
Section realignment has moved No. 1-2A Eden Prairie to Section 2, leaving No. 9-2A Wayzata as the other currently ranked team in Section 6.
Regardless of the change, the Red Knights' resurgence causes them little concern about who they'll play.
“It’s not who we’re playing. It’s a matter of keeping the puck on our stick, no matter who we’re going against,” Gleekel said.