St. Cloud Apollo seniors Tanner Breidenbach and Brandon Bissett each scored twice to help lift the Eagles past rival Alexandria 4-2 Tuesday at St. Cloud's Municipal Athletic Complex.

The early December matchup featured the champion and the runner-up from last year's Central Lakes Conference title race. The Cardinals took first place in the league but fell to Apollo in the Class 1A, Section 6 semifinal in February.

Emotions ran high again as the Eagles (2-1, 2-0), ranked No. 4 in the Class 1A coaches' poll, handed No. 19-1A Alexandria (1-2, 1-1) its first conference blemish of the season.

"It's a big win for us," Bissett said afterward. "After last year, knocking them out of the playoffs…I know they really wanted to get back us. To earn this one is good for our team."

The Cardinals got on the board first Tuesday when Ben Doherty scooped up a rebound and buried the puck up top following a shot put on net by teammate Mack Strong.

But Apollo warmed up as the period went along, and before long, the Eagles were correctly doing all the little things that would eventually mount in their favor.

Breidenbach scored the team's first goal with 4:44 left in the first period and notched another less than 90 seconds later on a well-placed shot from the point that found its way through traffic and into the back of the net.

Apollo never trailed again. 

The Eagles put 30 shots on goal as they simply outworked their guests in all three zones.

"Obviously, there were some lulls, and some things we can work on," Apollo coach Pete Matanich said. "But for us to get the guys moving and getting to the net like we did was a real positive."

As the minutes ticked away, the Eagles settled into their work. Apollo improved its breakout after some early troubles, while the units worked the pucks up and down the ice particularly well to create scoring chances.

"We started moving our feet and moving the puck much better," Breidenbach said. "Once we got the momentum, we kept it."

Bissett scored with 11:01 left in the second, but Alexandria's Noah Hittle scored a short time later to close the deficit again to one. Bissett struck again for the Eagles with 9:15 left in the third, re-establishing the two-goal lead that would ultimately hold up.

"This was a big win for us," Bissett said. "We want to beat the big teams in our conference and section, and this helps. We want to be the team that everyone else is chasing."

In a conference race that Alexandria won last year by one game over Apollo and had three other teams remaining in striking distance into February, every win counts, whenever and wherever it comes from. 

"Every time you play Alexandria, it's always a battle," Matanich said. "It (benefits us) for the conference and sections, so any kind of win over those guys is huge. To get off on the right foot in both those areas is great."

The Eagles now turn their focus to finishing out a busy week that includes a conference game against No. 15-1A Sartell-St. Stephen on Friday and a matchup with crosstown rival No. 9-1A St. Cloud Cathedral on Saturday.

Defeating the Cardinals was a positive first step for Apollo, which has its team goals laid out this week.

"There are so many good teams in this area, it's all a rivalry," Breidenbach said. "We understand that we need to play our top game every time out."

Alexandria also moves on with a busy league schedule ahead, with home games against No. 14-1A Fergus Falls (Thursday) and Brainerd (Saturday).

St. Cloud Apollo topped visiting Alexandria 4-2 Tuesday night at the Municipal Athletic Complex in a Central Lakes Conference clash that featured the top two teams from a year ago.

Seniors Tanner Breidenbach and Brandon Bissett each tallied two goals in the victory that moves the Eagles, ranked No. 4 in the Class 1A coaches' poll, to 2-1 on the season.

The Cardinals took first place in the league standings last year, but fell to Apollo in the Class 1A, Section 6 semifinals in February.

Alexandria opened the scoring midway through the first period when Ben Doherty scooped up a rebound and buried the puck up top following a shot on net from teammate Mack Strong.

The Eagles answered with two goals in succession from Breidenbach that gave Apollo the 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission. 

Breidenbach scored the first goal with 4:44 left in the period and notched his second less than 90 seconds later on a well-placed shot from the point that found its way through traffic and into the back of the net.

Bissett scored at 11:01 in the second period, and Noah Hittle followed with a goal three minutes later to draw the No. 19-1A Cardinals to within one score heading into the third.

With 9:15 left in regulation, Bissett scored again as the Eagles reclaimed a two-goal lead.

Apollo now turns its focus to finishing out a busy week that includes a conference game against No. 15-1A Sartell-St. Stephen on Friday and a matchup with crosstown rival No. 9-1A St. Cloud Cathedral on Saturday.

Alexandria also moves on with a busy league schedule ahead, with home games against No. 14-1A Fergus Falls (Thursday) and Brainerd (Saturday).

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