Michael Graham’s senior season has gotten off to a wild but good start.

The Eden Prairie forward announced on Oct. 7, that he was no longer going to play hockey at Minnesota-Duluth and instead committed to Notre Dame.

Fast-forward two months and Graham is making news again. This time it was for scoring two goals Saturday night against rival Edina, including the one that gave the Eagles a one-goal cushion with 8:16 to play in the Edina Holiday Classic finale at Braemar Ice Arena.

The Eagles maintained the lead and recorded a 6-4 win over the host Hornets to wrap up the tournament title and give Graham something he had never experienced.

“I’ve been on the team for four years and this was the first time this happened in this tournament,” he said.

With the win, Eden Prairie wrapped up the tournament title.

Following Saturday's performance, Graham is second in points on the Eagles' roster with 18 (8 goals, 10 assists).

Eden Prairie coach Lee Smith credited Graham for his leadership and his play.

“Every time he’s on the ice, he’s a threat,” said Smith, who added that he was  not surprised by Graham’s switch to Notre Dame.

The reason for the move was academics, he said.

“He’s a good student and looks beyond hockey,” Smith said.

Graham, who plans to study business, is excited about the academic challenge of college, as well as playing alongside other Minnesotans as a member of the Fighting Irish men's hockey team.

His desire to be challenged is evident in his aspirations for the season.

Graham was quick to say "no" when asked if winning the Edina holiday tournament would be the highlight of the season.

“This is great, but we want to win the state tournament," he said. "If we don’t do that then we didn’t really have a highlight." 


Ben Copland's Edina teammates celebrate his second period goal in a 6-4 Hornet loss to Eden Prairie. Photo by Rick Orndorf

First Report

Senior forward Michael Graham scored twice in Eden Prairie’s 6-4 win over Edina at Braemar Ice Arena on Saturday night, helping the Eagles take home the 34th annual Edina Holiday Classic title. 

Eden Prairie (7-1), ranked No. 2 in the Class 2A coaches' poll, was first on the scoreboard as Hunter Joannes set the pace of the game with his goal at 8:58 in the first period.

Graham extended the lead a short time later as he got a few steps ahead of the Hornets defense and converted on a breakaway.

Edina’s Bram Scheerer tied the game at 2-2 with 25 seconds to play in the first period.

The Hornets had multiple shots skim just outside the net during the second period, but the rest of the game turned into a tug-of-war match.

Junior forward Casey Mittelstadt put the Eagles ahead 3-2 late in the second, only have to have Edina’s Ben Copeland tie the score with a power-play goal a minute later.

Graham gave Eden Prairie a 4-3 advantage with his shot that he swung in after the puck bounced off the boards behind the goal.

The Eagles stayed on top as Nolan Sullivan pulled away and wristed the puck past Hornets goalie Charlie deGrood.

Junior forward Jared Blackowiak sealed the win, notching the sixth goal for Eden Prairie.

Senior forward Casey Dornbach tallied a goal with less than two minutes to play, pulling the No. 5-2A Hornets (4-6) within two. 

Eagles goalie Nick Wiencek had 17 saves while deGrood finished with 19. 

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