Mahtomedi at Hermantown
7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 23

Mahtomedi and Hermantown square off in this tussle between top-flight Class 1A teams that are perhaps destined to meet again at the Xcel Energy Center in March.

The No. 5-ranked Zephyrs (11-4), who are likely to earn the top seed in Section 4, continue to receive solid goaltending from senior captain Will Swanson, whose save percentage (.932) and goals-against average (1.84) put him amongst the state’s best.

The top-ranked Hawks (13-2-1) are likely to be Section 7's No. 1 seed but had an eight-game winning streak snapped Saturday night with a 4-2 loss to No. 11-2A Bemidji.

Prior to that defeat, Hermantown began the new year with a string of wins over quality teams like No. 12-2A Grand Rapids (5-0), No. 9-1A St. Cloud Cathedral (6-2) and No. 11-1A Greenway (2-1) to reclaim the top spot in the coaches’ poll from Breck.

Forwards Cole Koepke, a senior with 19 goals and 36 points, and Ryan Sandelin, a junior who has six goals and 33 points, continue to lead the Hawks in scoring.