Hill-Murray at St. Thomas Academy
3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6

Saturday afternoon’s showdown in Mendota Heights brings Hill-Murray to St. Thomas Academy in a game sure to decide first place in the Metro East Conference.

In their first meeting on Jan. 16, the Pioneers etched out a 1-0 home victory over the Cadets despite being outshot 33-21.

Hill-Murray took its lumps last week with two losses and a tie, continuing to make the No. 10-2A Pioneers (13-6-2, 8-0-1) one of the metro’s most inconsistent teams, with an equal amount of big wins and big losses sprinkled throughout the schedule.

Goaltender Jake Begley (10-5-1, 2.17, .922) continues to put up sturdy statistics for Hill-Murray.

St. Thomas Academy (13-5-4,7-2-0) trails the first-place Pioneers by one point in the conference standings, and the Cadets have an opportunity to shake up the Metro East before departing for a separate section tournament.

Defense and goaltending has been the strength for the No. 14-2A Cadets, who are allowing just 1.64 goals per game. Sophomore goalie Atticus Kelly has been particularly impressive between the pipes, having posted three straight shutouts last week in wins over Tartan (3-0), Cretin-Derham Hall (4-0) and Duluth Marshall (13-0).

Kelly has a 10-1-2 record with five shutouts and gaudy a goals-against average (1.10) and save percentage (.945), though he did not play in the first game against the Pioneers.