Farmington vs. Eden Prairie
7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3

Farmington has been a program on the upswing for nearly a decade, and aggressive nonconference scheduling has helped the Tigers emerge into one of the metro’s elite.

Farmington will enter Saturday's matchup at No. 1-2A Eden Prairie having played three games and the experience could be beneficial as the Tigers take direction from new coach. 

After two seasons and on the heels of last year’s state tournament appearance (the school’s first in Class 2A), coach Greg May departed and was replaced by Lee Goran, a former North Dakota standout who spent parts of five seasons in the NHL.

Goren takes over a team that graduated nine seniors. Though this year’s roster has 13 seniors, six were not varsity regulars at the end of last season.

Goaltending is expected to be a strength for the Tigers once again. Gavin Enright returns after a successful season that ended with the goalie boasting a .910 save percentage.

Eden Prairie, by most accounts, enters the season as the team to chase. Last season's state runners-up and saturated with top-end talent, the Eagles clearly have unfinished business and grand ambitions.

The team is built around star center Casey Mittelstadt, who will sandwich his senior season between fall and spring stints with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. The Minnesota recruit finished his junior campaign with 33 goals and 80 points.

Not to be overlooked is senior defenseman Nicky Leivermann, a Notre Dame recruit who augmented the offense last year with 13 goals and 29 points. Senior forward Nolan Sullivan, who scored 20 goals and 43 points last year as an alternate captain, also returns.