Centennial and Andover are the only two undefeated teams left in Northwest Suburban Conference North Division play. Both teams look to gain early ground in the league title race entering the conference stretch of the season.
The Cougars have gone 2-2-2 since winning their first five games of the season. Centennial (7-2-2, 1-0-1) has faced steep nonconference competition -- its only two losses came to No. 4-2A Duluth East (5-3 on Dec. 19) and No. 1-2A Edina (5-2 on Dec. 27), tests that could have the Cougars ready for league play.
Hayden Brickner (6-13-19) is proving to be a steady producer for the No. 5-2A Cougars with points every game this season and assists on four of Centennial’s five goals in its losses.
Centennial, averaging 17 penalty minutes per game, has lived and died by its gritty style of play. That could falter if the Cougars don’t contain a Huskies (8-2, 2-0) power play that’s converting 29 percent, largely on the shoulders of their top line in Brandon McNamara (10-16-26), Nick Dainty (9-15-24) and Charlie Schoen (11-11-22).