Maple Grove and Hill-Murray made last year’s Class 2A state tournament and were preseason favorites to make it back to their respective section finals. Each are capable of returning to state, but both have faltered lately and dropped out of the Class 2A rankings.
Thursday’s matchup, a perennial feud that’s continued to bubble since the Pioneers upset the Crimson in the 2012 state quarterfinals, could serve as a springboard for either program.
Maple Grove snapped a five-game winless streak with a 2-1 win over Anoka on Jan. 13. The Crimson (6-7-3, 4-4-0) just missed making it two in a row after falling to No. 10-2A Elk River 2-1 last Thursday, but they bounced back with a 3-2 victory over Blaine on Saturday. Ryan Brandt missed two weeks with a sprained ankle and made a splash with two points against the Bengals, including scoring the game-winning goal in the third period.
The Crimson have struggled to stay healthy this season and are missing three regulars from their lineup.
Victories have been few and far between this season for powerhouse Hill-Murray. The Pioneers (5-8-4, 3-1-1) have only one victory in their last 10 games on their grueling schedule. Wisconsin prospect Ben Helgeson leads Hill-Murray in points with 11 goals and 10 assists.