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Top games: Warroad, Delano face off in Class 1A top-five showdown

By Jack Butler, SportsEngine, 02/14/22, 8:00AM CST

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Feb. 19: Both teams stand to gain confidence and momentum heading into the postseason.


Photo by SportsEngine

We task our reporters with identifying several intriguing games throughout the state to assemble our Top Games of the Week. The matchups are presented in no particular order, and when there are additional games we want to highlight, we’ll include them with brief notes.

*Stats as of Feb. 13.

Warroad vs. Delano

2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 19

Few top-5 ranked teams get to play another top-5 team as a tune-up before the postseason, but Warroad and Delano do. The Warriors will travel to the Tigers for what will be both teams’ final game of the regular season. 

Warroad would love to end the season with a win against a ranked opponent. From Jan. 15 to Jan. 29, Warroad played five consecutive ranked opponents  — a mix of Class 1A and Class 2A — and went 1-3-1. It was a disappointing stretch for a team that was undefeated until then. Warroad has won three since the bad stretch, but a win over No. 4-1A Delano would make the Warriors feel much better headed into the postseason.  

Delano is in the midst of its longest winning streak of the season. The Tigers have won five in a row, but they will have a difficult game against No. 3-1A Mahtomedi on Feb. 15 before playing No. 2-1A Warroad. If they win both, they’ll have a strong claim for that No. 2-1A spot. Gunnar Paulson leads the Tigers in points (18 goals, 14 assists), and goaltender Drew Dorsey leads the team in minutes (646:44) and has a .915 save percentage and 1.63 goals against average, according to stats submitted to MN Hockey Hub.


Moorhead vs. Roseau

6 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 15

Moorhead versus Roseau is a showdown between the top two teams in QRF in Class 2A, Section 8. Moorhead’s rating is 126.3, and Roseau’s is 120.9. How much those ratings change might not matter as much as  who gets momentum headed into section play. It will be both teams’ final game against a section opponent in the regular season, so both Moorhead and Roseau will want to have bragging rights over the other. They did play to a 7-6 overtime Roseau victory on Dec. 7, but a lot can change in two months.

Moorhead knows that. It started the season 5-5-0, and the schedule did get easier, but No. 7-2A Moorhead is 12-0-1 since. A recent win over No. 8-2A Grand Rapids on Jan. 21 and a tie with No. 2-1A Warroad on Jan. 29 gives Moorhead some confidence headed into another big game. Moorhead has two players tied for the team lead in points with 52. Gavin Lindberg has been the provider with 16 goals and 36 assists, while Harper Bentz has been the finisher with 30 goals and 22 assists.  

Roseau has its own three-headed attack as well. Kellen Murphy has 54 points (13 goals, 41 assists), and Noah Urness has 53 points (21 goals, 32 assists). But Max Strand is the point of the attack for Roseau, and he leads Class 2A and is sixth in the state with 68 points (34 goals, 34 assists). Those three have led Roseau through a consistent season. The No. 6-2A Rams have not lost two in a row this year, and they had an impressive 10-game winning streak earlier in the season.


Hermantown vs. Grand Rapids

7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 15

Grand Rapids and Hermantown will play for the Lake Superior Conference title on Tuesday. Both teams are undefeated in the conference, coming off a win over No. 16-2A St. Thomas Academy and it will be their final game of the regular season.  

Hermantown has been a dominant force all season. It's only losses this season are 4-2 to No. 1-2A Cretin-Derham Hall on Dec. 23 and 6-3 to No. 4-2A Maple Grove on Jan. 29. While No. 1-1A Hermantown will be focused on a Class 1A state title, a conference title would add to what could be a special season. Max Plante has been a master at assisting his teammates. He is fifth in the state in assists with 42. Kade Kohanski leads the team with 17 goals.  

Grand Rapids has Class 2A title aspirations, no doubt, and a win over the No. 1- ranked team in Class 1A and a conference title would give them plenty of confidence at the right time. The No. 8-2A Thunderhawks have won four in a row. They defeated No. 9-2A Wayzata and No. 5-2A Andover during that stretch. Grand Rapids will have to break through Hermantown’s tough defense, one allowing only 1.5 goals per game this season. If anyone is going to do it, it's likely Joey DelGreco (24 goals, 41 assists).


Other games to keep an eye on

Greenway/Nash Kee vs. Rock Ridge, Thursday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m. This game could be an Iron Range Conference deciding game. Greenway/Nash Kee is 3-0 in conference play, and Rock Ridge is 3-1, so a Rock Ridge victory could give them the conference title. The two teams played to a 4-3 Greenway/Nash Kee victory on Nov. 27.

Maple Grove vs. Hill-Murray, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 7:15 p.m. Maple Grove, No. 4-2A, versus No. 3-2A Hill-Murray is a game between Class 2A state title hopefuls. Maple Grove might be one of the hottest teams in the state with recent wins over No. 1-1A Hermantown, No. 16-2A St. Thomas Academy, No. 18-2A Stillwater and No. 5-2A Andover.


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