Minnesota Boys' High School Hockey Tournament 2012: Class A Quarterfinals - Session 1 Gamethread

Game 1

Little Falls Flyers vs. St. Thomas Academy Cadets

Start Time - 11:00 AM

The big key for each team is the same: get pucks to the net. The Cadets won't score a whole lot, so they need to get into the habit of getting pucks to the net in order to be successful in the State Tournament. They've struggled to score against top-tier programs all season, so pucks to the net is key for a defensive-first Cadets team.

Likewise, the Flyers have to get pucks to the net against a Cadets squad that plays good defense. Little Falls will also have to create traffic and score garbage goals if they want to beat goalie David Zevnik. The Flyers need to play well in the neutral zone. The Cadets may not be as stacked offensively as years past, but they can still score goals. Playing the Cadets tough in the neutral zone should help Little Falls counter the speed of St. Thomas Academy.

Game 2

Duluth Marshall Hilltoppers vs. The Breck School Mustangs

Start Time - 1:00 PM

The Hilltoppers have to be physical the entire game. From puck drop to final buzzer, Duluth Marshall is going to have to be tough against a high-octane Mustangs squad. The Hilltoppers don't have the horses to play a run-and-gun style of hockey with Breck, so tough physical play, good neutral zone defense, and being smart with the puck are the keys for Duluth Marshall if they want to move on to the Semifinals.

For Breck, the focus has to be on shutting down Judd Peterson. The goaltending and defense have question marks, so keeping the star for Duluth Marshall off the board is going to be key. The Mustangs are going to want to force the depth players from the Hilltoppers to beat them. Peterson has averaged about 3 points a game this year on a team that averages about 4 or 5 goals a game, so if Judd is shut down, then the Mustangs should find themselves moving on in the Tournament.

Class A bracket found here.

Coverage for the Tournament:

Live Steam from 45 Preps found HERE.
TV Coverage on Channel 45 locally.