Boys Hockey 2025: Stillwater's multi-faceted attack too much for Andover
Posted: Thursday, March 6, 2025 - 2:13 PM
Andover was the latest Minnesota State High School League Boys Hockey team this season that pondered this important question when preparing to play Stillwater.
Whom do you choose to defend?
While Stillwater may not boast any superstars on its senior-laden roster, the Ponies have the kind of attack that features their top two lines where all six skating forwards have at least 44 points. That can be a handful, and not knowing on who to focus defensive efforts, is giving opponents fits.
All six of them, again, played a starring role as No. 2 Stillwater continued to roll through the season, this time with a 5-0 victory over No. 7 Andover in the Class AA quarterfinals on Thursday, March 6 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Senior forward Brody Dustin scored the only goal the Ponies (23-6-0) would ultimately need as the Ponies cruised to their 11th consecutive victory. Stillwater is making its third state tournament appearance all-time and first since 2016.
Senior forward Matthew Volkman, sophomore forward Luca Jarvis, senior forward Lucas Meyers and senior forward Trey Fredenberg also chipped in with goals to propel the Ponies into the Class AA semifinals on Friday against the winner of the second quarterfinal between No. 3 St. Thomas Academy and No. 6 Shakopee. The Ponies defeated St. Thomas Academy 4-2 on Jan. 28 in a non-conference game to start this current winning streak.
Brody, who leads the Ponies with 58 points on 31 goals and 27 assists is followed closely by senior forward Blake Vanek, who assisted the opening goal. Vanek, the son of former Gophers and NHL standout, Thomas Vanek, has 23 goals and 33 assists.
Andover (15-14-0), which began the season 0-9, mustered 23 shots on offense and was 0 of 3 on the power play.
