Boys Hockey State Tournament: 2024 Advance Release

For the 80^th time in its rich history, the Minnesota State High School League’s Boys Hockey State Tournament takes center ice this week with 16 teams playing for championships in two enrollment classifications at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul. The event, still regarded as the premier high school state tournament in the country, begins on Wednesday, March 6 and concludes with Championship Saturday on March 9. All quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games will be televised live on 45TV, the League’s longtime broadcast partner.

Here is a look at the two classes that will play for championships this week:

Wednesday, March 6

Class A quarterfinals

• New Ulm (23-5-0) vs. No 2 Warroad (23-5-0), 11 a.m.
• Northfield (22-4-2) vs. No. 3 St. Cloud Cathedral (23-4-1), 1 p.m.
• Alexandria (19-9-1) vs. No 1 Hermantown (18-8-2), 6 p.m.
• No. 5 Orono (20-8-0) vs. No. 4 Mahtomedi (17-11-0), 8 p.m.

Spotlight

New Ulm is on an 11-1 run since mid-January. The Eagles score 5.7 goals per game and are paced by senior Austin Uecker, who has 38 goals and 41 assists. Warroad was the top seed in 2023 and finished runner-up to Mahtomedi. The Warriors needed two overtimes to get past East Grand Forks in Section 8A to make a return trip. First-line center Carson Pilgrim has 29 goals and 34 assists. Northfield won the Big 9 Conference en route to a second consecutive state tournament appearance. Senior Jake Geiger has 26 goals and 38 assists. St.  Cloud Cathedral finished third in the Class A field in 2023 and that’s where the Crusaders are seeded a year later. John Hirschfeld, a playmaking junior, has 24 goals and 51 assists. Alexandria was third in the Central Lakes Conference, but blazed a path to the state tournament by winning the Section 6A crown, outscoring three opponents, 24-1. Hermantown is no stranger to the top-seed position. Of Hermantown’s eight losses, only one is to a Class A school, and that is Warroad. The Hawks are a four-time Class A champion. Orono placed fourth a season ago and is the No. 5 seed here. Sophomore wing Jason Knight leads a balanced attack with 20 goals and 22 assists. Mahtomedi starts its title defense on an eight-game winning streak. Senior wing Jake Hood-Chlebeck has 25 goals and 22 assists for the Zephyrs, who are making their 15^th state tournament trip.

Thursday, March 7

Class AA quarterfinals

• Rochester Century/John Marshall (22-4-2) vs. No. 2 Chanhassen (23-5-0), 11 a.m.
• Cretin-Derham Hall (17-10-1) vs. No. 3 Centennial (19-7-2), 1 p.m.
• Elk River/Zimmerman (18-9-1) vs. No. 1 Edina (23-4-1), 6 p.m.
• No. 5 Grand Rapids (17-11-0) vs. No. 4 White Bear Lake (20-7-1), 8 p.m.

Spotlight

The co-op of Rochester Century/John Marshall is 19-1-2 when scoring first. The Panthers are paced by senior center Aiden Emerich, who has 23 goals and 30 assists. Chanhassen is a state tournament rookie on a magical run. The Storm, champions of the Metro West Conference, defeated top-ranked and defending Class AA champion, Minnetonka, in the Section 2AA championship game. Minnesota State recruit Jack Christ has 22 goals and 33 assists. Cretin-Derham Hall upended longtime rival, St. Thomas Academy, to earn a sixth state tournament trip. Air Force recruit Chuck Owens has a team-best 34 points. Centennial is a very potent No. 3 seed. The Cougars average nearly five goals per game and are 15-1-0 when scoring first. Senior Harper Searles has 23 goals and 40 assists. Elk River/Zimmerman is on an eight-game winning streak entering the state tournament for the seventh time. Senior Kole Mears sparks the Elks with 20 goals and 17 assists. Edina is no stranger to the state tournament with this its 37^th trip. In that span, the Hornets have captured 13 state crowns, the last in 2019. Gophers recruit Jackson Nevers has 17 goals and 33 assists. Grand Rapids is a four-time state champion, the last coming in 2017. Sophomore Nathan Garski leads a balanced attack with 17 goals and 19 assists. White Bear Lake, making its 19^th state tournament appearance, opens as the No. 4 seed following a shutout victory over its longtime rival, Hill-Murray, in the Section 4AA tournament. The Bears are 19-1-0 when leading after two periods. St. Cloud State recruit Nolan Roed powers the Bears with 33 goals and 24 assists.