Note: Howie's Prep Hockey Blog is powered by Perrault Construction, the trusted roofing, siding and window company in Duluth.
Class 1A, No. 1-ranked Hermantown has exploded to another strong start in boys hockey, even though its 2-1-1 overall record might not leap off your computer screen. The Hawks opened the season 0-1-1 against two of the state’s best 2A teams, Cretin-Derham Hall (a 4-4 overtime tie in Hermantown) and Hill-Murray (a 7-2 road loss in the second game of a back-to-back). Last weekend, Hermantown blitzed a pair of elite 1A teams.
The Hawks blanked East Grand Forks 4-0 on Friday night at historic Hermantown Arena and stunned host Mahtomedi 5-2 on Saturday afternoon.
“We had a terrific weekend, starting with a big win at home against a feisty, hard-hitting EGF team,” said Hawks coach Patrick Andrews. “Once again I thought we played like a young team, taking some time to find our legs. Our first period was flat-out unacceptable. However, the boys seemed to get better as the game went on and our third period was the best period of hockey this season.
“Once again our scoring depth was pivotal in getting four goals from four different players. River Freeman continues to impress as a senior captain scoring two goals over the weekend including one on Friday night, with Cam Lukovsky and Kole Lendyzk picking up their first varsity goals. Caden Manion picked a goal on the power play and Bryce Francisco earned his first high school shutout. Besides the poor start, Friday was a great team win for our young group.”
Saturday was a typical hard-fought game between perennial 1A powers Mahtomedi and the Hawks.
“I was pleased with our effort and compete on Saturday, playing less than seventeen hours after a physical game on Friday night and then traveling two and half hours south to Stillwater to take on the Zyphers,” said Andrews. “The Zyphers jumped out first, a missed coverage in our own zone showed our young growing pains. However, we responded brilliantly with three of our own in the first, two by the sophomore line of Lendzyk / (Beau) Christy-(Alexander) Nicklin-(Noah) Thurston, with Thurston and Christy scoring their first varsity goals. The first period was a great example of what we are seeing with our young team – great efforts with periods of mental lapses which in high school can cost us. But overall, the ability and effort of this sophomore group is exciting.
“As always, the seniors drive us, and Charlie Marchand showed that on the power play with a great tip in front from a shot by Henry Peterson. We extended our lead in the second with a short-handed goal by Peterson off a tremendous effort by (Bradford) Skytta and Freeman in front, our second short-handed goal of the young season. River capped the game with an empty-netter.”
The biggest highlight of the weekend for Andrews was how the team could self-correct on Friday night after a poor start and continue that momentum through Saturday.
“We seemed to gain confidence and momentum as the weekend wore on,” Andrews said. “We got great goaltending from Bryce and our special teams were outstanding, going 2-for-5 (40%) on the power play and 8-for-8 (100%) on the penalty kill.”
Hermantown begins its first three-game week of the season starting Tuesday night at Duluth Marshall (3-1-0). The Hawks will then travel to Centennial (3-3-0) on Friday before hosting powerful 2A Maple Grove (2-3-0) Saturday (in a Mirage-Hawks doubleheader).
Minnesota 1A Rankings (Source: HowieHanson.com)
1. Hermantown (2-1-1)
2. Warroad (2-1-1)
3. Cloquet-Esko-Carlton (4-0-0)
4. Hibbing-Chisholm (5-2-0)
5. St. Cloud Cathedral (1-1-2)
6. East Grand Forks (2-5-0)
7. Delano (3-1-0)
8. Orono (4-2-0)
9. Monticello (3-0-0)
10. Northfield (5-0-1)
2024-25 Hermantown Hockey Schedule / Results
Cretin-Derham Hall, 4-4 OT. Overall: 0-0-1. Lake Superior Conference: 0-0-0. Home. 0-0-1. Away 0-0-0.
Hill-Murray, L 7-2. Overall: 0-1-1.LSC: 0-0-0. Home: 0-0-1. Away: 0-1-0
East Grand Forks, W 4-0. Overall: 1-1-1. LSC: 0-0-0. Home: 1-0-1. Away: 0-1-0
Mahtomedi, W 5-2. Overall: 2-1-1. LSC: 0-0-0. Home: 1-0-1. Road: 1-1-0
Tuesday – at Duluth Marshall (3-1), 7 p.m.
Friday – at Centennial (3-3-0), 7 p.m.
Saturday – Maple Grove (2-3-0), 5 p.m.
Dec. 17 – Duluth Denfeld, 7 p.m.
Dec. 20 – at Rosemount, 7 p.m.
Dec. 26 – Delano, 3 p.m.
Dec. 28 – at White Bear Lake, 3 p.m.
Jan. 2 – Rock Ridge, 7 p.m.
Jan. 4 – at Eden Prairie, 2 p.m.
Jan. 7 – Proctor, 7 p.m.
Jan. 9 – St. Cloud Cathedral, 7 p.m.
Jan. 11 – at Warroad, 3:15 p.m.
Jan. 17 – at Hibbing-Chisholm, 7 p.m.
Jan. 18 – Shakopee, 3 p.m.
Jan. 21 – at Superior, 7 p.m.
Jan. 24 – at St. Thomas Academy, 6 p.m.
Jan. 25 – Mahtomedi, 2 p.m.
Jan. 30 – Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 7 p.m.
Jan. 31 – Moorhead, 7 p.m.
Feb. 7 – Benilde-St. Margaret's, 7 p.m.
Feb. 11 – Grand Rapids, 7 p.m.
Home games listed in boldface.
