How and what to watch at the 2024 Minnesota boys high school hockey tournament
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The 2015 Class AA championship game at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center. Photo: Brendenjared/Wikimedia Commons
Minnesota's boys high school hockey championship will draw thousands of fans to St. Paul over the next few days.
Why it matters: In Texas, it's football. In Indiana, it's hoops. But no other state loves high school hockey like Minnesota.
- Minnesota's home to more youth hockey players — and more youth hockey hair — than any other U.S. state.
What's next: Smaller-school Class A quarterfinals start Wednesday. The large-school Class AA tournament starts Thursday.
- The finals in both classes are scheduled for Saturday.
How to watch: 45TV will televise and stream the games. Here's the schedule.
Class AA
(No. 1) 🐝 Edina vs. 🦌 Elk River/Zimmerman
- Mr. Hockey finalist Jackson Nevers — who's committed to play for the U next year — is the team's top point-getter heading into the tourney.
- Elk River rides into the tournament on an eight-game win streak.
(No. 2) ⛈️ Chanhassen vs. 🐆 Rochester Century/John Marshall
- Chanhassen knocked off undefeated Minnetonka in the section title game to win the Storm's first trip to the tournament in program history.
- It's the first year Rochester's Century and John Marshall high schools have combined their boys hockey programs.
(No. 3) 🐆 Centennial vs. ⭐️ Cretin-Derham Hall
- Centennial can score. The Cougars come into the tournament averaging 4.85 goals per game, per MN Hockey Hub, led by leading goal-scorer Heath Nelson.
- Cretin lost three of their final four regular-season games but rallied in the sections to knock off longtime rival St. Thomas Academy for a spot in the tournament.
(No. 4) 🐻❄️ White Bear Lake vs. (No. 5) 🦅 Grand Rapids
- Despite a rich history of tournament appearances, White Bear Lake is looking to avoid yet another first-round exit. The Bears did beat Grand Rapids on the road earlier in the season, though.
- Grand Rapids is the only top seed in any section tournament to advance to state this year. The Thunderhawks' leading point-getters are brothers: Jackson and Jacob Garski.
Class A
(No. 1) 🦅 Hermantown vs. 🔴 Alexandria
- Hermantown is a "juggernaut" that won the 2022 title and has lost to only one other Class A opponent this year.
- Alexandria — anchored by senior goaltender Brady Metcalf — shut down opposing scorers as the Cardinals tore up their section tournament, winning the three games 24-1.
(No. 2) ⍵ Warroad vs. 🦅 New Ulm
- Warroad — last year's runner-up — was the only Class A school to defeat top-seeded Hermantown during the regular season this year.
- New Ulm is looking for their program's first win in the state tournament — but the Eagles have also only lost one game since mid-January.
(No. 3) ⚔️ St. Cloud Cathedral vs. 🤠 Northfield
- Northfield's Kam Keiser netted 36 goals this season. Only New Ulm's Austin Uecker (38) scored more.
- Cathedral's John Hirschfield leads the state in assists (51), and teammate Andrew Dwinnell tied for third in that statistic (41).
(No. 4) 💨 Mahtomedi vs. (No. 5) 🅾️ Orono
- Defending champs Mahtomedi were 4-7 at the end of December. Now, the Zephyrs are entering the tournament on a 13-4 tear.
- Orono's two leading scorers are sophomores: Jackson Knight (20 goals) and Rory Kvern (15).