Thursday nights Silver Division top game to watch at the Herb Brooks Holiday Classic ended in a 5-1 victory for St. Paul Academy. Eau Claire North is one of three out of state teams in the tournament this year and they had a tough time keeping SPA from thriving. Both teams have athletes who hustle and help contribute to the team effort. St. Paul Academy plays Marshall at 7:30 on Super Rink #1 and Eau Claire North plays Chisago Lakes at 2:30 on Super Rink #1, today.
St. Paul Academy: SPA is a well-rounded hockey team, they communicate well and efficient teamwork is evident. They are 6-4 on the season so far with a few hard losses to Mahtomedi, Breck, and Gentry Academy. St. Paul Academy faces a tough schedule but they should be able to find further success if they continue to work together well.
- #27- John Becker: Junior Forward. John had the first goal of the contest coming at 4:14 in the first period. He is a shifty skater who is able to escape pressure easily. He utilizes his size and speed to pressure opposing players and he was able to put it in the net early. John has 3 goals and 6 assists on the season and will continue to help SPA to victory in this tournament.
- #20- Jake Hosszu: Senior Defender. Jake lead his team last night as he was all over the ice playing lockdown defense as well as skating the puck up when he found a chance. He is an excellent passer and his level of ice awareness helped him stand out as a star. Jake extrudes confidence and is a leader on the ice.
- #9- George Peltier: Freshman Forward. George is an impressive young player, he is quick, smart, and a team player. His qualities make him stand out as a rising star in the high school hockey world. He has 3 goals and 1 assist on the season and will help lead his team the rest of the season.
Eau Claire North: ECN struggled to keep St. Paul Academy in check throughout the entire game. They have some athletes who hustle hard, however, they lacked the team unity they needed in order to change last night’s outcome. The Huskies are 4-6-1 on the season and they also face a tough schedule. Eau Claire North faces off with Chisago Lakes today which will be another tough matchup.
- #7- Jaxon Vance: Senior Defender. Jaxon commanded his linemates last night and tried to lead his team to redemption. He communicates well with his teammates and made a few big plays to help set up his wings. Jaxon plays hard from the beginning to the end and is someone his teammates should look to lead them the rest of the season.
- #22- Caden Sutter: Sophomore Forward. Caden is a hard-nosed physical hockey player, he works the body well and made some big clean checks last night. He is young and is learning how to utilize his growing frame and is doing a good job. Caden is strong on his skates and is an agile skate. He has a chance to be a very good high school hockey player in the coming years. Look to Caden Sutter to make some big plays in the next couple of days.