BLUE DIVISION
(All games at Graham IV)
APPLETON UNITED
Head coach: Mike Brolsma (3rd season, 45-12-5 overall)
Record: 9-0-0, ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin.
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Recent Festival history: This is United's first appearance.
Leading scorers: F Trenton Bliss 11-15—26; D Michael Alfaro 3-14—17; F Matthew Gruber 8-8—16; F Connor Zilisch 6-6—12; F Erik Bargholtz 9-2—11.
Goalies: Dylan Phinney 6-0-0, 1.33 GAA, .920 save pct., 2 shutouts; Marcus Alfaro 2-0-0, 2.00, .897.
Notes: United qualified for the Wisconsin state tournament last season. ... It has only allowed more than two goals in a game once this season, a 10-4 victory against Mosinee on Nov. 28. ... Appleton is located in eastern Wisconsin, approximately 30 miles south of Green Bay. ... Bliss is a University of Wisconsin commit.
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FARGO SOUTH BRUINS
Head coach: Wade Storey (5th season, 54-54-1 overall)
Record: 3-4-0
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Recent Festival history: Bruins finished third in Blue Division last year. South is a two-time Festival champion (2005, 2008).
Leading scorers: Sr. F Riley Giauque 8-10—18; Sr. F Patrick Traynor 5-9—14; Jr. F Luke Sandy 9-5—14; Jr. F Jacob Honl 1-2—3; Jr. F Sean Braun 2-1—3; Jr. D Mason Lantz 1-2—3; Jr. F Logan Macziewski 0-3—3.
Goalies: Jr. Benjamin Bryant 1-3-0, 5.45 GAA, .893 save pct.; Sr. Jack Olson 1-1-0, 4.71, .836.
Notes: South is 3-1-0 in its past four games after an 0-3-0 start. ... Giauque is tied for 11th in North Dakota with 13 points. ... South went 2-1-0 at last year's Festival, but finished third in the Blue Division, losing tie-breakers to Eau Claire Memorial and Verona.
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ROCHESTER LOURDES EAGLES
Head coach: Josh Spaniol (7th season, 100-77-8 overall)
Record: 2-6-0
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Recent Festival history: Lourdes placed fourth in the Blue Division last year. It has won the Festival five times (1998, '99, 2001, '05, '11).
Leading scorers: Jr. F Tucker Chapman 6-5—11; Jr. F Montana Streit 3-5—8; Jr. F Logan Olson 2-4—6; Sr. F Peter Alexander 1-5—6; Sr. F Mason Carstens 3-0—3.
Goalies: Jr. Adam Renn 1-4-0, 4.67 GAA, .861 save pct.; So. Ryan Smith 1-2-0, 6.94, .750.
Notes: Lourdes has won two of its past five games after an 0-3-0 start. ... The Eagles had two games postponed in mid-December because of a whooping cough outbreak at the school that caused more than a half-dozen players to miss practices and school. ... Lourdes' last three losses came against teams ranked in the Class A state poll.
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VERONA WILDCATS
Head coach: Joel Marshall (9th season)
Record: 7-3-1
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Recent Festival history: The Wildcats are three-time defending Festival champions
Leading scorers: Jr. F Jack Anderson 12-4—16; Sr. F Zack Ritter 4-10—14; Fr. F Mason McCormick 8-5—13; Jr. F Jake Keyes 7-5—12; So. F Graham Sticha 3-7—10.
Goalie: Sr. Alex Jones 4-1-1, 1.30 GAA, .934 save pct., 2 SO; Sr. Nathan Cleghorn 3-2-0, 2.60, .917.
Notes: McCormick had an eight-point game (4-4—8) in an 11-2 win vs. Beloit on Dec. 22. ... Verona is located in south-central Wisconsin, approximately 10 miles south of Madison. ... Verona has reached the Wisconsin state tournament four times under Marshall (2009, '12, '13, '14) and won the state championship in 2014. ... The Wildcats are 7-1-0 in their past eight after an 0-2-1 start.
GOLD DIVISION
(All games at Graham Arena I)
CHANHASSEN STORM
Head coach: Chris Wilson (7th season)
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Record:5-4-1
Recent Festival history:This is the Storm's first appearance at the Festival.
Leading scorers:Sr. F Jake Theis 10-6—16; Jr. F Eric Worre 4-9—13; Sr. F Zach Buesgens 2-7—9; Jr. F Colin Moser 3-5—8; So. F TJ Truso 4-4—8.
Goalie:Sr. Taylor Thompson 4-3-1, 2.63 GAA, .903 save pct.; So. Zach Swisher 1-1-0, 3.50, .844.
Notes:Theis (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) has at least one point in all but one game this season. ... He had a hat trick in a 6-2 victory against Orono on Dec. 12. ... Chanhassen is approximately 20 miles southwest of Minneapolis, and five miles west of Eden Prairie. ... The Storm tied Rochester Century, another Festival entrant, 1-1 on Dec. 19.
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DODGE CO. WILDCATS
Head coach: Chris Ernest (1st season, 2-8-0 overall)
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Record: 2-8-0
Recent Festival history: The Wildcats placed seventh last year, beating Ashwaubenon (Wis.) in the seventh-place game.
Leading scorers: Sr. D Max Blaisdell 5-6—11; Sr. D Ethan Strunk 3-4—7; Sr. F Drew Kirmse 4-3—7; Sr. D Lucas Mueler 3-3—6; Sr. F Isaac Thoe 5-1—6.
Goalies: Fr. Cole Kundert 2-6-0, 4.60 GAA, .890 save pct.; Jr. Nickolay Scanlan 0-2-0, 7.84, .765.
Notes: Kundert has played well recently, making 38 or more saves in three games. ... He has backstopped the Wildcats to their two victories. ... The Dodge County co-op is made up of seven schools in southeastern Minnesota — Kasson-Mantorville, Byron, Triton, Hayfield, Zumbrota-Mazeppa, Pine Island and Blooming Prairie.
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NEW RICHMOND TIGERS
Head coach: Adam Swanda
Record: 5-3-0
Recent Festival history: The Tigers finished second last season, falling to Rochester Mayo in the final. N.R. won the Festival in 2003.
Leading scorers: Sr. F Brady Maus 3-7—10; So. F Dylan Marty 7-2—9; Jr. F Stuart Pearson 5-3—8; Sr. F Hunter Charland 4-4—8; So. F Blake Kretovics 2-4—6; So. F Nick Johnson 2-4—6.
Goalies: Sr. David Mayry 3-1-0, 1.35 GAA, .939 save pct., 2 SO; So. Jake Erickson 1-2-0, 3.00, .837.
Notes: New Richmond is in west-central Wisconsin, approximately 40 miles northeast of St. Paul. ... The Tigers were ranked No. 9 in Wisconsin after a 3-1-0 start. They're 5-3-0 entering the Festival. ... Maus has four points in the past four games. ... Mayry has allowed a total of six goals in four appearances.
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NORTHLAND PINES EAGLES
Head coach: Charlie DePuydt
Record: 4-2-0
Recent Festival history: Pines finished fourth last year, when it faced all three Rochester teams in the Gold Division bracket. The Eagles won the Festival in 2013.
Leading scorers: F Colton Raymond 7-4—11; F Ryon Ritzer 4-1—5; D Connor Cox 0-5—5; F Jack Rhode 3-2—5; F Nick Dean 1-4—5; F Noah Wittkopf 2-3—5.
Goalie: Ethan Polich 4-2-0, 2.00 GAA, .910 save pct., 2 SO.
Notes:Northland Pines is located in Eagle River, Wis., just south of the border between Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. ... Pines averages 3.8 goals per game and allows 2.0. ... The Eagles play Century in the opening round for a second consecutive year. Last year, N.P. and Century tied 2-2, but Pines won a shootout to advance into the semifinals.
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PARK WOLFPACK
Head coach: Jay Moser (9th season)
Record: 1-8-1
Recent Festival history: The Wolfpack placed sixth last year, falling just 4-3 to Rochester Century in the fifth-place game. They won the consolation title in 2013.
Leading scorers: Sr. D Jason Miner 1-6—7; Sr. F Nick Lucas 3-2—5; Sr. F Sam Barnes 4-1—5; Jr. F Jack Valento 4-1—5.
Goalie: Sr. Dylan Coulter 1-8-1, 3.30 GAA, .830 save pct.
Notes: The Wolfpack have scored more than two goals in just two of their 10 games this season. ... They average 1.8 goals per game allow an average of 3.3 goals per game. ... Park High School is located in Cottage Grove. ... Barnes and Valento have combined for 44 percent of Park's goals.
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ROCHESTER CENTURY PANTHERS
Head coach: Josh Klingfus (5th season, 57-51-8 overall)
Record: 4-5-1
Recent Festival history: The Panthers placed fifth at the Festival last season without losing a game (they lost in a shootout after a 2-2 tie in the quarterfinals). They have won it three times (2004, '06, '11).
Leading scorers: Jr. D Will Zmolek 4-6—10; Jr. F Eric St. Marie 5-3—8; So. F Ben Haas 1-5—6; So. F Nick Aney 4-2—6; Jr. D John Schmitz 2-3—5.
Goalies: So. Cole Walter 4-3-1, 2.50 GAA, .902 save pct., 2 SO; So. Jackson Killinger 0-2-0, 4.00, .889.
Notes: Century is 3-1-1 in its past five games after a 1-4-0 start. ... The Panthers have 20 sophomores and six freshmen in their program. ... The team's sophomores have accounted for 60 percent of Century's points. ... Walter posted back-to-back shutouts on Dec. 12 and 17 against Austin and Winona, then stopped 45 shots in a 1-1 tie against Chanhassen on Dec. 19.
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ROCHESTER JM ROCKETS
Head coach: Jay Ness (5th season, 54-55-4)
Record: 7-2-0
Recent Festival history: JM placed third in the Festival last year, beating Northland Pines 5-2 in the third-place game. JM has won the Festival once, in 1997.
Leading scorers: Sr. F Isaac Lamppa 13-6—19; Sr. F Brady Dahl 7-10—17; Sr. D Josh Frerks 4-10—14; Sr. F Conner Lee 2-8—10; So. F Xander Lamppa 4-5—9.
Goalie: Sr. Brady Meyers 7-2-0, 1.71 GAA, .932 save pct., 2 SO.
Notes: Meyers is tied for sixth in the state in victories (7), 12th in goals-against average (1.71) and eighth in save percentage (.932). He has allowed a total of 15 goals in nine games. ... Isaac Lamppa has recorded at least a point in every game this season and has seven multiple-point games. ... JM has 15 seniors on its varsity roster; they have accounted for 99 of the Rockets' 113 points (87.6 percent).
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ROCHESTER MAYO SPARTANS
Head coach: Lorne Grosso (49th season, 699-439-28 overall)
Record: 6-4-0
Recent Festival history: Mayo is the defending Festival champion. It has won four times, 1995, '96, '98 and 2014.
Leading scorers: Jr. F Anthony Oliveto 8-15—23; Sr. F Veikko Weckman 11-10—21; Sr. F Max Billings 10-4—14; Sr. D Nick Norby 6-8—14; So. D Jordan Dingle 1-4—5.
Goalie: So. Liam Claton 5-2-0, 2.72 GAA, .898 save pct.
Notes: Mayo's next victory will be career win No. 700 for Grosso, the winningest high school hockey coach in Minnesota history and second-winningest in the United States. ... Weckman is a foreign exchange student from Finland. ... Mayo's top line of Billings, Weckman and Oliveto has combined for 29 goals and 58 points, or 63 percent of the Spartans' offense.
