Apply for the 2010 Center Ice Classic
We've received applications for the Geyer Signal Center Ice Classic Jan. 16-18, 2010, in St. Cloud, Minn. Complete your team's application today. Priority will be given to associations which send Pee Wee A and Bantam A teams. View the application (PDF).
Burnsville blitzes St. Cloud for Pee Wee title
Tyler Sheehy's five goals powered Burnsville’s Pee Wee A championship win at the Geyer Signal Center Ice Classic (CIC) Jan. 19 at Ritsche Arena, St. Cloud.
Burnsville beat St. Cloud 7-1 to bring its tournament record to 5-0. Sheehy, a center and team captain, finished with a tournament-best 20 points on 14 goals and six assists.
"He's this year's Hudson Fasching," said Coach Brandon Steege, a reference to the Apple Valley forward whose hat trick and overtime gamewinner sent Sheehy and his coach home on the short end of the 2008 CIC Pee Wee championship.
"This was kind of like revenge," Sheehy said.
"He's (Sheehy) so unselfish," Steege said. "He's the best passer on the team. I have to yell at him sometimes to get him to shoot."
The Blaze was a pass-perfect team. Of their 31 tournament goals, 12 were two-assist scores and 15 were one-assist scores.
"They gave great effort, every single one of them," Steege said. "Seventeen of 17."
Tanner Skaja scored the lone goal for St. Cloud, which finished 4-1 on the tournament. Austin Althaus recorded 12 saves in the loss. Read the RinkWriter® scoresheet. View the Pee Wee playoffs. Visit the Photo Gallery.
Efficient Eagan takes the Bantam title
Eagan coaches stood calmly with their backs against the Torrey Arena glass as players took shifts in their 7-0 Bantam A championship win over Hastings Jan. 19 at the Geyer Signal Center Ice Classic in St. Cloud.
No yelling. Little talking. Just a touch of teasing.
Coach Mitch Stevenson, standing in the locker room hallway after the game, smiled and said: "That's not how it was earlier in the season."
Clearly clicking on all cylinders and in mid-season form, Eagan scored seven even-strength goals in the win. Leading the way were Will Merchant (three goals and an assist) and Nick Kuchera (four assists). Kuchera finished with a tournament best 12 points, despite scoring just one goal.
Goalie Joe Wolff and a roster that lists no defensemen killed off five power plays.
Hastings, which finished 3-1-1, earned a top seed out of the tough Red Division, which included 11th-ranked Moorhead and District 10 power Elk River. Read the RinkWriter® scoresheet. View the Bantam playoffs. Visit the Photo Gallery.
Burnsville, Bemidji capture third-place plaques
Burnsville pounded Grand Forks with 50 shots on its way to a 5-1 win in the third-place game at Torrey Arena. The Blaze also killed off four powerplays in front of goalie Chris Mallon, who faced just 16 shots. View the RinkWriter® scoresheet.
Evan White stopped 33 shots and helped kill off three powerplays to lead Bemidji to a 5-3 victory over Inver Grove Heights. The third-place win Jan. 19 at Ritsche Arena lifted the Lumberjacks to a 3-1-1 record. Matt Larson recorded the gamewinner for Bemidji. View the RinkWriter® scoresheet.
Burnsville beats Bemidji in Pee Wee semi
Tyler Sheehy's four goals were the difference as Burnsville bested Bemidji 6-4 Jan. 18 at the National Hockey Center (NHC) in the Pee Wee semi-final game. The Blaze weathered a tough third period, going scoreless while giving up three goals on 10 Bemidji shots. Sam Bruestle notched a goal and two assists for the losing team. View the RinkWriter® scoresheet.
St. Cloud skates into Pee Wee final
St. Cloud earned its title berth with a 5-3 semi-final win over Inver Grove Heights Jan. 18 at NHC. Austin Poganski scored a hat trick. He also scored the gamewinner on a Riley Bates assist. Zach Fritz saved 20, including 12 quality chances. Fritz finished the tournament 47 of 50, a .940 save percentage, tops in the tournament. View the RinkWriter® scoresheet.
Hastings downs GF in big third period
Hastings rode a three-goal third period to a 5-3 Bantam semi-final win over Grand Forks Jan. 18 at NHC. Nate Flynn scored the gamewinner on a Zach Melick feed. Cole Claussen had two goals for Hastings. Roeder Camrud stopped 25 of 29 for Grand Forks. View the RinkWriter® scoresheet.
Hughes shuts out Burnsville in Bantam semi
Eagan's Bantam team earned its title berth behind Jason Hughes' shutout goaltending in a 5-0 win over Burnsville Jan. 18 at the NHC. Hughes recorded 21 saves, 10 of them quality chances. Will Merchant had two goals and an assist for the winners. View the RinkWriter® scoresheet.
