JAKE’S TAKE: Marshall hoping for repeat success at Herb Brooks Holiday Classic
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MARSHALL -- The annual Herb Brooks Holiday Classic (formerly known as the Schwan Cup) has been bringing together some of the top hockey teams from across Minnesota and Wisconsin for a three-day tournament in Blaine for nearly two decades.
Both Marshall hockey teams will be making their return to the event this season as the boys will begin tournament play against Chisago Lakes today at 7:30 p.m., while the girls will play the first game of their tournament the following Monday against Waconia.
Here's a brief preview of the upcoming tournament for both Marshall teams:
Marshall boys
After earning a 4-3 win in the open division championship game over Southwest Christian/Richfield in last year's Herb Brooks Holiday Classic, the Tigers are back and hoping to defend their crown this year as they make the jump to the Silver division of competition.
The Tigers (8-3) are joined in the silver division bracket by single-A opponents Northfield (5-5), Minnehaha Academy (1-8), No. 10 Gentry Academy (8-2), Bloomington Kennedy (1-7), St. Paul Academy (5-4), Chisago Lakes (3-4) and Wisconsin's Eau Claire North (4-5-1).
Marshall's first opponent, Chisago Lakes, enters the tournament on a bit of a hot-streak with all three of its wins coming in the last four games. The Wildcats and Tigers have one shared opponent on their schedule in Pine City Area, a team Marshall beat 4-0 and Chisago Lakes lost to, 5-1.
The Tigers enter the matchup with a decided edge in special teams over the Wildcats which could loom large in the outcome of the game. Marshall boasts the state's best penalty killing percentage at 97%, while Chisago Lakes has struggled in that area with only a 53.6% success rate. Amazingly, Marshall's PK unit has not given up a power play goal since their first game of the season against Albert Lea. Since then, the Tigers have gone a perfect 34/34 on penalty kills.
If Marshall can make it past Chisago Lakes, they will take on the winner of St. Paul Academy and Eau Claire North on Friday.
Marshall girls
Much like the boys' team, the Marshall girls hockey team will also be making a jump up in competition level in the 2019 Herb Brooks Holiday Classic. The Tigers will be competing in the Bronze division this season after placing second in the Open division last year following an 8-0 loss to Chisago Lakes in the championship game.
The Tigers (7-5-1) are joined in the Bronze division by Waconia (3-9), River Lakes (6-5-1), Irondale (3-9), North Shore (4-8), Western Wisconsin Stars (3-4-1), St. Francis/North Branch (1-11) and Eveleth-Gilbert (5-6).
Marshall's first opponent in Waconia enters the tournament in the midst of an eight-game losing streak, while the Tigers have notched six-straight wins prior to the matchup. The two teams have four shared opponents on their schedule as the Wildcats, like the Tigers, have earned a win over Windom, but fell to Hutchinson, New Ulm, Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato.
The Wildcats have struggled to generate any sort of offensive production during their eight-game losing streak as they have only been able to score five goals during that span and have been outscored 49-5 overall. In addition to the goal-scoring woes, Waconia has been forced to juggle between three goaltenders with all three posting sub-.850 save percentages and above-3.5 goals against averages.
With junior goaltender Emma Klenken--who enters the tournament with a .928 save percentage to go along with a 2.94 goals against average--the Tigers hold a large advantage in goaltending which could prove to be the difference in the first-round matchup.
If the Tigers can make it past the Wildcats on Monday, they will be back on the ice on Tuesday to take on the winner of River Lakes and Irondale.