HERMANTOWN (24-1-1) VS. VIRGINIA/MIB (11-15)
What: Section 7A semifinal
When: 6 p.m.
Where: Amsoil Arena
Outlook: Hermantown’s only loss came the first time the Hawks took the ice this season - Dec. 2 at Wayzata. The next night they tied Lakeville South. And that’s it, the lone blemishes on an otherwise-pristine schedule. Top-seeded and defending state champ Hermantown’s winning streak reached 24 games Thursday via a 9-1 romp over Duluth Denfeld in the section quarterfinals. It encompasses a 6-0 shutout of Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl on Jan. 31, when Ryan Sandelin (29-37-66) was his normally productive self with two goals and two assists. The senior forward and Minnesota State-Mankato commit sets the tone for the Hawks. He and senior defenseman Dylan Samberg (10-19-29), a future Minnesota Duluth Bulldog, are Mr. Hockey finalists. Hermantown counts four players with at least 40 points, including senior Jesse Jacques (23-30-53), senior Matt Valure (22-23-45) and junior Tyler Watkins (17-23-40). Senior goalie and Frank Brimsek Award finalist Cade McEwen (24-1-1, 1.29, .939) has made the most of his first season as the full-time starter. … No. 4 VMIB played what coach Reed Larson called one of its best games all winter in the 6-0 loss to Hermantown. The key to hanging with the Hawks, Larson said last week, is convincing his players they have a chance. In the Blue Devils’ 6-2 win over Eveleth-Gilbert in the quarterfinals, junior forward Jake Seitz had at least a hat trick for the fifth time in seven games. During that stretch, he’s scored 17 goals. Seitz broke his collarbone in the season opener and didn’t return until Jan. 21 at Sauk Rapids-Rice. He has 19 goals and 11 assists in 13 games. With Seitz in the lineup, VMIB is 8-5; without him, the Blue Devils are 3-10. Sophomore Cade Moreland (13-26-39) leads VMIB in points.
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Quotable: “There were some hard times that we went through that I think, as a team, we don’t go through if we have a guy like Jake Seitz in our locker room.” - Larson
