HIBBING-CHISHOLM (18-8) VS. GREENWAY (17-7-1)
What: Section 7A semifinal
When: Approximately 8 p.m.
Where: Amsoil Arena
Outlook: These teams met twice in a span of nine days in December, with the Raiders claiming the rematch 3-2 to break a 21-game losing streak against the Bluejackets, which dated to December 2003. Hibbing-Chisholm, the No. 2 seed, is ranked ninth. The Bluejackets have won eight of nine. Five players have at least 20 points, led by junior forward Jarrett Lee (23-28-51) and senior forward Zach DeBoom (15-30-45). Hibbing-Chisholm reached the section final a year ago, when Minnesota Duluth commit Scott Perunovich was quarterbacking the attack and Ryan Ullan was in net. Perunovich opted to forego his senior season in favor of the United States Hockey League, while Ullan is with the U.S. National Team Development Program. First-year Bluejackets coach Justin Tomberlin was a three-sport star at Greenway. After graduating from the school in 1989, he played hockey and baseball at the University of Maine and was drafted by both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota Twins. … The third-seeded Raiders come in on a five-game winning streak. On back-to-back days earlier this month, they knocked off No. 13 St. Paul Johnson 5-2 and No. 4 St. Paul Academy 6-3. Senior forward Taylor Lantz (28-36-64) spearheads the offense, while sophomore forward Casadonte Lawson (21-14-35) came on strong the second half of the season. He’s the son of former Greenway coach Jim “Bird” Lawson. Senior forward Grant Troumbly (7-15-22), who tallied 57 points as a junior, returned to the lineup in early February after missing half the season with a broken fibula.
