First off, I want to apologize for my absence over the last couple weeks. I just got finished with final exams last week, and lately all I’ve wanted to do lately is sleep. Although, I recently got promoted to Minnesota Wild Community Leader (cheap plug), so you’ll be seeing a lot more of me.

Enough being humble, let's talk some high school hockey.

These six games I saw over the weekend were the first high school games I’ve been to where I haven’t been standing in the student section. I mean to tell you, you see a lot more of the game when you’re standing at the top of the arena looking down rather than hanging over the boards shouting obscenities.

The perspective was a lot different, and I think it helped a lot not having that much of a vested interest in any of the games. I can’t stress how different it was—I mean, last year when I was a senior at Edina, I tended to believe we were the end all and be all of hockey.

It was nice to look at our boys (being Edina) with an objective eye and being able to pick out flaws in Edina’s game.

Enough talk—to the first opening round game. The first game on Thursday pitched Elk River against No. 9 Eden Prairie. I got to Breamar Arena during the second intermission because I had to drive back from St. Thomas, but stay with me.

Ben Jaremko got the scoring started for Elk River with a short-handed goal with an assist to his brother Ryan Jaremko. Eden Prairie evened the score with a Taylor Wolfe goal, his third of the season.

Wolfe opened the scoring in the second as well, but Chad Hennum answered for Eden Prairie midway through the period with his seventh point in four games.

The game stayed tied at two into the third period when Kyle Rau tallied for EP to give them the lead not even five minutes in, and they would not give it back. Kyle’s brother Curt Rau tallied an empty net goal at 15:51 (yes, you read that right) to put the icing on the proverbial cake.

Interesting note coming out of this game—actually all three games Eden Prairie played. Kyle Rau’s tallied at least a point in all of the five games he’s played this season: he’s recorded two points against Lakeville North, Elk River, and Grand Rapids, and a point apiece against Chaska and Edina. And here’s the kicker—He’s only a Sophomore—but then, its early.    

The second game Thursday saw No. 2 Edina take on Grand Rapids. Before I start, I should mention that Grand Rapids may have the ugliest away jerseys ever.

They’re those tight fitting Nike jerseys that Team USA wore in the Olympics, except they are all orange. They have an orange stripe on their breezers and orange socks. I mean to tell, you they are some of the ugliest jerseys I have ever seen.   

That is not to say the Edina jerseys were pretty either—because they weren’t. White jerseys, with about 500 million green stripes on them, green breezers, and “hornets” written very crudely in cursive on the front of their jerseys. Thank god they’re only wearing those twice this season: that Thursday and Saturday.

Now that we’re done with the fashion show, let's talk hockey. 

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