SHERMAN / From page 3 Key Games / From page 15
sailor . com Lake Conference Hockey • Thursday , December 12 , 2024 Page 23
SHERMAN / From page 3 Key Games / From page 15
in the archives last week . 10 a . m . Robbinsdale vs . Hopkins
Lindbergh . Noon St . Louis Park vs . Edina-West . 2 p . m . Wayzata vs . Mound . 4 p . m . Hopkins Eisenhower vs . Armstrong . 6 p . m . Richfield vs . Edina-East . 8 p . m . Bloomington Jefferson vs .
Bloomington Kennedy .
2024-25 FORMAT
After Braemar Arena was built in the mid-1960s , arenas were constructed in every Lake Conference community . These included the Ice Garden in Bloomington , the Wayzata High rink , Minnetonka Ice Arena . New Hope Arena and St . Louis Park Rec Center .
Before long , all practices were indoors with Zambonis clearing the ice after each session .
Gone were the days of one central location for Lake Conference games .
Thursday and Saturday became the common playing nights . Sometimes , matinees were offered for Saturday games .
One thing that has not changed over the years is the high quality of Lake Conference boys hockey . Since girls hockey became a Minnesota State High School League sport , Lake success continued with three state titles for Minnetonka under coach Eric Johnson and five for Edina under coach Sami Cowger . The Eden Prairie girls also have won state .
Boys coaches from the Lake Conference who have multiple state titles on their resumes include Tom Saterdalen of Bloomington Jefferson , Willard Ikola and Curt Giles of Edina and Sean Goldsworthy of Minnetonka .
When I first began watching Lake Conference hockey , ticket prices were 25 cents for kids , 50 cents for adults . Prices are higher now due to inflation , but I think you ’ ll find that high school hockey is one of the best bargains for sports fans of all ages . pionship last year with a 26-4-1 record . Minnetonka lost only one game last season - 2-1 to Chanhassen in the Section 2AA title game .
Tuesday , Jan . 28 : Wayzata goes after a girls hockey upset in hosting the Minnetonka Skippers at Plymouth Ice Center . The Trojans pin their hopes on senior goalie and captain Malin Erickson to control the high-scoring Tracy Cassano-coached Minnetonka squad .
Saturday , Feb . 1 : The final month of the Lake Conference girls hockey season begins with a battle between Section 2AA rivals Minnetonka and Eden Prairie at 3 p . m . at Eden Prairie Community Center . The Skippers bring a senior-dominated team to the rink to face coach Steve Persian ’ s Eagles .
Tuesday , Feb . 4 : The rivalry is intensifying between the Wayzata girls and its rival in the north metro suburbs , North Wright County . This is an important game as both teams fight for playoff seeds .
Saturday , Feb . 8 : Edina and Wayzata play for the second time through the Lake Conference boys schedule in an 8 p . m . game at
( SUN PHOTO BY JOHN SHERMAN )
Minnetonka High girls hockey coach Tracy Cassano celebrates a goal during the State Class AA Tournament .
Edina ’ s Braemar Arena . The winner could be the top seed for the Section 6AA Tournament .
Saturday , Feb . 15 : The final game of the Lake boys regular season between Edina and Eden Prairie is certain to fill the stands at Eden Prairie Community Center as both teams fight for high seeds in section play .