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Grand Rapids Hockey Offseason News

-Sam Rendle, Tony Palkki, and John Skrbec have been named captains for the 2008-2009 season.

-J.R. Mackey has been awarded the 2007-2008 Grand Rapids Hobey Baker Award.

-Corey Kosak was named Player's Choice team MVP for the 2007-2008 season.

-Sam Sparen was named Player's Choice team Most Determined Player for the 2007-2008 season.

-Pat Rendle has been named Grand Rapids High School Athletic Director as Wayne Pender is set to resign at the end of the school year.

Grand Rapids vs. Anoka - Section Semi-Finals
Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center, Duluth, MN-12:00 p.m.
2/23/2008

Game Preview:
The Grand Rapids Thunderhawks will meet the Anoka Tornadoes for the right to play in the section 7AA finals. Grand Rapids is looking to defend to their back to back section 7AA titles. The last time these two teams met in the playoffs was in the 1990 state semi-finals. Grand Rapids was able to escape with a 3-2 overtime victory. Eighteen years later the two teams are playing to advance to the 7AA title game to face the winner of Duluth East and Cloquet which will be played at 10:00 a.m. Saturday. The Grand Rapids vs. Anoka game will immediately follow that game. Grand Rapids was led by their first line in their only playoff game. Senior forward and captain Sam Sparen had a goal and three assists to lead the way for the Thunderhawks. Robb Roy another senior forward and captain had a goal and two assists. John Skrbec, a sophomore forward, also have a goal and two assists. The only point the Thunderhawks accumulated from someone not on that line was a goal by Sam Rendle. A.J. Underwood played in goal for Grand Rapids back on January 26th. Underwood stopped 13/15 in the first meeting with Anoka. The Tornadoes snuck by Andover in the section 7AA quarterfinals, 2-1. Cory Belisle scored late in the game to break a 1-1 tie and propel Anoka to the win. J.D. Wells is the man between the pipes for Anoka. He made 35 saves on 35 shots when Anoka travelled to Grand Rapids less than a month ago. The matchup of top lines and goaltenders in this game is very high quality and very even. Look for depth to be the difference maker in this game. Grand Rapids has been bit by the injury bug at the defensive position and will need players to grit it out and play hurt and young guys will have to step up and take charge. Tickets go on sale at 9:00 a.m. at the DECC Box Office.

Last meeting: Anoka 3, Grand Rapids 0 (1/26/2008) Game summary

Notes: Sam Sparen leads the team in playoff points with four. Robb Roy and John Skrbec each have three playoff points and Sam Rendle has a single playoff point. A.J. Underwood is 1-0 in this post season with a 2.00 GAA and a .938 save %. Playoff stats

Special Teams: The Grand Rapids power play is 2/5 (40%) so far this post season. Sam Sparen and Robb Roy have the power play goals. The Grand Rapids penalty kill is 2/3 (67%) in one playoff game this year.

Line Score: Goals (top), Shots (bottom)

Box Score:

1st Period- 1. A, Austin Olstad (Berkley Scott, Tony Rush) 6:32

2nd Period-2. A, Nick Svedin (Cory Belisle) 15:57

3rd Period-3. A, Jesse Campbell (Brandon Derks) 2:50; 4. A, Nick Svedin (John O'Neill) 9:14; 5. A, Brandon Derks (Jeff Lesmeister, Tim Setterberg) 10:29; 6. A, Berkley Scott (Austin Olstad, Jeff Lesmeister) 11:40

Saves-Trevor Tabaka (GR) 27, J.D. Wells (A) 24

Three Stars:
3. Austin Olstad (A)
2. Berkley Scott (A)
1. Nick Svedin (A)

Game Summary:
Official start time: 12:35 p.m.
Official end time: 2:15 p.m.
Official game time: 1 hour and 40 minutes 

The Anoka Tornadoes blew the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks out of the playoffs with a 6-0 section semi-final win at the DECC. The Tornadoes advanced to play Cloquet in the section final game. Grand Rapids was without their third leading scorer and top scoring defenseman, Sam Rendle, for this game. Rendle dislocated his shoulder in Grand Rapids' 4-2 win over Forest Lake in the section quarterfinals. He will be having surgery later this week. Austin Olstad scored the first goal of the game 6:32 into the first period. Berkley Scott and Tony Rush assisted on the goal. Late in the second period, a period that Grand Rapids controlled play in, Nick Svedin scored his first goal of the year to extend the lead to 2-0. The floodgates opened in the third period as Jesse Campbell, Nick Svedin, Brandon Derks, and Berkley Scott all scored to help Anoka cruise to the 6-0 lead. This marks only the second time in the last six years that Grand Rapids has not advance to the section final.

Photos are now up.

Photo of the game:

Courtesy of Shannon Merritt

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