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2008-2009 Preseason Rankings
Courtesy of Let's Play Hockey
11/26/2008

Class AA

1. Edina
2. Hill-Murray
3. Duluth East
4. Centennial
5. Bloomington Jefferson
6. Roseau
7. Minnetonka
8. White Bear Lake
9. Eden Prairie
10. Blaine
11. Moorhead
12. Academy of Holy Angels
13. Benilde-St. Margaret's
14. Hopkins
15. Burnsville
16. Woodbury
17. Cretin-Derham Hall
18. Eastview
19. Wayzata
20. Grand Rapids

2008-2009 Preseason Rankings
Courtesy of Let's Play Hockey
11/26/2008
Class A

1. St. Thomas Academy
2. Duluth Marshall
3. Rochester Lourdes
4. Little Falls
5. St. Cloud Cathedral
6. Breck
7. Warroad
8. Mahtomedi
9. International Falls
10. Totino-Grace
11. South St. Paul
12. Alexandria
13. Orono
14. Duluth Denfeld
15. New Prague
16. Blake
17. Red Wing
18. Hibbing
19. Rogers
20. Bemidji

Grand Rapids @ Bemidji
John Glas Fieldhouse, Bemidji, MN-7:30 p.m.
1/22/2008

Game Preview:
Grand Rapids sits at 8-7-1 on the year and needs to try to use this week to start getting hot prior to the playoffs. Grand Rapids has had a lot of success against Bemidji the last couple of seasons. Over the last two years, the Thunderhawks have beat Bemidji twice by a combined score of 12-4. Grand Rapids is coming off of a tough 4-2 loss at the hands of Iron Range Conference Rival, Hibbing. Bemidji is coming off of a loss to #1 Roseau, but there is no shame in losing to them. Both teams will be looking to rebound in the battle at John Glas Fieldhouse at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday night.

Last meeting: Grand Rapids 5, Bemidji 1 (January 23, 2007 in Grand Rapids) Grand Rapids scored four times in the second period and each team scored one in the third in the 5-1 win for the Thunderhawks. Rapids outshot Bemidji 54-22 in the game. Zach Morse, Jason Makinen and Sam Sparen all scored on the power play in the game. Zach Morse also scored at full strength along with Tony Palkki.

Notes: Sam Sparen has a goal and two assists lifetime vs. Bemidji. That leads the way for Grand Rapids. Robb Roy has a goal and an assist, Tony Palkki has a goal, and Sam Rendle has an assist. That is a total of seven career returning points against Bemidji.

Special Teams: The Thunderhawks are 15/76 on the power play, but have fallen below 20% (19.74%) on the season. The power play was 0/3 against Hibbing. The Grand Rapids penalty kill is sitting at 83.33% on the year (60/72). The penalty kill was a perfect 6/6 against Hibbing.

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

Box Score:

1st Period-No scoring.

2nd Period-1. GR, Sam Sparen (Sam Rendle) (PP) 0:47; 2. GR, J.R. Mackey (Shane Greniger) 2:07; 3. GR, Nate Dumm (Corey Kosak) (SH) 9:43

3rd Period-4. GR, Nate Dumm (Matt Jerulle, Billy Shaw) 8:22

Saves-Trevor Tabaka (GR) 27, Cole Isensee (B) 39

Three Stars:
3. Sam Sparen (GR)
2. Nate Dumm (GR)
1. Trevor Tabaka (GR)

Game Summary:
Official start time: 7:40 p.m.
Official end time: 9:40 p.m.
Official game time: 2 hours

Trevor Tabaka stood tall in goal to give Grand Rapids their first shutout of the season. It wasn't the only first of the season, however. Nate Dumm tallied a short handed goal in the second period. Not only was it the first of his career, it was the first short handed goal Grand Rapids has scored this season. Sam Sparen started the scoring 47 seconds into the second period of the game. Sparen's power play goal was assisted by Sam Rendle and seemed to relax the Thunderhawks a bit. Just one minute and twenty second later, J.R. Mackey buried his fifth of the year to give Grand Rapids the 2-0 edge. Shane Greniger was credited with the lone assist on the goal. Nate Dumm had the biggest night of his career and it all started with 9:43 remaining in the second period. Dumm took a pass from Corey Kosak and scored a short handed goal. Dumm finally got the monkey of the Thunderhawks back on the penalty kill. Nate Dumm scored the only goal of the third period. It was his second of the game and second of his career. Matt Jerulle and Billy Shaw assisted on the goal. Each team had six power plays in the game, but the Sam Sparen power play goal was the only one scored by a team with a man advantage. Trevor Tabaka stopped 27 shots for his first career shutout. Cole Insensee stopped 39 pucks in the loss for Bemidji. 

Photos are now up.

Photo of the game:

Courtesy of Shannon Merritt

News:                          The Princeton Tigers have been moved by the MSHSL into Section 7AA.  PrepHockeyNorth.com provides section wide coverage throughout the season.         

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