Hermantown Hawks
Head coach: Pat Andrews, sixth season (115-19-18)
Key Departures: F Max Plante (18-54—72); F Zam Plante (24-40—64); D, Ty Hanson (15-30—45); Beau Janzig (7-18—25); F Dominic Thomas (14-14—28); F Gavin Blomdahl (11-16—27)
Key returners: Sr. F Kade Kohanski (22-40—62); Sr. F Wyatt Carlson (18-13—31); Jr. F Dallas Vieau (17-13—30); Sr. D George Peterson (10-13—23); Sr. F Matt Kauppinen (4-8—12); Jr. Josh Kauppinen (5-3—8; Sr. G Garron Opsahl (0.95 GAA, .970 save percentage); Jr. G Dane Callaway (1.47 GAA, .919 save percentage)
Outlook: The defending champions arguably lost more talent than any team in Class A this season. Leading goalscorer Zam Plante and defenseman Ty Hanson are off in the USHL, while Max Plante — the Hawks’ point leader last season — left for the USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
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Those three players alone represent 57 goals and more than 180 points, but Coach Pat Andrews will also have to replace senior captain and defenseman Beau Janzig as well as the timely scoring of Gavin Blomdahl.
This year, the Hawks will depend on senior captains Kade Kohanski, Wyatt Carlson and George Peterson. Kohanski was second on the team behind Zam Plante with 22 goals. They will also have both Dane Callaway and Garron Opsahl. Both allowed less than 1.5 goals per game and had save percentages better than .900. The pair gave up just four goals in six postseason games last year and coach Pat Andrews thinks they have the tools to stay at the top of Class A this season.
“Hermantown has a tried and true formula of stellar team D, a tenacious, puck owning, forecheck, and relentless pressure in all zones of the rink,” Andrews said. “If the Hawks are to repeat in 2023 you can rest assured it's this recipe for success that again took them to the top.”
HERMANTOWN
(home games in ALL CAPS)
Dec. 2 — Cretin-Derham Hall, 8 p.m.
Dec. 3 — at Hill-Murray, 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 10 — at Centennial, 3 p.m.
Dec. 13 — at Duluth Marshall, 7 p.m.
Dec. 16 — at Rosemount, 7 p.m.
Dec. 20 — at Duluth Denfeld, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 22 — at Orono, 7 p.m.
Dec. 28 — DELANO, 3 p.m.
Dec. 29 — at East Grand Forks, 5 p.m.
Dec. 31 — SHAKOPEE, 2 p.m.
Jan. 7 — at Eden Prairie, 3 p.m.
Jan. 12 — ST. CLOUD CATHEDRAL, 7 p.m.
Jan. 14 — at Warroad, 5 p.m.
Jan. 17 — at Hibbing/Chisholm, 7 p.m.
Jan. 20 — MOORHEAD, 7 p.m.
Jan. 21 — at St. Thomas Academy, 2 p.m.
Jan. 24 — at Superior, 7 p.m.
Jan. 26 — at Proctor, 7 p.m.
Jan. 28 — at Mahtomedi, 1 p.m.
Feb. 2 — CLOQUET-ESKO-CARLTON, 7 p.m.
Feb. 4 — TOTINO-GRACE, 3:15 p.m.
Feb. 7 — ROCK RIDGE, 7 p.m.
Feb. 10 — BENILDE-ST. MARGARET’S, 7 p.m.
Feb. 11 — CHASKA, 3:15 p.m.
Feb. 14 — GRAND RAPIDS, 7 p.m.
RECORD: 29-2
Dec. 3 — at Benilde-St. Margaret’s, W, 6-5
Dec. 4 — at Hill-Murray, W, 4-1
Dec. 10 — at Wayzata, W, 2-1
Dec. 11 — ROSEMOUNT, W, 6-3
Dec. 14 — DULUTH MARSHALL, W, 6-0
Dec. 18 — at Mahtomedi, W, 3-0
Dec. 23 — at Cretin-Derham Hall, L, 4-2
Dec. 29 — ORONO, W, 6-0
Dec. 30 — DELANO, W, 6-2
Jan. 4 — DULUTH DENFELD, W, 6-1
Jan. 8 — EDEN PRAIRIE, W, 5-2
Jan. 14 — at St. Cloud Cathedral, W, 8-0
Jan. 15 — WARROAD, W, 2-1
Jan. 17 — at Greenway, W, 9-0
Jan. 18 — HIBBING/CHISHOLM, W, 7-0
Jan. 20 — SUPERIOR, W, 8-0
Jan. 25 — EAST GRAND FORKS, W, 6-2
Jan. 27 — PROCTOR, W, 8-0
Jan. 29 — MAPLE GROVE, L, 6-3
Feb. 3 — at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, W, 8-0
Feb. 5 — at Totino-Grace, W, 5-1
Feb. 8 — at Rock Ridge, W, 5-1
Feb. 11 — HOLY FAMILY, W, 5-3
Feb. 12 — ST. THOMAS ACADEMY, W, 6-3
Feb. 23 — NORTH SHORE, W, 13-0
Feb. 25 — Greenway, W, 6-0
March 2 — Duluth Denfeld, W, 11-0
March 9 — New Prague, W, 5-1
March 11 — Alexandria, W, 7-1
March 12 — Warroad, W, 3-2
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