Section 2A Semifinals Preview

The Monday slate of boys’ hockey section tournament matchups is thin, but there are pair of intriguing matchups in Section 2A. The semifinals take place on this Monday with a doubleheader at the St. Louis Park Rec Center. Let’s take a look at these two matchups:

No. 4 Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper vs. No. 1 Orono – 6 p.m.

Robbinsdale Armstrong/Cooper (14-11-1)

How they got here: The fourth-seeded Wings opened up section play with a 5-3 win over Mound Westonka on Feb. 21 in the quarterfinals.

Player to watch: Noah Weisjahn. The junior forward was the offensive catalyst his team needed in its quarterfinal win as he tallied two goals and an assist.

Orono (22-3-1)

How they got here: The Spartans made quick work of Bloomington Kennedy as they cruised to a 5-1 win on Feb. 21 and advanced to Monday’s semifinals.

Player to watch: Zack Simon. The senior forward kicked off his final postseason with Orono with four points (2 goals, 2 assists).

No. 3 Breck vs. No. 2 Delano – 8 p.m.

Breck (14-10-1)

How they got here: The Mustangs had no problem in the quarterfinals against Minneapolis as they won on Feb. 21.

Player to watch: Nick Mikan. Though the forward is only a sophomore, he put in a veteran-like performance in the first game of Breck’s postseason with two goals and two assists.

Delano (20-6-0)

How they got here: Though the Tigers earned the No. 2 seed in the section, it wasn’t a cakewalk for Delano. The Tigers clawed their way to a 3-2 win over a tough Southwest Christian/Richfield team.

Player to watch: Trevor Oja. In a tough battle, the junior forward was a hero of sorts. Oja scored a pair of goals, including the game-winning goal, as Delano kept its championship hopes alive.