Scores, fixtures and picks
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When the Minnesota Wild, FanDuel Sports Network North, and Minnesota Hockey announced the high school matchups for Hockey Day Minnesota 2027, they did not merely fill a broadcasting window. They engineered a rematch carrying the weight of state championship history.
Minnetonka and Moorhead are set to square off in Brainerd, bringing the fierce tactical rivalry from the Class 2A state title game to an outdoor rink setup at the legendary Brainerd International Raceway. For anyone tracking the landscape of elite high school puck deployment, this fixture needs little introduction.
The last time these two big-school powers crossed paths with a trophy on the line, the ice at St. Paul's Grand Casino Arena bore witness to an absolute classic. Minnetonka built a commanding 4-1 lead late in the second period behind the multi-point efforts of Max Aronson, Cash Hardie, and Liam Schultz. Yet, Moorhead’s championship resilience proved structural rather than situational. The Spuds orchestrated an unforgettable third-period surge—capped by Zac Zimmerman's extra-attacker equalizer with 36 seconds remaining in regulation—before junior forward Evan Wanner struck in double overtime to secure a 5-4 victory and a successful title defense.
That dramatic March night etched Moorhead into the record books as the first Class AA school to repeat as state champions since Edina's consecutive crowns in 2013 and 2014. Now, the battleground shifts to central Minnesota, where nine high school games will unfold across the multi-day event.
The wider Hockey Day Minnesota 2027 lineup is packed with elite programs carrying recent tournament pedigree:
- Warroad vs. St. Cloud (Girls): The Warroad girls hockey team, which has reached the Class 1A state championship game for five consecutive years, travels to face a St. Cloud squad riding the momentum of its first state tournament appearance.
- Centennial/Spring Lake Park vs. Bemidji (Girls): A clash of Class 2A heavyweights where Centennial/Spring Lake Park, the state runner-up last season, locks horns with fellow tournament regular Bemidji.
- Delano vs. Sartell (Boys): Delano arrives with fresh memories of reaching the Class 1A state semifinals last year before falling to eventual champion Warroad, setting up an intense prelude directly ahead of the Moorhead-Minnetonka finale.
- Northern Lakes vs. Little Falls (Boys): Local flavor meets proven consistency, with Northern Lakes entering the week having made back-to-back state tournament appearances.
As Brad Pieper, chair of the Brainerd Local Organizing Committee, noted of the destination venue, the outdoor configuration at Brainerd International Raceway promises to blend local community pride with the raw elements of open-air hockey. Proceeds from the 21st annual statewide celebration will directly support grassroots growth for the game throughout the Brainerd community.
While television broadcasts on FanDuel Sports Network North will capture the action from peewees to pros, the high school marquee games anchor the weekend's competitive focus. When Moorhead and Minnetonka take the ice under the central Minnesota sky, the tactical adjustments will be immediate, but the emotional echoes of that double-overtime thriller in St. Paul will linger on every rush.
Sources
These sources formed the evidence pack for this article. Links open the original publisher; inclusion does not imply endorsement.
- mshsl.org original
- nhl.com original
- varsity.startribune.com original
