Look at the Vulcans returning to glory with their return to Twin Cities.

I can see the Minneapolis Millers vs Mounds View Gunners game is going to be a barn burner for sure.

Edina Cake Eaters vs Anoka Warriors is going to be a good old Champs vs. Cinderella game.

The Richfield Roosters vs Hastings Rivermen game will be in my mind is going to end in overtime.

Twin Cities Vulcans vs West St. Paul Waves: I believe that the Vuls is going win this one.

Second Round Preview - South


Austin Mavericks vs Sioux Fall Packers
The 12th ranked Mavericks are looking to make it 4 straight Super Series appearances with a win over the Packers. Sioux Falls is no easy out though as they have shown time and time again, having made 4 Super Series in the past 6 years and coming off a big win over Burnsville on the road. These two have one previous playoff meeting with Sioux Falls winning 3-1 over Austin back in the Knockout Round in 1966. Will Austin live up to expectations and keep the streak alive? Or will the Pack be back in Bloomington with an upset over the Mavs?

La Crosse Brewers vs Sioux City Shockers
Two teams coming off huge wins in the first round; La Crosse just knocked off one of their biggest rivals on the road and the Shockers shocked the 19th ranked team in the MAHL in overtime. This is a long awaited rematch for Sioux City who lost to the Brewers in the Second Round back in 1975 to send La Crosse to their 3rd Super Series birth. Will La Crosse make it back to the Super Series in what is likely their last chance with this group? Or will City get their revenge and make it back to Bloomington?

Mankato Moose vs Owatonna Owls
It's a Blue Earth Hockey League showdown to decide who makes it to Met Center. Mankato and Owatonna have been among the top teams in the BEHL for years now, and this meeting is sure to only add to the budding rivalry. Will Mankato keep their strangle hold over the rest of the Blue Earth and clinch their 3rd Super Series in the last 4 years? Or will Owatonna steal the win on the road and end the 7 year Super Series drought?

Brookings Buffaloes vs Marshall Pheasants
Nothing beats rivalries in the playoffs, and that's exactly what we have here between the Brookings Buffaloes and Marshall Pheasants. The Buffs have emerged as a power in the last 2 years, but Marshall is always right up there among the top of the SWHA table playing in their 7th straight playoffs. Will Brookings take down their arch rivals and make their first Super Series appearance? Or will the Pheasants overcome the Buffs and return to the Met?

Thoughts? Predictions? Let me know!

1980 Kellogg Cup Playoffs; Second Round - North


Warroad Lakers vs Fargo Titans
The Castle on the Corner was packed with what seemed like the entire town of Warroad to watch the Lakers take on the Titans in the section final. The dynamic Laker attack wasted no time getting pucks on net, putting the home guys up 2-0 after 1. Fargo made it a one goal game in the second and it was looking like a fairly even game as we went to the third with Warroad in front 2-1. The Titans allowed a 3 on 1 chance for the Lakers early in the third that gave them back their 2 goal cushion. Fargo was visibly different after the goal, giving Warroad just enough to work with in order to open up the floodgates and put this one away with two more unanswered goals to bury the Titans by a final score of 5-1.

East Grand Forks Pointers vs Duluth Voyageurs
You like goals? Well then this is the game for you. The deadliest offense in the MAHL in EGF vs the league leaders in goals in the LSHL Duluth going at it to see who will punch their ticket to Bloomington. As was expected, the name of the game in this one was shots shots shots. The Pointers converted on their first powerplay chance of the game, but Duluth would tie it up at 1 and then take the lead for themselves with under a minute left in the first. It was looking good for le bleus in the second as the Pointers were given a 5 minute major penalty for a two handed slash across the back of a Voyageurs legs. Duluth would convert on the chance early to make it 3-1, but the Pointers were able to kill the final 4+ minutes and gained a bit of momentum, controlling the play once back to 5 on 5. A shot from the point caught a deflection in front and found the netting to make it 3-2 in favor of the Voyageurs as we went to the third. A bad line change allowed Duluth a breakaway chance that was denied by the Pointer goalie and picked up by a defenseman who was quick to get it going the other way. EGF entered the zone and the puck carrier cut into the high slot, passing it to a teammate on the dot for a one timer that rippled the netting to tie the game 3-3. The EGF Civic Center was rocking with "E-G-F" chants as the Pointers began to take over, dominating puck possession and wearing down the Voyageur defenders. A shot from a tight angle was able to sneak past the Duluth goalie on the short side to put East Grand Forks up 4-3. The dogs made it a two goal lead with their second pp goal of the game to give themselves some breathing room. Le Bleus were not going away quietly, making things interesting with under 3 minutes to play as they made it 5-4. The Voyageurs called a timeout after the goal to set up a plan of attack, pulling their goalie after the minute and a half mark for the extra attacker. The Pointers goalie made the saves he was asked in the waning minutes of the game, allowing his team to take control of a loose puck along the boards which they took down ice and put in the empty net to secure the Pointers first Super Series birth in 9 years (and their second in team history).

Mountain Iron Cougars vs Brainerd Lumberjacks
In the first half of a bizarre playoff double header, Mountain Iron welcomed Brainerd to Miners Memorial Building in Virginia, MN. It seemed like Mountain Iron was just snake bitten in this one, outshooting the visiting Lumberjacks 31-26 in the game and looking like the better hockey team for large parts of this game. But none of that matters because they couldn't find the back of the net. Whether you have 50 shots or 0, if none of them go in then you're not gonna win. Brainerd was bailed out by their netminder numerous times, standing on his head to stop a couple odd man rushes and point blank opportunities. The Jacks defense did a good job of allowing their goaltender to see the puck, and in this one if he could see it he could stop it. The Jacks got two past the Cougar goalie in the second and they proved to be enough to carry them to the promised land as the Lumberjacks punch their ticket to Super Series number 8 as they upset the 3rd ranked Mountain Iron Cougars 2-0.

Virginia Royals vs Bemidji Blue Ox
Once the bleachers were cleared after the afternoon game, Miners Memorial Arena was once again filled to capacity as the Virginia Royals took on the Bemidji Blue Ox. The hometown Royals got the scoring started midway through the first on a shot through a defenders legs that the goalie was late to react to. The crowd yelled out "Lets Go Royals" as the second period began, but something seemed different. Unlike the first, Virginia seemed slow and almost lazy as the Babes won puck battles and created chaos in the Royal zone. The Blue Ox smacked home a rebound to tie the game up and then took the lead on a turnover in the defensive zone by a Virginia winger. Now up 2-1, Bemidji had gotten a taste for blood which only fueled their drive even further. The third was all Ox as Virginia had no answer to the Bemidji attack and punishing physical play. The Blue Ox buried two more in the third as they outshot the Royals 12-5 in the period to make it 4-1. The final horn sounded and Bemidji swarmed their goalie in celebration having held on to return to the Super Series with a 4-1 victory on the road over Virginia.

For the first time since 1972, the Iron Range Hockey League will not be represented in the Super Series

1980 Kellogg Cup Playoffs; Second Round - Twin Cities


Minneapolis Millers vs Mounds View Gunners
UPSET ALERT! The top ranked team in all of the MAHL has been upset in the section final. Minneapolis just couldn't get out of their own way in this game, constantly sending men into the penalty box, giving the Gunners chance after chance that they were able to convert into goals. The Millers were trailing 3-0 after two but came out with a fire lit under them in the third. Minneapolis scored a pair of goals in the opening 5 minutes of the period to make it a one goal game and turn the momentum in their favor. But then once again the Millers stood in their own way, taking a high sticking penalty which led to a shot through a screen that gave Mounds View a 4-2 lead. The Gunners shut it down after that, holding on and stunning the Mighty Millers with a 4-2 win on the road to give Mounds View their first Super Series birth in team history.

Edina Cake Eaters vs Anoka Warriors
It was the yearly section final at Braemar Arena as the defending champs look to make it back to Bloomington yet again. We got off to a rather slow start with neither side getting more than 6 shots on goal in the period and there were no goals. Anoka picked up a puck in neutral ice and got the games first goal on a shot over the Cake Eater goalie's shoulder and into the back of the net. That goal seemed to have given Edina a wake up call as the Gold Domes began to take over as if they were the ones with momentum after the goal. The Eaters peppered the Warrior goal but the netminder stood tall until a puck was being smacked at by a couple Cake Eaters with no defenders around, inevitably getting one past the goalie to tie the game at 1. The third was the Nanne show as the veteran was buzzing all over the Anoka zone, creating chances and getting a pair of assists on Edina's two goals in the period to help carry the Cake Eaters to their 12th Super Series with a 3-1 win.

Richfield Roosters vs Hastings Rivermen
Richfield is a legit contender and they proved it here as they thoroughly outplay the St. Croix Hockey League champs, the #20 Hastings Rivermen. The Roosters unloaded 3 goals in the opening period to set themselves up in a good spot, adding one more in both the second and third for a total of 5 for the game. Hastings was able to get 2 of their 21 shots past the Cocks goaltender, but Richfield was comfortably in the drivers seat all game long. The Roosters are heading to their third Super Series with a 5-2 win over Hastings.

Twin Cities Vulcans vs West St. Paul Waves
A couple classic TCHL foes facing off for a chance to play in Bloomington, this was "the game" in many peoples eyes with #6 vs #14 and boy did it live up to the hype. It was a fast paced yet physical hockey game between two teams who know each other well so it was about as even as you can get. The Vulcans and Waves were all tied up at 2 when the final horn sounded to send us to overtime. Both teams were getting shots in overtime, but neither side had any high quality chances as we passed the 10 minute mark of OT. West St. Paul won a draw outside the Vulcans zone and took it in and fired on goal. It was deflected to the corner and picked up by a Wave who just fired it towards the front of the net without looking, hoping for a teammate. The Waves centerman was coming down from the hashmarks right at that moment, receiving a pass right on the tape. He held on for a second, getting the goalie to drop, and then tucked it just inside the post and across the goal line. West St. Paul is heading to their third straight Super Series with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Twin Cities Vulcans.

Let me know what you think, comments are appreciated!