1987 Kellogg Cup Playoffs: Second Round - Twin Cities North


#8 Maplewood Retrievers vs RV Ham Lake Hammers
Aldrich Arena was rocking with nearly 3,500 fans packing the stands to watch their 8th ranked Goldies take on the Ham Lake Hammers. Things got off to a slow start with a lot of stoppages preventing any flow to the game, but Maplewood was able to capitalize on a 3 on 1 break late in the first to get on the scoreboard and lead 1-0 after 1. Ham Lake tied the game at one for a short while before putting home their second of the period on a 5 on 3 to take a 2-1 lead over Maplewood. The Retrievers were able to knot the score at two thanks to an absolute missile from the top of the circle that blew past the Hammer netminder. Maplewood came out hard in the third with some early pressure and were rewarded with a rebound goal to retake the lead. The Dog Pound became electric after the go ahead goal, making things even tougher for the visitors. Ham Lake would only muster 7 shots on goal in the third, all of which were denied by the Goldies goaltender. Maplewood would put it away with an empty netter to make it 4-2. For the fifth time in team history, the Maplewood Retrievers are heading to the Super Series.

#21 Osseo Screaming Eagles vs St. Cloud Bearcats
UPSET ALERT! Yet again, the Osseo Screaming Eagles have found a way to miss the big dance. Despite being one of the most successful teams in NMHL history and even predating their current league, the Eagles have never once qualified for the Super Series and there was a lot of talk around town that this was gonna finally be the year. Unfortunately for them, St. Cloud was dead set on ending their own 8 year drought. The Bearcats lit the lamp early and often, putting home a pair of goals in all three periods for a total of 6 on the night. That was just way too much for Osseo to overcome. The Eagles were able to net one in the first and one in the second, but in the end they just weren't able to keep up with the offensive explosion from St. Cloud. For just the third time ever, the St. Cloud Bearcats are heading to the Super Series, upsetting Osseo by a score of 6-2.

#10 Sauk Rapids Bulldogs vs Roseville Rockets
We had a near upset in Sauk Rapids as the unranked Rockets from Roseville took the 10th ranked team in the MAHL to the brink. Roseville surprised everyone in Sports Arena East when they lit the lamp to take a 1-0 lead just 12 seconds into the game. The Rockets won the opening faceoff and went in on the offensive, a winger used his wheels to blow past a defenseman before backhanding a pass to his teammate for a one timer that blew past the Bulldog goalie and into the back of the net. Roseville would keep their foot on the gas for the rest of the period, outshooting the Dogs 12-6 in the first 20 minutes. The second period was more even, but neither side was able to get on the scoreboard, sending us to the third with the visitors still holding a 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs were much more aggressive in the third, but they still found themselves trailing with under 5 minutes to go. Sauk Rapids decided to pull their goalie with a minute and a half to go as they held the puck in the offensive zone. They worked it around like they were on the powerplay. Finally they got it to a man in the middle who turned and fired on net. The shot rang off the post, but the rebound hit off the back of the Rocket goaltender before trickling across the goal line. The red light flashed and the horn blasted as the crowd went wild. The atmosphere in the arena was unbelievable after the Dogs tied the score 1-1. The puck was dropped and Sauk Rapids went right back in on the attack, setting up in the offensive zone. You could just feel like something was gonna happen with the electricity and anticipation in the air. The Bulldogs got the puck to a man in the corner who caught the pass and took it to the net. His shot was stopped, but the rebound was loose in the crease. There was a mass of bodies going to the loose puck, and somewhere in the chaos it was chipped by a Bulldog up and into the back of the net. You could feel the arena shake from the noise produced by the 800+ in the crowd losing their collective minds as their Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead with just 20 seconds left to play. Sauk Rapids was able to dump the puck in and kill the remaining clock as the crowd counted it down before going crazy again. Sauk Rapids scores twice in the final 1:08 of the game to clinch their 3rd Super Series birth in the past 4 years with a 2-1 win over Roseville.

#14 Mounds View Gunners vs St. Cloud Storm
This one looks a lot closer than it truly was. Mounds View was far and away the better team in this hockey game, outshooting the Storm 38-13 and dominating nearly all aspects of the game. Despite all of this, St. Cloud was able to somehow make this a competitive game. The Storm were masters in taking what they were given, capitalizing on their chances to put 3 on the board. The Gunners weren't as opportunistic, but with the sheer amount of chances they got, they were bound to score eventually. Mounds View was able to edge out their opponents when it was all said and done, advancing to their second consecutive Super Series with a 4-3 win over St. Cloud.

Let me know what you think, comments are appreciated!

Will This Be The Retreviers Year!??!!?

1987 Kellogg Cup Playoffs: Second Round - South


#12 New Ulm Bavarians vs Marshall Pheasants
For the second time in the past three years, New Ulm and Marshall find themselves facing off in the second round of the Kellogg Cup Playoffs. If there was any animosity between the Diamonds and Pheasants in their previous meeting, this game was just fuel to the fire in what may now be one of the fiercest non-league rivalries in the South Region. The 1,200+ fans that packed New Ulm Ice Arena were treated to an absolute electric hockey game. This game had everything from big hits, to highlight reel goals, to ejections for fighting. The Bavarians would walk away victorious, edging out the Fightin' Pheasants by a final score of 5-4. New Ulm has now won both meetings between these teams and the Bavarians will look to duplicate their run after the last win which saw them go on to win their second Kellogg Cup in team history. The New Ulm Bavarians take down Marshall and are heading to the Super Series for the 11th time.

#22 Mankato Moose vs RV Cottage Grove Yellow Jackets
Things didn't get going until late in the opening period when Mankato finally put one past the Yellow Jacket goaltender to put the Moose up after 1. Kato was able to use the momentum of their late goal to come out strong in the second and extend their lead to 2-0. A powerplay goal made it a three goal lead and the writing was on the wall for Cottage Grove. A short side snipe pushed the Mankato lead even further and there was no coming back. The final horn sounded to send Mankato to their third straight and 4th Super Series in the past 5 years with a 4-0 shutout win over Cottage Grove.

#17 Red Wing Chiefs vs RV Brookings Buffaloes
UPSET ALERT! We had a real defensive battle at George A. Bergwall Arena in Red Wing as the hometown Chiefs took on the Brookings Buffaloes. A good way to describe the game would be "overtime atmosphere from the drop of the puck". Both teams put their all into every shift on both ends of the ice, neither willing to give an inch. We were still scoreless after two periods of play and you could just feel that whoever would break through first would likely be heading to St. Paul. It wasn't until there was just 5 minutes to play that we finally had our first goal. Brookings took it up ice on a 3 on 2. The puck carrier went wide and then took it to the net, firing a shot before the Red Wing defensemen could get his stick on him. The shot was stopped, but the rebound was loose in front. The first rebound attempt was stuffed, but on the second chance the Buffalo was able to lift it over the floundering goaltender and into the net to put Brookings up 1-0. The Buffs put it on ice with an empty netter with 26 seconds left. For the third time in team history, the Brookings Buffaloes are heading to the Super Series, knocking out 17th ranked Chiefs 2-0 in Red Wing.

#18 Sioux Falls Packers vs RV Rochester Mustangs
UPSET ALERT! It was a matchup between two of the most successful teams in the South Region in the Slaughterhouse of Sioux Falls with a ticket to the Super Series on the line. This isn't the first time the Packers and Mustangs have faced off, with their one previous meeting going to Rochester back in 1983. History would repeat itself here 4 years later and in a different State. Despite being the underdog in the game, the Stangs played with the confidence of a championship contender, looking completely unphased by the intimidating crowd inside Sioux Falls Arena. Rochester led 2-1 after one and would never relinquish their lead. The Mustangs made it 3-1 early in the third before the Hogs got it back to make it a one goal game once more. Sioux Falls just wouldn't be able to net that game tying goal. The final horn sounded and Mustangs flooded over the boards to celebrate. For the 3rd time in the past 5 years, the Rochester Mustangs are heading back to the Super Series. Sioux Falls falls on home ice by a final score of 3-2 and sees their Cup dreams vanish before it could ever really begin.

Let me know what you think, comments are appreciated!

QCS wrote:

oh no, my prediction how distressing

Don't cry, it'll be ok

ProsecutorMilesEdgeworth wrote:

Thehealthiestscratch wrote:

TourneyEarnie wrote:

Will This Be The Retreviers Year!??!!?

 
I hardly know—…

 
We call this one “El Classico” in the AHSylum.

literally nobody has ever called it that