1987 Kellogg Cup Super Series - Super 16


#1 St. Paul Victorias vs St. Cloud Bearcats
UPSET ALERT! What a way to kick off the 1987 Super Series? Unranked St. Cloud came into St. Paul and knocked out the #1 ranked V's who were essentially playing a home game with their normal home next door to the St. Paul Civic Center. St. Paul was the better team for most of this game, outshooting the Cats 20-6 for the game, but they just couldn't get one past the Bearcat goaltender. St. Cloud scored the lone goal of the game in the second period, riding that lead to a 1-0 victory over the Kellogg Cup favorites in the very first game of the Super Series.

#12 New Ulm Bavarians vs #13 St. Louis Park Louies
There was a lot of hype surrounding this matchup when the Super Series brackets were revealed. This game saw the #12 and #13 ranked teams battle, not to mention two of the most recent Kellogg Cup champs. The best way to describe this game would be cautious. Neither side was really taking any risks on either side of the ice with both the Diamonds and Louies mainly resorting to dump and chase hockey resulting in a lot of back and forth play without much action. After 60 minutes of play we were still scoreless in St. Paul so the 16,000+ in attendance were treated to some free hockey. One period of overtime came and went and we still had zeros on the board, sending us to a second overtime period. This time it wouldn't take too long with St. Louis Park sniping their first shot of the period just over a minute in to clinch the victory for the Louies and send them to the Great Eight. New Ulm sees their season come to an end in heartbreaking fashion, but the Bavarians should hold their heads up high, they'll be back.

#6 East Grand Forks Pointers vs #22 Mankato Moose
It was looking like deja vu all over again in our third game of the Super Series as East Grand Forks and Mankato found themselves in a scoreless battle through 40 minutes with the scoreboard reading 0-0 heading into the third period of play. The third is where things finally opened up with EGF pressing hard on the attack. The Pointers just seemed more determined, winning puck battles and getting sustained pressure in the Mankato zone. Finally the Dogs broke through to make it a 1-0 game. East Grand Forks kept their foot on the gas for the rest of the game, holding the Moose to just 2 shots in the final 10 minutes. An empty netter put the game on ice and sends EGF to the Great Eight with a 2-0 win over Mankato.

#8 Maplewood Retrievers vs #20 Minnetonka Muskies
Things couldn't have started much better for the Tonka Muskies who came out guns blazing and lit the lamp twice in the first period. They were showing no signs of slowing down, but Maplewood was bailed out by the horn and settled things down in the locker room. The Goldies looked like a completely different team when they returned for the second, looking much more like their normal selves. The second period was pretty even, but Maplewood outshot the Muskies 8-5 and scored the only goal of the period to make it 2-1 heading into the third. The Retrievers kept it going in the third and after tying the game on a rocket from the point, the Goldies took full control. Minnetonka was pinned in their own end for minutes on end and before you knew it the Goldies had popped home the go ahead goal to make it a 3-2 game. Maplewood would hold off the Muskies for the rest of the game, completing the comeback and advancing to the Great Eight after scoring 3 unanswered goals to defeat Minnetonka 3-2.


#3 Roseau Stars vs RV Brookings Buffaloes
UPSET ALERT! Day two of the 1987 Super Series started much like Day 1, with an unranked team stunning the league with an upset over a team ranked in top 3 in the MAHL. This time it was Brookings turn, lighting the lamp three times in the second period to take a commanding lead into the final 20 minutes of play. Roseau got one back early in the third, but the Buffaloes responded a few minutes later to regain their 3 goal advantage. The Stars could not dig themselves out of this hole, falling to Brookings by a final score of 4-1.

#11 Bemidji Blue Ox vs #14 Mounds View Gunners
The key to this game was the incredible performance of the Bemidji defense unit. The Blue Ox were nothing to write home about on offense in this game, putting only 16 shots on net for the entirety of the game, but that doesn't really matter when you hold the opponent to only 9 shots on goal for the game. The Gunners just couldn't get rubber on net to save their lives with Babes making it a point of emphasis to block shots. The Ox scored the only goals of the game quick succession in the second period, carrying them to a 2-0 victory over NEHA champs Mounds View.

#5 Edina Cake Eaters vs RV Rochester Mustangs
Edina was doing Edina things as they took on Rochester in the penultimate game of the 1987 Super 16. The Cake Eaters put on an absolute clinic as they dismantled the Mustangs on both sides of the ice. Edina would take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission before adding two more in the third while keeping the Stangs off the board. When the final horn sounded the scoreboard read 3-0 Edina, sending the Gold Domes to the Great Eight.

#10 Sauk Rapids Bulldogs vs #19 Grand Rapids Moose
It was a battle of the Rapids in the final game of the Super 16 as the Bulldogs took on the Moose. This game would really be broken up by period with the first going to Sauk Rapids who came out flying and led 1-0 after 1. The second was much more even with both teams getting some chances, but it was Grand Rapids who scored the only goal of the frame to tie the game 1-1 heading into the third. And the third period was an absolute dismantling by the Grand Rapids Moose. The Moose were very much loose in the final 20, putting 10 shots on goal and scoring 3 of them to completely bury the Dogs. The final horn sounded, almost as if to end the suffering for Sauk Rapids, and the Moose hopped the boards to celebrate. Grand Rapids moves on, knocking out Sauk Rapids 4-1.

Let me know what you think, comments are appreciated!

Could it be.... could.... the Moose.... Be LOOSE?!?!!   And just in time to face the Edina Cake Eaters?   This could just be Grand Rapids lucky year!

loose moose?

Kenny Bouchard here. Loving the march of the Bearcats. And from my time at the Civic Center, I want to thank all the Louies fans for letting me know there's never a wrong time for a bagel. You guys have the best snack bar in the MAHL, bar none. 

1987 Kellogg Cup Semi Finals


#6 East Grand Forks Pointers vs St. Cloud Bearcats
UPSET ALERT! Things got off to a slow start in our first Semi Finals matchup of the 1987 Super Series with the Pointers and Bearcats just getting a feel for each other in the first. St. Cloud broke first blood a few minutes into the second, but EGF responded with a little over 4 minutes left in the period to send us to the third tied 1-1. The Pointers and Bearcats fought like Cats and Dogs in the third, doing whatever it took to get the advantage. St. Cloud got an odd man rush midway through the period and were able to roof a shot glove side to light the lamp and make it 2-1 Cats. East Grand Forks came inches away from tying the game in the waning minutes, but the Bearcats were able to keep it out and hold their one goal lead. An empty netter with 41 seconds left would put the game on ice, sending the St. Cloud Bearcats to their 5th Kellogg Cup Final as they look to finally bring Senator Kellogg's Cup to the Granite City for the first time in team history. St. Cloud upsets #6 ranked East Grand Forks by a final score of 3-1.


#19 Grand Rapids Moose vs RV Brookings Buffaloes
Antlers vs Horns, North vs South, Brown and Orange vs Brown and Red; it's Grand Rapids vs Brookings in the 1987 Kellogg Cup Semi Finals. The St. Paul Civic Center was sold out with over 16,000 spectators as the puck was dropped and we got underway between the Moose and Buffs. The tone of the game was set early on with Grand Rapids getting set up with some sustained offensive pressure right out the gate. Despite dominating the first period, the Moose were held scoreless in the first 20 and we went to intermission tied at zeros. Rapids kept cooking in the second, sticking with the game plan that was clearly working. The Moose were finally able to break through and get on the scoreboard off a one time blast in the final minute of the second. That would prove to be the game winner as Grand Rapids held Brookings to just 2 shots on goal in the final frame, both easily dealt with by Moose netminder Frank Klatt. The Rapids Rabids that made the trek to St. Paul counted down the final 10 seconds before the horn sounded to send the Moose to the Kellogg Cup Final. Grand Rapids will look to clinch their 3rd Kellogg Cup in team history, moving on with a 1-0 victory over the Brookings Buffaloes.

Will the Bearcats finally exercise their Demons and win their first Kellogg Cup? Or are the Moose loose and ready to bring the Cup back to the Iron Range?

Let me know what you think, comments are appreciated!