Eight-game winning streak returns Edina to boys hockey top 10

The Hornets, winners of 13 state titles, lost their first three games this season.

January 3, 2023 at 11:57PM
Edina goaltender Robbie Clarkowski was in goal for seven wins during the Hornets’ eight-game winning streak. (Drew Herron, Special to the Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Look who is relevant again. Edina, winners of 13 boys hockey high school state championships, moved into the top 10 of the Let's Play Hockey coaches poll released New Year's Day.

The No. 6 Hornets stumbled out of the gate this season and started 0-3. Entering the new year, they have won eight consecutive games and recently took first place at the prestigious Tradition Holiday Invitational at the Dakotah! Ice Center in Prior Lake. Senior goaltender Robbie Clarkowski won seven of those eight games, stopping 94.3% of shots faced.

Edina was one of several teams on the move in the rankings as the calendar changed to January.

Wayzata kept its No. 1 spot despite losing for the first time. The Trojans are an impressive 3-0-1 in overtime games this season. They play at No. 2 Minnetonka at 2:15 p.m. Saturday.

Only No. 3 Chanhassen can boast a better winning streak (10 games) than Edina. The Storm won the Premier Holiday Classic in the Park at St. Louis Park on the strength of two shutouts.

No. 4 Maple Grove gave Wayzata its first blemish. A pair of Blake Steenerson goals in the third period helped make the host Crimson champions of the Premier Holiday Classic in the Grove. Up next: defending Class 2A state champion Andover on the road Thursday.

No. 5 St. Thomas Academy must regroup after two losses in its past four games to quality opponents.

And Rogers, once teetering on the edge of the top spot in the rankings, dropped to No. 8. The Royals have gone 0-2-2 in their past four games.

In Class 1A, No. 1 Warroad and No. 2 Hermantown are the last undefeated boys' teams in high school hockey. Let's see whether they can maintain their status for their Jan. 14 meeting in Warroad.

No. 3 Orono just departed the northland with a loss to host Warroad in the Hockeytown Holiday Classic. The Spartans see Gentry Academy on Friday before heading to Chanhassen on Jan. 10.

No. 4 Mahtomedi faces a hellish January with eight of nine games against Class 2A opponents, plus Hermantown. The dog days begin Tuesday at Benilde-St. Margaret's and continue Saturday at St. Thomas Academy.

No. 5 Northfield lost its season-opening game against Mahtomedi but has not dropped a game since. Tuesday brings a road game against Rochester Mayo, another team on a seven-game winning streak.

BOYS STATE RANKINGS

By Let's Play Hockey (released Jan. 1)

CLASS 2A

1. Wayzata 8-1-1; 2. Minnetonka 8-1; 3. Chanhassen 10-1; 4. Maple Grove 9-2; 5. St. Thomas Academy, 9-2; 6. Edina 8-3; 7. Cretin-Derham Hall 8-4; 8. Rogers 6-2-2; 9. Andover 7-4-1; 10. Stillwater 6-1.

T-11. Moorhead 6-5; T-11. Lakeville South 5-3; 13. Champlin Park 7-2; 14. White Bear Lake 7-2; 15. Eastview 6-2; 16. Holy Family Catholic 8-3; 17. Benilde-St. Margaret's 6-4; 18. Hill-Murray 3-6; 19. Grand Rapids 8-4; 20. Centennial 4-3-1.

CLASS 1A

1. Warroad 9-0; 2. Hermantown 7-0-1; 3. Orono 9-1; 4. Mahtomedi 7-2; 5. Northfield 7-2; 6. Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 8-1-1; 7. Providence Academy 6-5; 8. East Grand Forks 5-5; 9. Detroit Lakes 8-2-1; 10. Two Rivers 10-1-1.

11. New Ulm 8-1-1; 12. Fergus Falls 5-2-1; 13. Delano 5-4; 14. Hibbing-Chisholm 8-4-1; 15. Duluth Denfeld 6-5-1; 16. Albert Lea 8-3; 17. Wadena-Deer Creek 7-2; 18. Monticello 5-4-1; 19. Rock Ridge 5-4-1; 20. Little Falls 4-4-1.

about the writer

about the writer

David La Vaque

Reporter

David La Vaque is a high school sports reporter who has been the lead high school hockey writer for the Star Tribune since 2010. He is co-author of “Tourney Time,” a book about the history of Minnesota’s boys hockey state tournament published in 2020 and updated in 2024.

See More

More from High Schools

card image

Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.

card image
card image