What's ahead for this week? Just in case you're one of the few who haven't heard: cold. Extreme, three-pairs-of-socks cold with the possibility of three consecutive days below zero.
Weather poised to affect high school sports this week
If the governor closes schools, the games are off, too.
January 28, 2019 at 8:35PM
And, what does that have to do with high school sports? Well, Gov. Tim Walz has already gone on record as saying he'll explore the possibility of closing schools because of dangerously cold temperatures, as Gov. Mark Dayton did in 2014 and Gov. Arne Carlson did in 1994. And closing schools means postponing games.
So, go ahead and make plans to attend a sporting event this week. Just be aware that those plans might change.
Playoffs nearing
The end of January means the postseason section tournaments are almost upon us. For most girls' hockey teams, the regular season concludes the coming weekend, with a handful of games carrying over into early next week. Section playoffs begin in the first week in January. Same goes for Alpine and Nordic skiing, which hold section meets next week.
Girls' basketball
Tuesday
• Chaska (No. 7, 4A) at Wayzata (No. 2, 4A). Wayzata needs to guard against looking past the dangerous Hawks.
Also: Farmington (No. 4, 4A) at Lakeville North, 7 p.m.; Roseville (No. 9, 4A) at Stillwater (No. 3, 4A), 7 p.m.
Friday
• Wayzata (No. 2, 4A) at Hopkins (No. 1, 4A), 7:15 p.m. The first of two Lake Conference showdowns between top two team in the state, both undefeated, in a span of about three weeks.
Girls' hockey
Tuesday
• Blake (No. 1, 2A) at Forest Lake (No. 3, 2A), 7 p.m.: Forest Lake's only loss this season was to Edina. The Rangers give up 1.5 goals per game, Blake scores almost six.
Friday
• Andover (No. 4, 2A) at Blake (No. 1, 2A), 7:30 p.m. Consecutive games against top-five teams for the Bears.
Boys' hockey
Tuesday
• Blaine (No. 4, 2A) at White Bear Lake (No. 6, 2A), 7 p.m.
Thursday
• Hill-Murray (No. 9, 2A) at St. Thomas Academy (No. 7, 2A), 7 p.m.
Saturday
• Eden Prairie (No. 8, 2A) at Minnetonka (No. 1, 2A), 7 p.m.
• Maple Grove (No. 5, 2A) at Andover (No. 2, 2A), 2 p.m.
Boys' basketball
Tuesday
• Hopkins (No. 1, 4A) at DeLaSalle (No. 1, 3A), 7 p.m.
• East Ridge (No. 4, 4A) at Cretin-Derham Hall, 7 p.m.
Friday
• Wayzata (No. 9, 4A) at Hopkins, 5:30 p.m.
• Prior Lake (No. 2, 4A) at Shakopee (No. 6, 4A), 7 p.m.
Six players plus head coach Garrett Raboin and assistant coach Ben Gordon are from Minnesota. The tournament’s games will be televised starting Monday.
