Big picture becomes Blaine's viewpoint

Contrary to what you might think, the biggest game this week for Blaine's boys' hockey team is not Saturday's tilt at Anoka.

No, playing the Tornadoes, who lead the Northwest Suburban Conference, is secondary to Thursday's game with Osseo.

Why? Section tournament implications. Blaine, which qualified for the past two Class 2A state tournaments, might face Osseo during the Section 5 playoffs. Blaine won the team's first meeting 5-2 and would like to gain the mental edge that comes with a regular-season sweep.

"Osseo is a team that works hard and does all the little things that win games," Blaine coach Dave Aus said.

Aus' Bengals have been playing similar hockey lately, using skill, grit and guile to go 2-1 during a three-game stretch in as many nights last week.

Blaine earned a 5-3 victory in a physical game with Centennial, then dropped a 1-0 decision to Duluth East.

"We're not into moral victories, but I told the guys afterward I was proud of the way they played," Aus said. "We could've won as easily as we lost."

Even a sterling 17-0 start does not qualify as completely new territory for Centennial's girls' basketball team. The Cougars started 16-1 last season, losing to eventual Class 4A state champion St. Paul Central.

"The fact that we started about this well last season and still dropped that section playoff game to Blaine is a reminder that we cannot get ahead of ourselves," Cougars coach Jill Becken said. "We're trying to learn new things each game."

To maximize learning opportunities in practice, Becken mixes her squad, which means such starters as Megan Nipe and Kiara Allums or Kayla Blom and Emily Becken play against one another.

"That makes everybody better," the coach said. "Of course, now it's kind of the dog days of the season and everyone is getting sick of playing each other in practice."

• Allums set a school record with 38 points in an 87-62 victory over Champlin Park on Friday.

Irondale senior Travis Baker scored career goals 81 and 82 Friday night at Benilde-St. Margaret's and became the leading goal scorer in program history. Former record holder Scott Bjugstad -- who played for the Gophers and the North Stars -- had 80 goals. Baker also ranks first all-time with 157 points.