St. Cloud Cathedral-Hermantown rematch is 'going to be a riot'

Since their Jan. 3 meeting that ended in a 5-5 tie, St. Cloud Cathedral and Hermantown hoped for a state tournament rematch.

They got it, in an 11 a.m. Friday semifinal showdown worthy of the championship game.

"Friday's going to be a riot," said Patrick Andrews, coach of No. 3 seed Hermantown. "I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if they've gotten better. I know we've gotten better. And I'm just looking forward to it."

In the previous meeting, defending Class 1A champion St. Cloud Cathedral fell behind host Hermantown 4-0 a little more than seven minutes into the game. But three Crusaders goals in the third period produced a stalemate.

St. Cloud Cathedral, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, was without senior forward Jack Smith in the first game. He scored 25 goals this season despite playing in only 11 regular-season games because of injury.

Forced to change lines and combinations, Crusaders coach Derrick Brown unlocked his team's formidable depth. He used it as a psychological advantage Wednesday, mixing and matching his lineup as the game went along.

"We just want it in opposing coaches' heads that they don't really know what we're going to throw at them," Brown said.

"They won last year, so it's our turn," Hawks senior forward Blake Biondi said. "We're ready for them. We're hungry and want to win."

Biondi has committed to play college hockey at Minnesota Duluth along with teammate Joey Pierce and the Crusaders' Smith. They are friends. But you wouldn't have known it at Tuesday's tournament banquet.

"I saw them at the banquet and didn't say much,'' Smith said. ''Maybe a little bad blood going into the game. I'll be playing with them in the future, but I'm focused on right now."

Game on.

"He's a good kid," Biondi said. "But it's all business right now. This is the state tournament, so the friendship can go aside for a little bit."

"Usually not too many of [Mayasich's] records ever get touched," Warroad coach Jay Hardwick said. "So to do that is something special that I'll never forget and he'll never forget."

Slukynsky added two assists to finish with seven points, one short of Mayasich's record.

Slukynsky, who is committed to Northern Michigan, has 96 points this season.