Hill-Murray vs. Hermantown

2:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4
St. Louis Park Rec Center, St. Louis Park

Two of the state’s perennial big dogs meet in a new tournament aptly named the Champions Cup (fellow bluebloods Eden Prairie and Benilde-St. Margaret’s are the other entrants). The Pioneers have won four state Class 2A championships, the latest coming in 2020. Hermantown is a three-time state Class 1A champion, including back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017. High-powered programs such as these two are notorious for seeking out top-caliber competition, yet this will be just the third meeting all-time between these programs. Keep an eye on the showdown between Hermantown’s Zam Plante, the state’s top returning scorer after posting 61 points last season as a sophomore, against Hermantown goaltender Nick Erickson, a leading candidate for the Frank Brimsek Award that goes to the state’s top senior goaltender.