New Ulm vs. Luverne

7 p.m., Frday, Dec. 10
Blue Mound Ice Arena, Luverne

The apparent re-emergence of Luverne as a powerhouse is a great thing for southern Minnesota hockey, which has seemingly always be able to count on New Ulm as a standard-bearer for high-level hockey in the region.

New Ulm and Luverne met for the Section 1A championship three out of four years starting in 2012, back when their rivalry was at its apex. At about that same time Luverne featured two of the state’s all-time scoring leaders in Chaz Smedsrud (357 points) and Jaxon Nelson (290 points).

Two more high-scoring forwards in junior Brock Behrend and sophomore Patrick Kroski have surfaced at the top of the state scoring list for No. 20-1A Luverne (3-0-0), as Behrend is second in points with 16, just ahead of Kroski’s 15 points (including seven goals). Luverne has defeated its opponents by scores of 7-6, 13-0 and 10-1.

New Ulm is off to a 2-0-0 start behind the scoring, as always, of Braxten Hoffman (3 goals, 3 assists). Hoffman, a senior in his fourth varsity season, racked up 53 points as a sophomore and 39 points a year ago in a shortened season. He figures to reach the 200-point career plateau by the end of the season.

Which team will win?
Legacy pick: New Ulm