BLOOMINGTON - Sophomore forward Mason Jenson scored twice in the second period and towering sophomore defenseman Jackson Smithknecht had a goal and an assist as Rogers beat Maple Grove 5-2 on Friday at the Bloomington Ice Garden in a matchup likely to determine the top seed in Section 5AA.

Jenson scored 2:35 into the second period and added his second goal with 2:56 left in the period to put the No. 6-2A Royals (14-3-3) ahead 4-1. In between Jenson’s goals, his 16th and 17th of the season, was Smithknecht’s. 

A 6-foot-5, 190-pound defenseman, Smithknecht, stationed in front of Maple Grove goaltender Jack Roach, swatted home a rebound for his sixth goal of the season.

Blake Steenerson scored with 22 seconds left in the second period to pull No. 4-2A Maple Grove (16-5-1) to within 4-2 entering the third.

Rogers defenseman Carson Udee completed the scoring in the third with his first goal of the season.

Maple Grove senior Finn Brink, a leading Mr. Hockey candidate, opened the scoring in the first period with a wicked long-range shot but otherwise had limited scoring chances thanks in part to the work of Chase Cheslock, Rogers’ standout senior shutdown defenseman and another likely Mr. Hockey finalist.

The teams, leaders in the Northwest Suburban Conference standings, skated to a 3-3 tie on Jan. 14 in Maple Grove. They also met in last year’s Section 5AA title game, won 4-2 by Maple Grove, the eventual state runner-up.