The Section 5 playoff picture will take form this week as White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi both face fellow contender Stillwater. Next Monday’s meeting could be the final determinant in seeding the bracket's top half.
Boasting the state’s third-highest scoring offense, White Bear Lake (6-0, 3-0) has won its games by an average margin of 10.7 goals. The No. 9 Bears did, however, face some adversity in a 14-13 overtime victory over Lakeville South on April 27. Senior Ethan Menne (12-4-16) had four goals and two assists in that game and is among a group of five runners with double-digit goals on the season.
The Zephyrs (4-2, 3-0), who stumbled in a 10-2 loss to No. 3 Prior Lake on May 5, have played a grueling schedule this season and will have faced five ranked opponents before the Bears. Timmy Lindquist (12-11-23) leads the No. 2 Zephyrs and had a goal and an assist in a 13-8 win against White Bear Lake last season. Josh Campbell (8-9-17) also had four goals in the victory.