Moorhead Boys Hockey Ready for Big Stage of State Tournament

Spuds enter as a four seed: face Hill-Murray in Quarterfinals

MOORHEAD, Minn. — Moorhead boys hockey beat Roseau in the Section 8AA Championship in order to make their seventeenth trip to the state tournament this weekend.
The Spuds have yet to bring home that first state title but this year’s squad is looking to change that.

Much of the team’s success has come offensively from forward Caden Triggs and between the pipes with Hudson Hodges. Triggs leads the team with 30 goals and 48 points. In net, Hodges has recorded 16 wins, 550 saves, a .927 save percentage and four shutouts.

With that success, the Spuds earned a four seed and play Hill-Murray in the first round on Thursday night. The Spuds lost to the Pioneers at home in the regular season but to the seniors taking them down at the state tournament keeps the team focus at an all time high.

“You know its a lot more intense and there’s a lot of extra stuff going on with media and stuff like that, defense man Luke Gramer said. “But really as far as preparation nothing really changes for us. We try to focus on ourselves and what we can control. At practice, were really focusing on everything we can do as a team and take on Hill-Murray when it comes time.”

“State tournament, its the biggest level in high school hockey,” Triggs said. “Biggest stage. You get to play in front of a lot of people and if you lose, its done so you really have to step up.”

“Just playing confident and playing with the head space that I know I can be one of the top goalies in the state,” Hodges said. “I feel like that sounds kind of cocky but its just playing with as much confidence as I can.”

The Spuds have the final game on Thursday with an 8 P.M. face-off.