To say Mahtomedi is the dominant program in its boys hockey section is an understatement.
For the fifth straight season and 10th time since 2015, the Zephyrs will be representing Section 4A in downtown St. Paul in early March.
This year’s trip was booked Thursday with Mahtomedi netting three goals before the midway point of the first period and cruising to a 7-1 win over Chisago Lakes at Aldrich Arena.
Will Seevers had two goals and an assist, Tommy Boe and Kaden Gagnelius had one of each, 11 players had points, and the Zephyrs beat the Wildcats in the section final for the fourth time in five seasons. Jackson Chesak made 27 saves.
“We’ve got a great group of guys and every year it’s just a blast,” said Cody Loida, who finished with two assists, as did Blake Loida and Brayden Fuerst.
Their enjoyment will continue Wednesday at Grand Casino Arena when Class A action begins. Tournament brackets are to be unveiled on Saturday.
Mahtomedi (17-9-2), which won 4-1 at Chisago Lakes a month ago, has won 34 of its last 35 regular or postseason games against section opponents. The Zephyrs lost 3-2 at home to the Wildcats on Jan. 28, 2025.
“We take lots of pride in it. Every year it’s our goal to come out of it alive. We come to practice early every day, put all the hours in. It’s fun,” Seevers said.
Mahtomedi finished with 42 shots on goal, including 24 in a four-goal opening 17 minutes.
Ten of those came in the first four minutes with Devin O’Donnell’s tap in at the right post at 2:02 the lone goal.
Boe converted a feed from Seevers and a Gagnelius laser from the from the edge of the left circle found the corner 35 seconds at 7:32 to make it 3-0.
Seevers made it 4-0 at 14:38, diving to poke home a loose puck in the blue paint after Cody Loida’s backhand hit the post.
“That is the best start our team has had in the past two years. I don’t think we’ve put up four in the first period like that, but when we bear down and work together it’s great,” Seevers said. “We know they’re a great team, so we had to kick it hard in the first period.”
Brock Gutterman tipped home a pass from Blake Loida early in the second and Easton DeZelar scored shorthanded a couple minutes later and it was 6-0.
Nick Hansen scored and Jacob Schaeppi finished with 35 saves for Chisago Lakes (16-9-3) but it was another case of the proverbial close but no cigar. The Wildcats are 0-7 in section finals since their 2014 squad made it to the state tournament.
Since losing three of four games late in January to St. Thomas Academy and Hill-Murray, traditional state AA powers, and Hermantown, a traditional top Class A team, Mahtomedi has won six straight, scoring at least five goals in four of them.
“We have one of the toughest schedules in Class A,” Cody Loida said. “You learn from those tough losses and that’s what gets us to the point right here.”
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