The second installment of our daily 2020 All-Tournament Team, as selected by Loren Nelson and David La Vaque.
FORWARDS
Joe Miller
Blake | Junior
There are players who are fun to watch. And then there are guys like Miller (pictured above), a walking, talking YouTube video full of jaw-dropping dangles and dekes. His three goals (and two assists) will be added to a career highlight video that already threatens to break the capacity of the internet.
Ben Steeves
Eden Prairie | Senior
Lakeville South's man-to-man defense didn't account for Steeves' elusiveness. Or speed. Or markmanship. Once Steeves' beat his man, good things for the Eagles' usually resulted — as in two second-period goals in a dominating 4-0 victory over the Cougars.
Nick Pierre
Hill-Murray | Sophomore
He scored on a spin-o-rama from his knees. He scored on an end-to-end rush. He's scored six goals in four career games against Moorhead. The kid likes his Spuds.
DEFENSEMEN
Will Svenddal
Blake | Senior
A goal and five assists is a career for some stay-at-home defensemen. Even more remarkable, Svenddal's six-point afternoon wasn't filled with garbage-time second assists in a blowout. Every one of his points was crucial in Blake's thrilling 7-5 triumph over Maple Grove.
Luke Mittelstadt
Eden Prairie | Junior
Skated in untouched from the blue line for a first-period goal that had a bit of a Bobby Orr finish as he was tripped up at after scoring and went sailing — feet and arms in the air — face first to the ice. Oh, and his impeccable defense was integral in Eagles' registering the shutout win.
GOALTENDER
Tommy Aitken
St. Thomas Academy l Senior
Imported from Massachusetts by way of Omaha (where he played at the Midget AAA level and briefly for the USHL's Lancers last season), Aitkin seems to only get better as the playoff pressure builds. He made 15 of his 33 saves in the third period as the centerpiece of the Cadets' upset victory over No. 1 seed Andover.
