Season's first full weekend of games set to begin

Sanford Power is the Elite League's defending playoff champion. Photo by Loren Nelson, LegacyHockeyPhotography.com

The first full weekend of Upper Midwest High School Elite Hockey League games is set to begin on Saturday, Sept. 9 at New Hope Ice Arena, with numerous Division I college coaches and 28 of the 32 NHL teams expected be in attendance.

Eight games are set for Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. with four morning-session matchups. The evening session, which includes four more games, starts at 5:30 p.m. The first of Sunday’s four games starts at 9 a.m.

A new twist for the Elite League, in its 22nd season, are back-to-back games Oct. 7-8 in New Hope against USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program’s Under-17 squad. A league all-star team will be selected to play the Under-17 team. 

The Elite League, regarded as one of the nation’s premiere leagues for high school hockey players, officially opened its season last Saturday and Sunday with two games each in Bemidji and Chippewa Falls, Wis.

While most weekends feature a full slate of games in New Hope, the league goes on the road Sept. 22-24 with games in Bemidji, Duluth, Moorhead, and Eau Claire, Wis. The league playoffs are set for Oct. 27-29 in New Hope. Sanford Power is the defending league playoff champion. Click here for the full league schedule.

Games will be streamed live on MNHockey.TV, and select Tuesday night games will include play-by-play commentary, starting with the two games set for Sept. 12 in New Hope.

Action and feature photos will be available for parents and players to purchase at LegacyHockeyPhotography.com. In-game updates and photos will be posted on the league’s social media accounts, including the site formerly known as Twitter.

The Upper Midwest High School Elite League was founded in 2002 and is model program for player development in North America. It provides the region’s top players with an opportunity to play with and against top competition while maintaining their eligibility to play high school hockey in their respective communities.