Hockey | 1/30/2025 12:29:00 PM

Crookston, Minn. - The Golden Eagles will wrap up their regular season conference play for the 2024-2025 season this weekend when they faceoff with the Tommies. This matchup will be the biggest of the regular season and will play a major factor in terms of seeding for the WCCHA Tournament. As it sits today, the Golden Eagles are fourth in the KRACH rankings for the tournament, which would match them up with the fifth seed for a game on Friday, February 7th at 8:15 p.m. in Blaine, Minnesota.

This will be the fifth and sixth meetings between the two programs, with them matching up three times last season. Last season, each game finished with a final score of 3-2, including the WCCHA Championship which ended with the Tommies winning it in overtime. The Golden Eagles are currently 1-2-1 in program history against the Tommies. The largest goal differential between these two teams was the first game against one another, a 4-2 win for the Tommies. The Golden Eagles have scored nine total goals across the four games they have played against the Tommies, averaging 2.25 per game. The Tommies have scored 12, averaging 3.00 goals per game. 

The Golden Eagles Player to Watch this weekend is Dylan Neubauer (Sr., D, Grand Forks, N.D.) who has been a key part of the Golden Eagles success this season. Neubauer has been one of the best defensive defensemen in the ACHA since making the shift from forward to the blue line last season. He has grown into a premier shutdown defenseman while still producing at a good rate with 14 points, four goals and 10 assists, in 22 games played this season. His physicality and grit will be necessary when matching up with the Tommies. 

The Golden Eagles are currently riding an eight game win streak, during which they have scored 82 goals, averaging 10.25 goals per game. They have only allowed 11 goals in that same eight game span, averaging 1.375 goals against per game. In addition to the fantastic play in net from all four goalies, the defense has also stepped up in a big way, averaging just 21.25 shots against per game, 170 total. Offensively, the Golden Eagles average 58.5 shots per game, at 468 total. 

This will be a major test for the Golden Eagles. St. Thomas sits just one spot ahead of the Golden Eagles in the KRACH Rankings, having a 12-4 conference record compared to the Golden Eagles 13-3 record. This matchup will also be important for the regional rankings. The Golden Eagles currently sit in 12th in the Central Region, with the Tommies in third. 

The Golden Eagles and Tommies are set for puck drop Friday, January 31st at 8 p.m. in St. Paul, Minn. and Saturday, February 1st at 11 a.m. in Vadnais Heights, Minn.