Lakeville North A New Power In Boys Hockey

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The No. 1 team in Minnesota boys high school hockey isn't Edina, or Eden Prairie or Hill-Murray.

It's a team that's never won a state title before.

When Trent Eigner came to Lakeville North four years ago, the school's most successful program was the marching band.

"It was not considered a hockey power," Eigner agreed.

Not only had the school never won a state tournament game, it'd never lost one by less than five goals.

"But we had the type of kids and athletes that felt we could turn it into something special," Eigner said.

The Panthers didn't finish with a winning record until Eigner's third year on the job. That was last year, when they reached the state title game before losing to Edina.

They haven't lost since.

Now 23-0, Lakeville North is just two more games away from finishing the regular season unbeaten.

"It would be a tremendous accomplishment," Eigner said. "And I think that amongst our kids and our coaching staff, it's not something that, when you get to this point in the season, they're afraid to talk about."

Two years ago, this team was 11-17-1. Now they're 23-0 and No. 1 in the state. How do you explain that kind of turnaround?

"I'd like to believe that some of the things we've done in the offseason, and just the overall approach we've taken towards the program," Eigner said, "has helped build a level of confidence and expectations in our kids."

They're building it in a place not known as a traditional power.

"I think that's one of the unique challenges about it," Eigner said.

But it's quickly becoming one.

"I think," Eigner said, "it's actually a conscious decision – when you take over a program – is to kind of chart the course for that program and define what you feel your program is capable of. And then doing the things that allow you to have that type of success.

"So we charted the course accordingly, and we've had success."

When the finalists for the Mr. Hockey award were announced Thursday, three of the 10 were from Lakeville North -- Jack Sadek, Nick Poehling, and Jack Poehling.