The Waldorf hockey team begins its quest for the Philip E. Schroeder Memorial Trophy, opening the Northern Collegiate Hockey League (NCHL) Tournament in today’s semifinal, according to a press release.

The Warriors (21-9-2), ranked No. 12 in the latest American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II Central Region poll, take the ice at 4 p.m. at Albert Lea City Arena against an opponent that is yet to be determined. Waldorf, the inaugural tournament’s No. 1 seed, received a first-round bye and will face the lowest-seeded team that advances from Friday’s opening-round matchups.

“Obviously, with the top seed comes the expectation of winning the tournament, both of which were goals of ours at the start of the season,” Waldorf coach Brett Shelanski said. “It is nice to have accomplished one season-long goal and be in a good position to accomplish another with the top seed in the tournament.”

“Regardless of who we end up playing against, we will be in four tough games,” Shelanski added. “Every team in this tournament is capable of beating any other team on any given night. That’s the way it has been all season.”

Waldorf clinched the tournament’s top seed with an 8-4 conference record while earning a share of the NCHL regular-season championship, sharing the honor with No. 15 Robert Morris University (17-14).

During the conference season, the Warriors completed series sweeps of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (7-12) and St. Mary’s University (4-15). They also swept No. 10 Northern Michigan University (17-14), but the Wildcats are not participating in the NCHL Tournament. Waldorf split with Michigan Technological University (6-9) and Robert Morris. The University Minnesota-Duluth (7-12) is the only team in the league that took a series from the Warriors.

The NCHL Tournament championship is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m.

Waldorf’s goal is to capture the Philip E. Schroeder Memorial Trophy, also known as the Hap Cup, on its home ice. Though it’s attainable, it’s certainly easier said than done.

“It will not be easy in a short, single-elimination tournament with the quality of teams in our conference,” Shelanski said. “It will take our best hockey with all-out efforts every shift to get it done.”

The Warriors have been on a tear since late November, winning 13 of their last 18 games. Having all of the team’s players on the same page has been a huge part of their success.

“The strength of this team is that every single player on our team understands and has bought into their roles and we have the ideal players in every role,” Shelanski said. “Every single guy has been willing to do whatever it takes to best help the team win without regard for personal gain and we need that to continue.”

Waldorf’s Dalton Kaake has put together an impressive season. The sophomore forward from Maple Creek, Saskatchewan leads the team with 20 goals, 21 assists and 41 total points.

Lane Sanderson, a sophomore from Consul, Saskatchewan, is second for the Warriors with 21 total points. He has recorded eight goals and 13 assists on the year.

Senior Daniel Pletta is second in scoring for Waldorf with 13 goals. Junior Jess Engquist and sophomore Alex Fleming have provided eight goals apiece on the season while sophomore Spencer Johnson has added seven goals.

The Warriors have received six goals each from junior Reed Loucks and senior Christian Weber. Senior Brent Putney, junior Jake Taylor, sophomore Artem Savelyev and freshman Matthew Liggett finished the regular season with five goals apiece while freshman Jeffrey Bartel contributed four goals.

Waldorf’s Ronald Paulson has fiercely defended the goal with 786 saves on the season. The freshman goaltender from Wainwright, Alberta owns a .942 save percentage and a 1.92 goals against average (GAA).

Sophomore Nicholas Carroll has also been solid in goal for the Warriors with 160 saves, a .920 save percentage and a 2.01 GAA.

Waldorf possesses plenty of firepower on offense, but has seemingly been firing on all cylinders down the season stretch.

“We have found chemistry in all of our forward lines and in all of our defense pairings,” Shelanski said. “We feel that we are strong and deep at every position, from the net out.”

The Warriors have been dominant at home, posting a 15-3-1 record at Albert Lea City Arena during the regular season. Shelanski said he doesn’t know if he would say his team plays with a different edge on their home ice, but Waldorf shows its spirit in front of its crowd.

“We try to play the same regardless of location or venue, but we have been tough to beat at home, so that definitely helps the confidence factor,” Shelanski said. “We definitely enjoy the atmosphere that our students and fans create and we know they will be there loudly supporting us during the tournament.”

It’s expected to be an exciting weekend for the Warriors, who have the opportunity to host as the No. 1 seed in front of fans, students, friends, families and the communities of Albert Lea and Forest City. The support is expected to be a driving force for Waldorf as the Warriors set their sights on the Hap Cup.

“We are playing our best hockey of the season at the right time right now,” Shelanski said. “Our guys are having fun and it’s been a blast coming to the rink every day. We get great support and we are very appreciative of that. We look forward to putting forth our best effort on the ice and hosting a top-notch event for our premier conference.”