Duluth Marshall and Cloquet are tied with six points apiece in the Lake Superior Conference standings, where they trail first-place Hermantown and its seven points.
A win for either when they meet Thursday could go a long way in the quest for the league title.
Duluth Marshall (6-3-1, 2-1-0) faces Hermantown on Monday and Two Harbors on Tuesday before traveling to Cloquet on Thursday. Three games in four days will mean multiple players may need to step up, but the Hilltoppers have depth on offense. Three players boast five or more goals this season, including Victoria Thorson and Maren Friday, who have seven apiece.
The Lumberjacks' schedule is a doozy, too, with games Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday's showdown. Despite the circumstances, Cloquet (9-1, 2-0) boasts the state's top scorer, Kendra Kelley, who’s netted 23 goals this season. Kiana Bender has been a reliable second option, scoring eight goals and leading the team with six assists.
The No. 10-1A Lumberjacks are averaging 3.6 goals per game this season, including three games with seven or more goals. Their potent attack will be looking to score as much as possible this week to preserve their perfect conference record.