Playing their first home game of the year on January 8, Paynesville faced a determined Buffalo squad which featured some of the biggest players in the league. Paynesville didn't let their size intimidate them though, winning 6-1. Paynesville then traveled to Bloomington Ice Gardens to play Bloomington Silver. The team showed they did not go down for nothing, winning 9-2. The next day on the 19th, they played Wayzata, a team they had beaten convincingly twice before. Although Wayzata jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first, the team did not let up, tying the score at two. The squad really showed their conditioning was working by out-hustling Wayzata's team. The game ended 3-3 despite last attempts to score.
The team has had a rough time lately on the road, losing their last two to undefeated Jefferson 5-4, with Jefferson scoring under 1:00 in the third, and Eden Prairie in a shootout 6-3. Their last win came at home last Monday against Cold Spring Red, the elder of Cold Spring's two teams. Paynesville lost the Watertown title to Cold Spring Red, so the team was out for revenge. In one of the most physical games of the year, Paynesville prevailed, winning 6-4.
The Midgets also placed in the Sauk Centre tournament on the 11th and 12th. They played well against a tough Bemidji, skating with them until Chris Soine was ejected for a very inadequate checking from behind call. The team lost 6-2. They then went on to beat Blaine and advanced to play St. Croix for fifth place which they lost 5-4 in OT.