Loren Nelson

1 month ago | legacy.hockey | Loren Nelson

ST. PAUL - Sometimes the goals are spectacular in overtime. Sometimes a player races down a rebound in far corner of the rink, a mile from the net and behind it, too, but decides to shoot anyway. And it goes in. The latter was the case on Friday as Jace Van Eps’ hustling, heady playing style mixed with a splash of puck luck made for a delightful concoction for the East Grand Forks in its 2-1 victory over St. Cloud Cathedral in the state Class 1A championship game at the Xcel Energy Center.

1 month ago | legacy.hockey | Loren Nelson |David La Vaque

ST. PAUL - Jace Van Eps scored the game-winning goal in overtime as No. 4 seed East Grand Forks upset second-seeded St. Cloud Cathedral 2-1 in the Class 1A state championship game Saturday afternoon at Xcel Energy Center. The championship is the third in the history of the Green Wave and first since winning back-to-back titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15. The loss denied St. Cloud Cathedral, the 2004 champion, in its bid for consecutive titles. The winning goal came from a tight angle.

1 month ago | legacy.hockey | Loren Nelson

ST. PAUL - Rory Kvern and Luca Decubellis each had a goal and an assist as No. 6 seed Orono beat No. 1 seed Hibbing/Chisholm 5-1 on Saturday in the state Class 1A third place game at the Xcel Energy Center. Orono (17-11-13) led 2-0 after the second period and went up 3-0 just 2:12 into the third on a power-play goal by Kvern, a junior forward. Hibbing/Chisholm (20-11-0) answered just 15 second later, closing to within 3-1 on a goal by Blake Riccio.

1 month ago | legacy.hockey | Loren Nelson

ST. PAUL - Zero-for-eight and 0-for-20. They are the two most famous, or infamous, streaks in state tournament history. One of them could be dispatched into the ether tonight. A Moorhead victory over Stillwater would give the Spuds their first state championship. They’ve lost in all eight of their previous title game appearances. “They’ve been really good for a long time,” Edina coach Curt Giles, in his 26th season, said Friday after Moorhead beat the Hornets 4-3 in a state Class 2A semifinal.

1 month ago | legacy.hockey | Loren Nelson |David La Vaque

ST. PAUL - Zac Zimmerman's power-play goal with 58 seconds left in the third period clinched a 4-3 win for top-seeded Moorhead over No. 5 Edina Friday night in a Class 2A semifinal at Xcel Energy Center. Zimmerman found himself with time, space and a loose puck at the doorstep, and, after two swipes at the puck, managed to fire it home, sending the Spuds to their ninth all-time state title game. The teams traded blows early before the game settled in.