Minnesota Finals Feature Two Bids At Undefeated Seasons
The Minnesota high school state playoffs concluded on Saturday, with Class-AA and Class-A championship games at Xcel Energy Center. Both matchups featured teams looking to finish the season undefeated. Gentry Academy entered the Class-A final with an 18-0-0 record while Lakeville South came to the Class-AA championship with a 20-0-2 record.
Gentry Academy left little doubt as to who the top team in Class-A was, after out-scoring opponents 21-4 in three state tournament games, including an 8-1 finish in the championship. ‘03 forward Damon Furuseth tallied a goal and three assists in the finale, leading the Galaxy in scoring as he did all season long with 16 goals and 49 points. Classmate Nick Sajevic finished his own perfect season, adding a goal and an assist to successfully record at least one point in every game for Gentry Academy this season.
The Class-AA final was filled with drama, as two of the top teams in the state tangled. Eden Prairie’s high-powered offense averaged 5.2 goals per game; almost as impressive as Lakeville South’s 6.0 average. However, it was the goalies who stole the show, as a pair of ‘02s in Cody Ticen and Zach Hayes combined to stop 58-of-60 shots faced. Expecting and offensive onslaught but caught in a 1-1 stalemate, the two teams skated to a tie deep into two overtimes.
Congrats the to Eden Prairie Eagles, they are your class AA champions this season. pic.twitter.com/sp7pnkd0zm
— FollowThePuck (@FollowThePuck) April 4, 2021
Then, 2:06 into the second OT, ‘03 forward Jackson Blake buried a rebound to break the deadlock and bring Eden Prairie its third Minnesota state championship in the school’s history. Blake is verbally committed to play college hockey for the University of North Dakota and is one-of-four players from EP with Division-I commitments.
#Ploffs season is in full effect. The State of Hockey crowned its champions for 2021, USA Hockey Districts are in the midst of naming champions and awarding bids to Nationals, and Russia’s District championships at several age groups have concluded as well. Got a playoff hockey update for us? Text WHH to 603-541-7772.
