| 2008-2009 Section 3A Defending Champ - Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato. Favorites - New Ulm, Hutchinson. First Round: Marshall (14-12-0, #6 seed) defeated Sleepy Eye (1-20-0, #11 seed) 8-1. Marshall held a 2-1 edge after one period behind two goals from senior forward Danny Hansen. After a scoreless second period, the Tigers broke out with a six-goal third period including three more from Hansen. Marshall outshot Sleepy Eye 46-12. For Marshall, Hansen had 5 goals and senior forward Ryne Hanson had 1 goal, 4 assists. For Sleepy Eye, senior forward Marc Salazar had 1 goal. Goalies: Marshall - junior Mitch Campion, Sleepy Eye - senior Jared Gilliland. Windom Area (17-8-0, #7 seed) shutout Fairmont (3-19-0, #10 seed) 11-0. Windom Area scored four goals in each of the first two periods. Junior goalie Ethan Villeneuve of the Eagles logged the shutout. Windom Area outshot Fairmont 32-11. For Windom Area, senior forward Trevor Hage had 1 goal, 5 assists and junior forward Nick Eisenmenger had 4 goals, 1 assist. Goalies: Windom Area - Villeneuve, Fairmont - senior Tieg Arens (first two periods) and sophomore Zach Healy (third period). Worthington (5-15-0, #9 seed) defeated Luverne (13-8-1, #8 seed) 3-2. Luverne led 2-1 midway through the second period. At 14:21, senior forward Tyler Obermoller of Worthington was awarded a penalty shot but missed wide. Only :06 later, at 14:27, Obermoller buried a shot to tie the game, 2-2. At 16:13, Obermoller knocked in a rebound in front to boost the Trojans to a 3-2 advantage after two. In the third period, Worthington was able to hold off pressure from the Cardinals. In the final minute, with the aid of a penalty, Luverne pulled their goalie to attack 6-on-4; but, the Trojans held on. Luverne outshot Worthington 32-19. For Worthington, Obermoller had 2 goals. For Luverne, senior forwards Phil Paquette and Tim Connell each had 1 goal, 1 assist. Goalies: Worthington - junior Kyle Hain, Luverne - senior Tanner Skattum. Quarterfinals: New Ulm (21-4-1, #1 seed) shutout Worthington (5-16-0, #9 seed) 8-0. New Ulm led only 2-0 after two periods; but, the Eagles exploded for six goals in the third period. Senior goalie Justin Wiggins registered the shutout. New Ulm outshot Worthington 45-15. For New Ulm, senior forward Kyle Reinarts had 4 assists and junior forward Zach Fischer had 2 goals, 1 assist. Goalies: New Ulm - Wiggins, Worthington - junior Kyle Hain. Hutchinson (17-7-1, #2 seed) defeated Windom Area (17-9-0, #7 seed) 3-1. The first period was even with Windom Area holding a 1-0 lead; but, after that, it was all Hutchinson and senior forward Riley Bengston. The Tigers carried the play; and, Bengston netted two goals in the second period and one in the third. Hutchinson outshot Windom Area 40-24. For Hutchinson, Bengston had 3 goals and senior forward Mitchell Cowger had 3 assists. For Windom Area, freshman forward Adam Eisenmenger had 1 goal. Goalies: Hutchinson - junior Zak Swenson, Windom Area - senior Michael Balla. Willmar (11-13-0, #3 seed) defeated Marshall (14-13-0, #6 seed) 6-2 eng. Willmar dominated the game but could only muster one goal through two periods. In the opening seconds of the third period, senior forward Trent Fader of the Cardinals tallied to give Willmar a 2-0 edge. Willmar coasted with their two-goal advantage and finally the flood gates opened as the Cardinals netted four goals in the last half of the period. Willmar outshot Marshall 57-13. For Willmar, Fader had 2 goals, senior forwards Rory Schneider and Matt Odom along with sophomore defenseman Landon Peterson each had 1 goal, 1 assist. For Marshall, senior forward Danny Hansen had 1 goal, 1 assist and senior forward Ryne Hanson had 2 assists. Goalies: Willmar - junior Ben Leitch, Marshall - junior Mitch Campion. Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (10-16-0, #5 seed) defeated Redwood Valley (18-6-1, #4 seed) 5-4. The game was close and even as Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato led 3-1 after two periods. Early in the third period, Redwood Valley rallied for three goals in 2:09 to grab a 4-3 advantage after sophomore forward Eric Miller notched his third goal of the game, at 6:05. At 9:28, the Dragons answered with a tally from sophomore forward Andy Haataja that deadlocked the score at 4-4. About a minute and a half later, junior foward Nate Adams of Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato logged his third goal of the contest, at 11:06, which gave the Dragons a 5-4 edge. Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato was able to hold off the Cardinals the rest of the way. Redwood Valley outshot Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 33-27. For Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato, Adams had 3 goals and sophomore defenseman Quinn Impola had 1 goal, 1 assist. For Redwood Valley, Miller had 3 goals. Goallies: Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato - junior Bryce Johson, Redwood Valley - junior John Rebstock. Semifinals: New Ulm (22-4-1, #1 seed) defeated Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (10-17-0, #5 seed) 5-3. New Ulm registered three goals in the first period and two in the second for a commanding 5-2 lead after two. The Eagles outshot Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 41-27. For New Ulm, senior forward Kyle Reinarts and sophomore forward Adam Loose each had 1 goal, 2 assists. For Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato, senior defenseman Steve Koivisto, junior defenseman Brett Raisanen, and junior forward Tanner Gassman each had 1 goal. Goalies: New Ulm - senior Justin Wiggins (first period and 2:36 of second period) and sophomore Blake Burgau (in at 2:36 of second period), Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato - junior Bryce Johnson. Hutchinson (18-7-1, #2 seed) defeated Willmar (11-14-0, #3 seed) 5-1. Hutchinson did all the scoring in the first two periods for a 3-0 cushion after two. Willmar tried to comeback in the third period, outshooting the Tigers 14-4. The Cardinals cut into the margin with a goal from senior forward Trent Fader, at 9:01, and seemed poised for more when Hutchinson was whistled for a penalty three minutes later; however, senior forward Riley Bengston of the Tigers netted a shorthanded tally, at 13:41, to put the game out of reach. Willmar outshot Hutchinson 26-23. For Hutchinson, Bengston had 3 goals, 2 assists and senior forward Mitchell Cowger had 1 goal, 2 assists. For Willmar, Fader had 1 goal. Goalies: Hutchinson - junior Zak Swenson, Willmar - junior Ben Leitch. Final: Hutchinson (19-7-1, #2 seed) defeated New Ulm (22-5-1, #1 seed) 3-1. New Ulm controlled the first period, outshot Hutchinson 18-8, and notched the only goal of the period for a 1-0 edge after one. The Tigers came to life in the second period and knotted New Ulm, 1-1, with an early goal from senior forward Mitchell Cowger, at 2:49. In the third period, the Eagles were done in by three penalties. Senior forward Riley Bengston of Hutchinson redirected in a power play tally, at 1:05, to give the Tigers a 2-1 advantage. New Ulm killed off the second penalty; but, on the next Hutchinson power play, Bengston logged another power play goal, at 5:06, to put the Tigers in the drivers seat. New Ulm outshot Hutchinson 32-30. For Hutchinson, Bengston had 2 goals, 1 assist. For New Ulm, sophomore forward Adam Loose had 1 goal. Goalies: Hutchinson - junior Zak Swenson, New Ulm - sophomore Blake Burgau. |