| 2008-2009 Section 4AA Defending Champ - Hill-Murray. Favorites - Tartan, Hill-Murray, White Bear Lake. First Round: North St. Paul (11-15-0, #7 seed) defeated St. Paul Como Park (7-17-2, #10 seed) 4-2. North St. Paul led 3-2 after two periods and capped off the scoring with a tally in the third. The Polars outshot St. Paul Como Park 34-16. For North St. Paul, junior defenseman Joe Rubbelke had 4 assists and senior forward Josh Hinz had 1 goal, 1 assist. For St. Paul Como Park, senior defenseman David Eng had 1 goal, 1 assist. Goalies: North St. Paul - junior Peter Toy, St. Paul Como Park - junior Tom Bakker. St. Paul Johnson (14-12-0, #8 seed) defeated St. Paul Saints (11-13-3, #9 seed) 3-2. In an even game, the teams were tied 2-2 after two periods. St. Paul Johnson netted the only goal of the third period, from senior defenseman Tanner Hendrickson at 11:05, to pull out the victory. Shots were even 21-21. For St. Paul Johnson, senior forward Willie Faricy had 2 assists. For St. Paul Saints, senior forward Sam Wilczyk had 2 assists and senior forward Mike Anderson and junior forward Jake Wallner each had 1 goal. Goalies: St. Paul Johnson - senior Joe Benert, St. Paul Saints - junior John Bretzman. Quarterfinals: St. Paul Johnson (15-12-0, #8 seed) upset Tartan (17-8-1, #1 seed) 4-3. The teams were tied 1-1 after one period; and, St. Paul Johnson got a late goal in the second period to acquire a 3-2 advantage after two. Tartan poured on the offensive pressure in the third period, outshooting St. Paul Johnson 21-10; but, senior goalie Joe Benert of the Governors was up to the task. Junior forward Casey O'Sullivan of the Titans notched an early power play goal, at 2:20, to knot the game, 3-3; but, the score stayed 3-3 until the final minute. It looked like the teams were headed for overtime; however, as time was running out, at 16:52, junior forward Zach Lopez of the Governors stunned Tartan by knocking in the game-winner. Tartan outshot St. Paul Johnson 46-27. For St. Paul Johnson, junior forward Ian Zangs had 1 goal, 1 assist. For Tartan, O'Sullivan had 1 goal, 1 assist. Goalies: St. Paul Johnson - Benert, Tartan - junior Eric Thayer. Hill-Murray (16-9-1, #2 seed) defeated North St. Paul (11-16-0, #7 seed) 3-1. The first two periods were scoreless and fairly even. Early in the third period, senior forward Tyler Zepeda of Hill-Murray put the Pioneers on the board, at 3:49; and, junior defenseman Chris Casto followed with a power play tally only :26 later, at 4:15, to put Hill-Murray in command. Junior defenseman Jordan Johnson of the Pioneers added another power play marker, at 6:28, giving Hill-Murray a 3-0 advantage. Hill-Murray outshot North St. Paul 34-26. For Hill-Murray, Johnson had 1 goal, 1 assist. For North St. Paul, junior defenseman Joe Rubbelke had 1 goal. Goalies: Hill-Murray - sophomore Tim Shaughnessy, North St Paul - junior Peter Toy. White Bear Lake (14-10-2, #3 seed) defeated Mounds View (7-18-1, #6 seed) 5-2 eng. White Bear Lake led 3-1 after two periods; but, Mounds View opened up the third period with a goal from senior forward Jake Elms, at 0:24, to creep within 3-2. The Bears carried the action in the third period; however, the Mustangs remained close until senior forward Sam Swanson of White Bear Lake converted a power play tally, at 7:20. The Bears added an empty net goal. White Bear Lake outshot Mounds View 31-19. For White Bear Lake, sophomore forward Max Birkinbine had 2 goals, Swanson had 1 goal, 1 assist, and sophomore forward Brandon Wahlin and junior forward Ryan Wolter each had 2 assists. For Mounds View, Elms had 2 goals. Goalies: White Bear Lake - senior Owen Collette, Mounds View - junior Dylan Culver. Stillwater (12-11-3, #5 seed) defeated Roseville (15-10-1, #4 seed) 4-3 in two overtimes. Stillwater scored twice in the second period to claim a 3-2 edge after two. In the third period, Roseville answered back with a shorthanded tally from senior forward Josh Dishop, at 7:02, that evened the game, 3-3. Neither team could break the tie during the rest of regulation; and, the first overtime was also scoreless and evenly played. The second overtime was likewise even until 9:26 when senior forward Nate Hewes of the Poines scored the game-winner. Stillwater outshot Roseville 34-32 For Stillwater, Hewes, senior forward Tyler Gosso, junior forward Wilson Housley, and sophomore forward Blake Dochniak each had 1 goal. For Roseville, senior forward Nick Johnson had 1 goal, 1 assist. Goalies: Stillwater - junior Trinstan Pennella, Roseville - senior Ben Podobinski. Semifinals: Hill-Murray (17-9-1, #2 seed) defeated White Bear Lake (14-11-2, #3 seed) 5-4 in overtime. Hill-Murray scored the only goal of the first period; but, the teams exchanged five goals in the second period. White Bear Lake knotted the game, 2-2, with a goal at 12:25 of the second period; however, the Pioneers responded with tallies from senior forwards Jeff Westerhaus, at 14:39, and Tyler Zepeda, at 15:39 on a power play, his second of the period, to grab a 4-2 margin after two. In the third period, the Bears stormed back as junior forward Ryan Wolter logged a goal, at 6:34, and sophomore forward Max Birkinbine tallied on a power play, at 7:39, to tie the contest, 4-4. Neither team could break the deadlock in the remainder of regulation play. In overtime, sophomore forward Ben Bahe of Hill-Murray drilled a wrist shot for the game-winner at 5:34. White Bear Lake outshot Hill-Murray 26-19. For Hill-Murray, Zepeda had 2 goals, 2 assists and Bahe and Westerhaus each had 1 goal, 1 assist. For White Bear Lake, Wolter had 1 goal, 1 assist. Goaliess: Hill-Murray - sophomore Tim Shaughnessy, White Bear Lake - senior Owen Collette. Stillwater (13-11-3, #5 seed) shutout St. Paul Johnson (15-13-0, #8 seed) 5-0. Stillwater held a slim 1-0 advantage after two periods by virtue of the only goal of the second period. In the third period, the Ponies struck for four tallies while junior goalie Tristan Pennella registered the shutout. Stillwater outshot St. Paul Johnson 33-19. For Stillwater, junior forward Brandon Schuman had 2 goals and junior forward Wilson Housley had 2 assists. Goalies: Stillwater - Pennella, St. Paul Johnson - senior Joe Benert. Final: Hill-Murray (18-9-1, #2 seed) defeated Stillwater (13-12-3, #5 seed) 5-4 in two overtimes. The game was back and forth over the first two periods leaving the teams tied, 3-3, after two. In the third period, Hill-Murray got an early goal from junior forward Jack Walsh, at 3:56, and went into a defensive mode. As a result, there were only seven totals shots on goal combined for both teams as the Pioneers tried to protect their 4-3 advantage; however, at 14:44, senior forward Zach Heacox of Stillwater tipped in a shot from the right point to retie the contest, 4-4. In the first overtime, Hill-Murray carried the action, outshooting the Poines 8-4; but, neither team could break the tie. In the second overtime, the Pioneers continued to control the play and outshot Stillwater 9-2 until junior defenseman Jordan Johnson of Hill-Murray picked up a loose puck at center ice, drove down the right side, and slipped a wrister in the short side for the game-winner, at 14:40. Hill-Murray outshot Stillwater 41-29. For Hill-Murray, senior forward Tyler Zepeda had 2 goals and sophomore forward Ben Bahe had 2 assists. For Stillwater, Heacox, junior forward Alex Chuhel, and sophomore defenseman Kyle Mogren each had 1 goal, 1 assist. Goalies: Hill-Murray - sophomore Tim Shaughnessy, Stillwater - junior Tristan Pennella. |