Hawks Fall in Title Game

The Zephyrs blocked shots without fear, toiled on defense without tiring and held together when faced with overtime. Their reward came when senior forward Colin Hagstrom scored in the extra session for a 3-2 victory against northern power Hermantown and the program’s first Class 1A state tournament championship.

Playing Saturday against a Hermantown team that pounded them 9-2 on Dec. 21, the Zephyrs suffocated the Hawks in the rematch. Power-play goals from JD Metz and Ethan Peterson provided a 2-0 lead.

No. 4 seed Mahtomedi (23-8) clung to a conservative style, finishing with 12 shots on goal and going a little more than 20 minutes without a shot on goal from mid-second period until 6:38 remained in the third period. Hermantown outshot the Zephyrs 42-12.

Hermantown looked inspired Friday in its victory against defending champion St. Cloud Cathedral. But Hawks star forward Blake Biondi shrugged off talk of an emotional hangover.

No. 3 seed Hermantown (23-4-4) fought back and tied the game on Aaron Pionk’s goal with 21.2 seconds left.

For stunned Mahtomedi, history wasn’t on its side. In 11 previous state tournament trips, the Zephyrs had lost in the semifinals five times. Semifinal appearances the past two seasons ended in overtime losses.

Not Saturday. Hagstrom, kept out of the lineup until Jan. 28 by a broken fibula, scored his third goal of the tournament and 11th of the season.