Hawks a Bridesmaid Once Again

With the bands playing hard and the cheerleaders twirling the fan-fest began. Immediately off the face off the Hawks let Koepke free up the left side with a shot that flares off a defensive stick up into the netting. Action ensues at both ends with both goalies being challenged.

A very solid pipe shot by EGF with the puck cleared before being brought in and shoved into the left post by Tanner Twetan of a shot by Dison Bowen after a great up ice pass from line mate Grant Loven.

Hermantown comes down after the face-off with pressure from #5 Wyatt Aamodt and #7 Ryan Kero but both shots are stymied. Shortly after 10th grader Matt Valure breaks up the right side and barely misses. Then the puck jumps out to Wyatt Aamodt with a shot from the point whistling wide on a tip by # 16 Brendan Baker. Then the top line for Hermantown comes down with several shots of their own.

Scoring chances again for both teams midway in the first and the 7-4 shots does not indicate all the missed net opportunities. Penalty EGF for Hooking. EGF seems to handle it sell keeping puck out of the zone or out wide until Kero gets the puck and is able to walk in for a clear chance. Several tips in front by the Hawks Koepke and then as the Wave tries to clear it Koepke takes a slash penalty in frustration at missed opportunity to tie the game.

EGF on the power play. The puck bounces to the point and the defense steps up then slides a pass to the left side to a wide open Austin Monda for a two goal lead. He had help from top scorers Tanner Tweten and Dixon Bowen.

Late in the first period a nice pass from Aamodt to an open Koepke for a tip that just misses.  The Wave seem to be winning the battle of the boards and clearing rebounds to avoid second chances by the Hawks. Plenty of first chances for the Hawks.

Goal Hawk. Parker that is. On a nice pass from Jesse Jacques, Parker Hawk strides across the blue line and lets rip a shot that clears the EGF goalie. Shortly after the Hawks #9 Eric Gotz reverses the breakout pass from EGF back to #6 Nate Pionk who takes it in, tries to pass, and buries his own pass. Game tied at 2.

Chances at both ends once again as the first lines battle. Then the second line for EGF gets a few nice ties before the third line for the Hawks steps up an dgives it a good try. Then as the first lines come back out a bad breakout pass by the Hawk defense allows Loven to come hard at the goal and the puck squirts to the weak side to an open Dixon Bowen who buries the puck. After a challenge for goalkeeper interference the goal stands and EGF leads 3-2 midway in the second.

A quick line change by the Green wave allows a 4-1 rush that is cleared to the corner before a flurry of shots occurs. Penalty EGF off the face off at the end of the period. Hawks will start the third period with a power play.

Third period starts with intense action and the Hawks holding a shot advantage for the period when EGF takes advantage of another Hermantown mishandling of the puck leads to a break by Austin Monda. the Wave leads by two going into the late stages of the third period. Hawks on the power play as a penalty EGF Tweten for interference. Wave kills it off and 4:31 remains in the season and one team will go home state champs.

Chance at 2:10 for EGF as Hermantown presses and allows odd man rush up the ice. Goalie pulled for extra skater as EGF changes lines often. Offsides Hawks. 1:14 left. Hawks timeout. Goal with 32.8 remaining. Shot from the point sails past the Wave goalie. The fans go wild. Shot Hawks, save EGF. Shot from the point and this thing is tied! Wow!. This one was redirected. Only 15.9 in the third period. Tying goal was by Eric Gotz. 3rd goal was by Wyatt Aamodt.

Overtime is on the clock. No shootouts here folks. We play until there is a winner. The Hermantown kids are dressed in red, white, and blue and the signs read “do you believe in Miracles”. The chant is we believe. Let’s see if that works.

The legs are a little rubbery, and I am talking about mine. Just imagine how these boys feel after three games in 4 days.

Puck ping pongs in the EGF end.

Off the face-off in the Hermantown end the EGF team hustles after it. They pop it out front to a wide open Tweten who buries it over the Hawks goalies left shoulder. Game over. The battle was won on the boards. East Grand Forks upsets Hermantown for a second year in a row. Hermantown is 2nd place for 6th straight year.

Kelly Cooke @kidcooke for Northland Sports Online @northlandsports

Pics by Nicole Cooke @giggles2434

Hockey Game Box Score

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Hockey Game Box Score (OT Period [03:34])
#3 East Grand Forks vs #1 Hermantown (Mar 07, 2015 at St. Paul, MN)


 East Grand Forks (26-4-0) vs. Hermantown (27-3-1)
 Date: Mar 07, 2015  Location: St. Paul, MN          Arena: Xcel Energy Center
 Attendance:9357   Start time:12:21 pm  End time:2:39 pm   Total time:2:18


 Goals by Period       1  2  3 OT  Tot
 -------------------------------------
 East Grand Forks....  2  1  1  1 -  5
 Hermantown..........  0  2  2  0 -  4

   1st period - 1, EASTGRAN, Tanner Tweten (Dixon Bowen, Grant Loven)
4:26. 2, EASTGRAN, Austin Monda (Tanner Tweten, Dixon Bowen) 13:10
(pp). Penalties - Sam Larson, EASTGRAN (hooking) 10:10; Cole Koepke,
HERMANTO (slashing) 12:03.

   2nd period - 3, HERMANTO, Parker Hawk (Jesse Jacques, Sam Gibson)
1:28. 4, HERMANTO, Nate Pionk (Eric Gotz) 4:02. 5, EASTGRAN, Dixon
Bowen (Grant Loven) 10:14. Penalties - Reed Corbid, EASTGRAN
(tripping) 16:35.

   3rd period - 6, EASTGRAN, Austin Monda 4:04. 7, HERMANTO, Wyatt
Aamodt (Ryan Kero) 16:27. 8, HERMANTO, Eric Gotz (Ryan Kero) 16:44.
Penalties - Tanner Tweten, EASTGRAN (interference) 10:05.

   OT period - 9, EASTGRAN, Tanner Tweten (Reed Corbid, Dixon Bowen)
3:34. Penalties -

   Shots on goal - EASTGRAN 6-11-6-2 25; HERMANTO 12-9-10-0 31.

   Power plays - EASTGRAN 1 of 1; HERMANTO 0 of 3.

   Penalties - EASTGRAN 3 (6 min); HERMANTO 1 (2 min).

   Goalies - EASTGRAN, Josh Weber (54:34 minutes, 31 shots-27 saves);
HERMANTO, Luke Olson (52:58, 25-20) , EMPTY NET (01:36, 0-0).

   Penalty shots - None.

 A-9357  T-2:18
 Three stars: 1. None    2. None    3. None
 Referee:Jeremy Hendrickson; Steve Nolander  Linesman:Anton Fehrenbach

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