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HDMN '20: Warroad tops host Minneapolis

By Peter Odney , 01/18/20, 1:15PM CST

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Owen Meeker pots two goals to lead Warriors to Hockey Day thumping of Minneapolis.


Saizha Norwegian skates through Warroad's warmups before the Warriors' 5-1 win over Minneapolis on Saturday morning.

Warriors get 16th win of season on Hockey Day

Minneapolis senior captain Ben Murray’s sentiments before his team’s Hockey Day Minnesota debut probably reflected the thoughts and feelings of most of the players on Saturday morning. 

“Leading up to it, the last ten minutes before the game felt like an hour,” Murray said. “It was crazy.”

After the ceremonial puck drop, during which Murray had the honor of escorting Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey to center ice, the game was on. 

The Minneapolis city skyline acted as a backdrop for a small town’s victory, as Warroad (population of just under 2,000) scored twice in the first period en route to a 5-1 win over Minneapolis. One of the goals for the Warriors (16-1) came on a shorthanded chance by Owen Meeker, a tally that coach Jay Hardwick said was the cherry on top of a penalty-killing sundae. 

“The shorthanded goals are kind of a bonus,” Hardwick said. “You can never count on them, but you definitely want to make sure that your penalty kill is going. I thought we did a great job penalty-killing today.”


Warroads Owen Meeker scored two goals in Saturday's win over Minneapolis.

Jayson Shaugabay, the state’s leading freshman scorer, netted his 12th goal of the season in the second period, and Luke Erickson pushed the lead to 4-0 for the Warriors, slotted at No. 3 in the latest Youth Hockey Hub Staff Rankings. 

Murray put Minneapolis (7-8-1) on the board midway through the third period, but Meeker’s second score of the game put the contest out of reach. Meeker said that the key to excelling on the outdoor sheet was to keep things simple. 

“You can’t stickhandle too much, so (you) just get shots,” Meeker said.

Warroad goaltender Zach Foster stopped every shot but one in the win, finishing with 19 saves.  

Despite surrendering a seemingly cringe-worthy five goals, freshman goaltender Cole Kloek and sophomore Alex Lamont of Minneapolis turned in an outstanding performance, routinely denying the high-flying Warroad offense. 

“(They) kept the game close,” Hardwick said. “Every period it seemed like there was at least a couple chances where I was ready to raise my arms and then I’d turn to somebody and sat ‘Did he just save that,?’” Hardwick said. 

In the end, no amount of sliding and sprawling could stop the Warriors, who also received an emotional boost from the large contingent of Warroad families in attendance. Eight of Warroad’s youth teams are in the metro area for their own games but made sure to carve out a few hours to cheer on their high school heroes. 

“I looked up in the stands, and it was all black and gold and red, white, and blue,” Hardwick said, alluding to the program’s youth teams which wear red, white, and blue until they suit up for the high school team. 

“It was great to see all the Warroad people here supporting us.”  


The stands were packed with Warroad's youth skaters on Saturday. Eight of the association's youth teams are in the metro area for both Hockey Day and their own games.

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