Pre-Game

Most fans look at the Cardinals as being a high powered offensive team that have averaged more than seven goals a game in the regular season.  They are that and they are led by junior Chad Smedsrud (80 points/35 goals), senior Norman (65 points/21 goals), and eighth grader Jaxson Nelson (points/goals); but they are more than that.  They play defense the hard way learned over years of playing on Luverne Association's 10 forward youth teams.  They had to learn to be two-way players.  Half of their bench rest time was spent skating defense. 

The Cardinals' defense is led by junior Toby Sengvongxay, a select player player for the past two years and by senior goal tender Kendall Meyer (18-0-1 record giving up 1.2 goals a game while stopping 95% of the shots on net).

Hermantown is an experienced team having been to the state tourney before, but they are not a senior team.  Only four of their top ten scorers are seniors (Kori Ochs, Josh Lenard, Zach Kramer, and Scott Wasbotten).  Junior Ryan Kero (42 points/18 goals), Junior Nate Pionk (40 points/16 goals), and Wasbotten (33 points/16 goals) are the Hawks top scorers.  Defensively, senior goalie Adam Smith returns to the Xcel.  Smith started all three state tourney games last March.    

First Period Surprise

The first minute of the first period went as expected, the Hawks scored. Hermantown's Nate Pionk got credit for the goal, but puck took a wierd bounce at the top of the crease and ended up in the net.  Ryan Kero got the assist and just like that the Hawks led 1-0.  And their fans sat back waiting for the roof to drop on the Cardinals.

For the next four minutes, the two teams struggled.  The Hawks setting up in the Cardinals' and the Cards clearing to center ice and almost beating the Hawk defenseman.  At the 8 minute mark the Xcel erupted.  It had to erupt.  Luverne scored and most of the fans in the arena for the morning game were either from Luverne or Luverne fans.  Gunnar Olson got the power play goal thirty seconds into the penalty to tie the game 1-1.  Nelson and Smedsrud got the assists.

The Hawks came back with to score with four minutes left on the clock in the first period.  The Hawks Tanner Kimball scored to givre Hermantown a 2-1 lead going into the second period.  Amundson got the assist.  Surprisingly, the proverbial Xcel roof didn't collapse on the Cardinals.

Second Period Still No Falling Roof

Luverne opened the second period swinging the puck wide on the rushes.  One minute into the period, Luverne drew a Hawk penalty off a rush.  Luverne established control on the penalty in the Hawks' zone and continually looked for Sengvongxay at the center blue line for the shot.  The Hawk defense cut the play off and killed the penalty.

Seconds after the Hawks ended the penalty kill, they struck.  Luverne's defense got caught leaving the slot open coming out of the power play.  The Hawks took quick advantage setting up Cole Koepke to put the Hawks up 3-1.  Kori Ochs and Kyle Amundson got the assists.  The struggle continued as the fans again sat back and waited for the roof to fall.  Again, it didn't.

At the 10 minute mark the Hawks drew a slashing penalty and 30 seconds later the Cards' Gunnar Olson scored.  It was Luverne's second power play of the game cutting the Hawks lead to 3-2.  Smedsrud and Sengvongxay got the assists.

It took the Hawks five minutes to get the final goal of the second period.  Like the first Hawk goal, the puck took a fortunate bounce off the side of the cage on to Luke Jacques in the slot for the score.  Peter Hawk centered the attempt from behind the net.  Hermantown led 4-2.  As the period ended, Luverne's line of Smedsrud-Verhey-Nelson was starting to pressure the Hawks.  But the Hawks look tough.  In a crazy game, the opening minutes of the third period would become critical.

Period Three The Roof Sags

Hermantown was the experienced team and they had the Cardinals backed up as the third period.  They went for the knockout and got their fifth goal one minute into the third period.  Amundson got the score; Ochs and Koepke got the assists.  And the roof fell in, sort of.  The younger Cardinals pulled back and the Hawks attacked.  Over the next eight minutes they pummelled the Cardinals goalie Kendall Meyer, but couldn't score despite posting most of their 20 third period shot on goal.

With 8 minutes left in the game, the Luverne forwards starting beating the Hawk defense on the breakout.  With 5 minutes to go, they did.  Andrew Verhey beat the Hawk defense coming straight down the slot.  His high hard shot beat Hermantown's goalie Adam Smith to cut the Hawks lead to 5-3.  The Luverne fans got vocal.  The Cardinals brought pressure on the Hawks in the remaining minutes but couldn't score.  The Hawks goalie Adam Smith made some big stops and the Cardinals couldn't score.  The Hawks' Pionke scored an empty netter late in the game to make the final score 6-3.

What Is Next?

Hermantown continues its quest.  The Hawks are one step closer to the banner that says State Champions.  They will play New Prague Friday in the semifinal game.  Luverne moves to Mariucci to play Chisago Lakes in the consolation semifinals.  Both Luverne and Hermantown are not going to go away next year.  Luverne should be back only stronger.  Hermantown will struggle with the Duluth Marshalls, but will be a favorite to return to state.  The two teams could play at the Xcel again.  Maybe Luverne will hoist its first state champions banner.