Gavin Payne scored unassisted in the third period on a great individual effort, giving the Skippers a seemingly solid 3-0 lead with just 7:30 remaining in regulation. 

No. 3 seed Wayzata (12-12-3) charged back in the waning minutes of the game, with Luke Paterson and Max Zimmer scoring three minutes apart to pull the Trojans within one goal at 3-2.

Berger said that the late goals the Trojans scored were a byproduct of a chaotic last few minutes. “It’s hockey,” Berger said with a smile. “Anything can happen.”

After the final buzzer, a little frustration spilled over for the Trojans, which was quickly contained before it could involve more players. Minnetonka coach Brian Urick says he’s thankful his players didn’t retaliate. “I was just hoping our guys were smart enough to stay out of it,” Urick said. 

While the last moments of the game may not have been pretty, Berger says that there’s not much else his players can give him in terms of effort and attitude. “Berger played well tonight, and our guys battled hard,” Urick said. “That’s all I can ask for.”