Alexandria gets its shot at top-ranked Hermantown after win over Minneapolis
The Cardinals will face the 27-2 Hawks on Friday at 1 p.m. back at the Xcel Energy Center.
Alexandria players celebrate Brycen Berg’s goal against Minneapolis during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
ST. PAUL — The Alexandria boys hockey team will get a shot at Class A power Hermantown on Friday with a trip to the state championship game on the line.
The Cardinals earned that right with a 4-1 win over Minneapolis in Wednesday night’s state quarterfinals at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
"Our top line played really well," Alexandria head coach Josh Meyers said. "You can see they’ve been playing together for a long time this year. With that too, it’s also the two defensemen who are out there on the ice with them."
Senior Brycen Berg is a part of that top line as he came into the state tournament as Alexandria’s top goal scorer with 27 goals. He added two more in the biggest game of his career.
Alexandria forward Brycen Berg (11) celebrates his goal against Minneapolis during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
Berg got his stick on a Henry Ramstorf shot from the blue line late in the second period. That was enough to deflect the puck past Minneapolis goaltender Alex Lamont for a 2-1 Cardinals lead with 2:04 left in the period.
ADVERTISEMENT
Alexandria put the game away in the third. Senior goaltender Teagan Pfeffer made a sprawling stop for his 19th save of the game with about 12 minutes left on a puck that he gloved just inches from the goal line after it got through his pads.
It was still a one-goal game at that point. Not long after that save, sophomore Gavin Olson scored for Alexandria to make it 3-1.
"Our defense was playing really amazing in front of me," Pfeffer said. "That one got through, and I just kind of relied on my instinct to make that save. Once we scored that goal, I was like, ‘Oh, we’re going to win this game.’ I had total confidence that we were going to pull it out because we’re a third-period team."
Olson did a great job of stopping the puck on a pass a bit behind him from Joe Lamski. Olson spun backwards and sent a backhand in for the two-goal lead. It was his eighth goal of the playoffs after scoring seven in the section tournament.
Alexandria goaltender Teagan Pfeffer (31) grabs a shot by Minneapolis forward Jack Hanson (19) during the third period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
Joe Lamski put the finishing touches on the win with an empty-netter with 2:04 left.
Alexandria fell in a 4-2 game against Minneapolis during the regular season on Dec. 11 when Minneapolis jumped out to a 4-0 lead through two periods. Wednesday’s start could not have gone more differently for the Cardinals as Berg scored his 28th goal of the season just 2:31 into the first period to make it a 1-0 lead.
Berg was rewarded for crashing the net on a rebound attempt. He got free near the crease and got just enough of his stick on the puck to get it past Lamont in goal.
Alexandria nearly scored again with almost 6 minutes left in the first period when Nicholas Peterson rang a shot off the right post. The Cardinals had just two shots on goal in the opening frame, but they almost put them up 2-0.
ADVERTISEMENT
Instead, Minneapolis’ pressure paid off with the equalizer with 2:35 left in the first. John Bebler handled the puck along the boards behind the net and sent a perfect centering pass to a wide open Zander Zoia in front of the net. Zoia buried it to make it 1-1.
Minneapolis forward Zander Zoia (5) scores on Alexandria goaltender Teagan Pfeffer (31) during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
The Cardinals were outshot 18-12 through two periods, but they had some great chances during that stretch. They almost scored within the first minute of the second period when Lamont got out of position trying to clear a puck.
Alexandria sent a shot in from near the blue line as Lamont scrambled back, and a deflected puck moved across the crease that went just wide of the post. The Cardinals also had a 2-on-1 opportunity come up empty about a minute later.
That pressure kept Alexandria’s confidence up and eventually paid off.
"We knew we were going to keep getting those chances," Alexandria senior forward Josiah Gronholz said. "We were getting them all game, it was just a matter of getting shots on net. We were getting outshot, but I think the play was fairly even considering zone time. I think it was pretty easy for us to keep going there and keep getting our chances.
Minneapolis Head Coach Joe Dziedzic talks with players during the third period against Alexandria Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
Minneapolis, a co-op made up of mostly kids from Southwest and Washburn schools, became the first public school program from the city to make the state tournament since 1994 when Edison qualified for its first and only state tournament in that program’s history. They will play in the consolation bracket on Thursday at 11 a.m. against New Prague at Mariucci Arena.
Hermantown (27-2) won 5-1 over New Prague in the 6 p.m. quarterfinal game on Wednesday. The Cardinals will face the Hawks at 1 p.m. on Friday at the Xcel Energy Center.
"We’re excited," senior defenseman Pieter Mulder said. "We’ve been waiting for it all year. We knew if we won this game that we were going to have them. We’re ready for them."
1/27: Alexandria defenseman Jack Lamski (2) skates the puck past Minneapolis forward Ozzie Snodgrass (10) during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
2/27: Alexandria players celebrate Brycen Berg’s goal against Minneapolis during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
3/27: Minneapolis forward Evan Grimm (27) and Alexandria forward Gavin Olson (15) chase the puck during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
4/27: Alexandria forward Brycen Berg (11) celebrates his goal against Minneapolis during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
5/27: Alexandria forward Brycen Berg (11) left, scores on Minneapolis goaltender Alex LaMont (31) during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
6/27: Minneapolis forward Zander Zoia (5) scores on Alexandria goaltender Teagan Pfeffer (31) during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
7/27: Alexandria defenseman Mason Loch (19) and Minneapolis forward Ozzie Snodgrass (10) battle for the puck during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
8/27: Alexandria defenseman Brennan Lattimer (12) tries to block Minneapolis forward Evan Grimm (27) from making a pass during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
9/27: Minneapolis players are introduced before their game against Alexandria Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
10/27: Alexandria players are introduced before their game against Minneapolis Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
11/27: Minneapolis forward Zander Zoia (5) celebrates his goal against Minneapolis with the bench during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
12/27: Alexandria goaltender Teagan Pfeffer (31) blocks a shot by Minneapolis forward Zander Zoia (5) during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
13/27: Alexandria forward Brycen Berg (11) celebrates his goal against Minneapolis during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
14/27: Alexandria forward Leonard Kompelien (3) and Minneapolis defenseman Henry Davis (7) battle for the puck during the first period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
15/27: Minneapolis Head Coach Joe Dziedzic talks with players during the third period against Alexandria Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
16/27: Alexandria defenseman Pieter Mulder (18) and Minneapolis forward Zander Zoia (5) collide during the second period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
17/27: Alexandria coaches talk with players during a break against Minneapolis during the second period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Alexandria (20-6-2) won that game against Minneapolis, 4-1, to set up a game against top-ranked Hermantown (27-2) on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. It's a rematch of the 2018 state semifinals game that Alexandria won 6-1.
18/27: Minneapolis defenseman Henry Davis (7) can’t get the puck past Alexandria goaltender Teagan Pfeffer (31) and Alexandria defenseman Zaven Noetzelman (24) during the second period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
19/27: Alexandria forward Joseph Lamski (6) tries to shoot the puck over the pad of Minneapolis goaltender Alex LaMont (31) during the third period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
20/27: Alexandria goaltender Teagan Pfeffer (31) smothers a shot by Minneapolis forward Evan Grimm (27) during the third period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
21/27: Minneapolis forward Jack Hanson (19) carries the puck against Alexandria during the second period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
22/27: Alexandria goaltender Teagan Pfeffer (31) and Alexandria defenseman Brennan Lattimer (12) block a shot by Minneapolis forward Evan Grimm (27) during the second period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
23/27: Alexandria celebrates a goal against Minneapolis during the second period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
24/27: Alexandria goaltender Teagan Pfeffer (31) grabs a shot by Minneapolis forward Jack Hanson (19) during the third period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
25/27: Alexandria celebrate an empty net goal against Minneapolis during the third period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
26/27: Alexandria defenseman Henry Ramstorf (16) and Minneapolis defenseman Drew Pitts (24) go into the boards after the puck during the second period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
27/27: Minneapolis goaltender Alex LaMont (31) smothers a shot by Alexandria forward Josiah Gronholz (8) during the second period Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Eric Morken is a sports and outdoor editor at the Echo Press Newspaper in Alexandria, Minnesota, a property of the Forum News Service. Morken covers a variety of stories throughout the Douglas County area, as well as statewide outdoor issues.
Declining numbers in the John Marshall boys hockey program led its coaches to seek a co-op partner. They found one close by. JM will join forces with long-time rival Century, beginning this winter.
