'It's our job to go deep in the playoffs': No. 3-seed Maple Grove fends off Edina
Crimson set to make first semifinal appearance
Maple Grove forward Finn Brink (27) flips in a backhand goal over Edina goaltender Robbie Clarkowski (1) during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
ST. PAUL — It’s not that Maple Grove has never played on Friday of the Minnesota State Boys Hockey Tournament.
The difference is that in years past the Crimson was relegated to a half-full arena to play in the consolation bracket, but come Friday night, Maple Grove will skate under the bright lights.
“I feel like from squirts to high school, we set a good example for the young kids coming up,” said senior captain Parker Wente.
“It’s our job to go deep in the playoffs. We’re a team that’s kind of been overlooked the past couple years. It’s our time now.”
Joshua Giuliani finished with two goals and two assists in Maple Grove’s 5-2 win over unseeded Edina in the quarterfinals Thursday afternoon at the Xcel Energy Center.
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The No. 3 Crimson will face unseeded Prior Lake in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Friday night. It will be Maple Grove’s first appearance in the semifinals.
Hats off to our coaches, our community and our kids that have changed the culture. It starts with that. We have a lot of good people behind the wagon right now.
Todd Bergland, Maple Grove coach
Maple Grove had made three previous state tournament appearances with losses to Hill-Murray (5-2) in 2012, Grand Rapids (6-4) in 2017 and Blake (7-5) in 2020 with one victory in four total consolation games.
But the Crimson is now on the right side of the bracket and after beating Edina, some of the players and their coach credited the program’s culture.
Maple Grove forward Blake Steenerson (18) celebrates his goal against Edina during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
“Hats off to our coaches, our community and our kids that have changed the culture,” Maple Grove coach Todd Bergland said. “It starts with that. We have a lot of good people behind the wagon right now.”
The Crimson’s Finn Brink traded goals with Edina’s Eddie Revenig in the first period, but Landon Gunderson broke the tie 4:50 into the second on a sharp wrist shot from the right circle.
Giuliani added another goal with 1:04 left in the second period in which he walked down the slot and took a pass from Brink from behind the net.
Blake Steenerson gave the Crimson a little more insurance when he pickpocketed Edina’s Jimmy Clark in the neutral zone and fired a wrister past Edina goalie Robbie Clarkowski 3:48 into the third period.
Three decades removed from his time with the Minnesota Gophers and still the program's all-time assists leader, Larry Olimb is taking on a new challenge as head coach of an Orono girls' team looking to improve on its third place finish at the 2022 state tourney.
The 18-year-old senior at Hill-Murray High School is the No. 100-ranked North American skater in the midterm rankings by NHL Central Scouting and is weighing NCAA Division I offers. But his next task is helping St. Cloud reach the second round of the NAHL playoffs, which begin Friday
Mahtomedi used a flurry of three goals at the end of the first period to help secure a 4-2 win over the Cardinals in the third-place game at the Xcel Energy Center on Saturday.
Joshua Giuliani now has five goals in the tournament as the Crimson aim to hang school's first title banner
March 11, 2022 09:51 PM
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By Tyler Buckentine / Special to The Rink Live
“I tried to get my stick in the way of Clark’s path to our zone,” Steenerson said. “I got the puck and there was an open spot up top, that’s where coach told us to shoot and it went in.”
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Wyatt Wurst gave the Hornets life when he scored with 7:15 remaining. Clarkowski made 24 saves.
“You can’t give the kids from Maple Grove opportunities,” Edina coach Curt Giles said. “They’re good players. They can shoot the puck.”
Toby Hopp finished with 29 saves for Maple Grove and his teammates know he’ll have his hands full with Prior Lake and Mr. Hockey finalist Alex Bump (who has nine goals the last two games) in the semifinals.
“It was cool to see but we try to stick to our own game plan,” Brink said. “We try not to think too much about [Prior Lake’s] game, but it was definitely cool to see and we’ll have to shut it down if we want to win.”
PHOTO GALLERY (click/swipe to view)
1/21: Edina forward Jackson Nevers (18) slides into Maple Grove goaltender Toby Hopp (1) after taking a shot during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
2/21: Edina forward Riley Spindler (14) make a pass around Maple Grove defenseman Beck Picconatto (26) during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
3/21: Edina forward Riley Spindler (14) and Maple Grove forward Sawyer Skanson (7) chase the puck along the boards during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
4/21: Maple Grove forward Finn Brink (27) flips in a backhand goal over Edina goaltender Robbie Clarkowski (1) during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
5/21: Maple Grove forward Bennett Glad (34) and Maple Grove defenseman Beck Picconatto (26) work to block Edina forward Riley Spindler (14) from getting near the goal during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
6/21: Edina forward Trey Fechko (10) passes past Maple Grove defenseman Grant Leneau (22) during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
7/21: Edina coaches talk with players during a break against Maple Grove during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
8/21: Players celebrate an Edina goal by defenseman Eddie Revenig (6) against Maple Grove during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
9/21: Edina forward Jackson Nevers (18) tries to steal the puck from Mankato East/Loyola forward Parker Anthony (7) and Maple Grove defenseman Lucas Margenau (13) during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
10/21: Maple Grove defenseman Parker Wente (5), Edina forward Matt Vander Vort (19) and Maple Grove forward Daniel Nelson (20) battle for the puck during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
11/21: Edina forward Riley Spindler (14) and Maple Grove forward Jack Kernan (15) battle for the puck during the first period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
12/21: Edina forward Ryan Flaherty (11) and Maple Grove defenseman Connor Stelljes (28) battle for the puck during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
13/21: A skirmish erupted between Maple Grove and Edina during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
14/21: Maple Grove forward Finn Brink (27) takes a shot at Edina goaltender Robbie Clarkowski (1) during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
15/21: Edina defenseman Wyatt Wurst (4) goes into score on Maple Grove goaltender Toby Hopp (1) during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
16/21: Edina forward Jackson Nevers (18) tries to work the puck around Maple Grove forward Nathan Jaglo (14) during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
17/21: Edina forward Trey Fechko (10) takes a shot at Maple Grove goaltender Toby Hopp (1) during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
18/21: Maple Grove forward Blake Steenerson (18) checks Edina forward Jimmy Clark (17) into the boards during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
19/21: Maple Grove forward Landon Gunderson (17) collides with an Edina player during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
20/21: Maple Grove forward Blake Steenerson (18) celebrates his goal against Edina during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
21/21: Maple Grove forward Blake Steenerson (18) celebrates his goal against Edina during the third period Thursday, March 10, 2022, in the State Hockey Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
With a father and an uncle who both played Division I hockey, Edina forward Bobby Cowan followed the family legacy and committed to St. Thomas a few weeks after the Hornets' state title game trip.
