Second-seeded Orono blows past Mankato East into semifinals
Spartans will play third-seeded Proctor/Hermantown for a chance to go to the state championship game
Orono's Iyla Ryskamp (6) celebrates with teammate Zoe Lopez after scoring a goal against Mankato East goalie Anna Rader in a Class A girls state hockey tournament game Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Ryskamp had three goals and an assist in a 7-1 win for second-seeded Orono.
ST. PAUL — Senior forward Iyla Ryskamp had three goals and an assist, senior forward Mia Lopez had two goals and junior goalie Celia Dahl made 14 saves to help second-seeded Orono beat Mankato East 7-1 in the quarterfinals of the Class A girls state hockey tournament on Wednesday.
The Spartans (25-3-0) are playing in their first state tournament and will play Proctor/Hermantown (20-7-1) at 11 a.m. Friday in the semifinals. Proctor/Hermantown, the defending state champion and seeded third in the tournament, beat Albert Lea 6-2 on Wednesday afternoon to advance.
Mankato East (21-6-0) will play Albert Lea (14-11-1) at 10 a.m. Thursday at TRIA Rink in the consolation semifinals.
Orono outshot Mankato East 43-15 in the game and led 4-0 after the first period. Sophomore forward Jess Eykyn had the goal for Mankato East at 3:26 of the second period to cut the deficit to 4-1. Junior Anna Rader made 37 saves for the Cougars.
Orono sophomore forward Kaeli Koopman (21) is among the first to celebrate with goaltender Celia Dahl after the Spartans defeated Mankato East 7-1 in the Class A state girls hockey quarterfinals on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
Sydney Wolf / The Rink Live
Orono freshman defenseman Alex Paulsen (15), senior forward Mia Lopez (18) and freshman forward Zoe Lopez (10) rush to their bench to celebrate a goal in the Class A state girls hockey quarterfinals on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. Orono beat Mankato East, 7-1.
Sydney Wolf / The Rink Live
Celia Dahl of Orono stands in front of her goal and the Orono fan section on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, in the Class A state girls hockey quarterfinals at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Dahl had 14 saves in a 7-1 win for second-seeded Orono over Mankato East.
Mick Hatten is a reporter and editor for Forum News Service and helps manage TheRinkLive.com, a website dedicated to hockey. He began working for Forum Communications in November 2018 and has covered St. Cloud State University hockey since 2010. A graduate of St. Cloud State, he has more than 30 years of experience as a journalist and has been a youth hockey coach since 2014. mhatten@forumcomm.com
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