FREE Recap: Minnesota HS Sectionals. Lakeville North vs Hastings

Section 1AA SF #2 Lakeville North Panthers vs #3 Hastings Raiders.  Final Score 3-2 OT Lakeville North

Neutral Zone was in attendance for this Section 1AA SF match between the #2 Seed Lakeville North Panthers and #3 Seed Hastings Raiders from The Rochester Rec Center in Rochester, MN.

First Period:

The play was dominated by Lakeville North from the drop of the puck. North controlled majority of the play and puck possession. Lakeville had the lone PP where they put four shots on target, but the Hastings goaltender Holden Richardson #29 (G, L, 6’0″, 175, Hastings HS, 01/01/2003)stood strong to send both teams to the locker rooms tied 0-0. (Shots 12-4- Lakeville North) 

Second Period:

Lakeville North came out of the break with the same level of intensity and again controlled most of the play. Lakeville North F Luke Jech #18 (F, R, 5’11”, 165, Lakeville North, 07/15/2003) ripped an offside onetime shot from the slot off a nice pass from Ryan Brodin #12 (F, L, 5’10”, 175, Lakeville North, 01/01/2003)also assisted by Spencer Braasch #14 (F, Lakeville North, 03/01/2003)whose second effort initiated the play. Lakeville Struck again at 8:20 in the 2nd on a strong effort by Jech as he out muscled his Dman and pulled a great forehand fake, moving the goalie and sliding it on the backhand into the open net for a two-goal lead and his second of the game with assists coming from Chase Camilli #16 (F, L, 5’9″, 165, Lakeville North, 04/19/2004) and Zach Enebak #15 (D, R, 5’5″, 130, Lakeville North, 03/01/2004). Hastings didn’t quit and scored late in 2nd on a goal by Stephen Reifenberger #20 (F, Hastings HS) with a quick shot from the top of the circles off a nice drop pass from Jake Harris #8 (F, L, 5’10”, 152, Hastings, 01/12/2004) to cut the deficit to 1 goal. A late penalty to Lakeville North sent Hastings to the power play heading into the third period. (Shots 7-2- Lakeville North)

Third Period:

Lakeville North did a great job of killing off the penalty carried over from the second period.  From then on, both teams went back and forth with minimal chances as it was a lot of neutral zone transition. Hasting would then find good fortune as Lakeville North was unsuccessful on two in zone clearing attempts and on a last-ditch effort Hastings tied the game with .22 seconds left on a point shot from Collin Stewart #15 (D, R, 5’9″, 164, Hastings HS, 06/13/2004)that redirected off the Lakeville North goaltender’s glove and, in the net, sending these two teams to OT.

OT:

Lakeville North buried the OT winner with just over two minutes remaining after Lakeville North D-man Kaleb Hurd #24 (D, Lakeville North, 01/01/2004) gapped up and poked the puck out to the Neutral zone where on a great individual effort Kyle Doll #4 (F, R, 5’11”, 175, Lakeville North, 03/19/2005) drove wide on the Hastings Dman and ripped a shot short side shelf to send Lakeville North to the Section 1AA finals against cross town rival Lakeville South on Thursday March 3rd from Rochester, MN.  Final Shots (35-17-Lakeville North)

Three Stars:

1st Star- Kyle Doll F Lakeville North: Buried the OT game winner on a terrifically placed shot short side top corner. 

2nd Star- Luke Jech F Lakeville North: Scored two goals and was a threat on every shift throughout the game. 

3rd Star: Holden Richardson G Hastings: Made several key saves providing his team the chance to win. 

Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images