Maple Groves edges Rogers 4-2 in Section 5AA Final
Neutral Zone watched the Section 5AA Final matchup between the top seed Rogers Royals and the second seed Maple Grove Crimson. Both teams came ready to play and hungry for a section title and a trip to state. The first period was a full 17 minutes of back and forth, fast-paced, physical hockey. Maple Grove did a good job keeping Rogers’ offense to the perimeter, while Maple Grove drove hard to the middle of the ice and generated a handful of quality scoring chances. Rogers’ junior goalie Cade Chapman 33 (G, R, 5’11”, 165, Rogers HS, 09/21/2004) did well staying with the shooter and shutting down the Crimson’s chances to keep Rogers in the game early. With a little over 5 minutes left in the first, Joshua Giuliani 19 (F, R, 6’1″, 185, Maple Grove HS, 06/11/2004) poked the puck off a Roger’s players stick and quickly dished to below the goal line to Landen Gunderson 17 (F, R, 6’0″, 171, Maple Grove HS, 11/28/2004) who was able to feather a perfect saucer pass to Finn Brink 27 (F, L, 5’11”, 171, Maple Grove HS, 04/06/2005) who was able to backhand it in to make it a 1-0 game. Rogers was able to regroup quickly and generate quality zone time to stop the Crimson’s momentum. First period ended with Maple Grove leading 1-0. Shots were 12-8 in favor of Maple Grove.
Maple Grove started the second period on the power play after an interference penalty late in the first by Rogers. Rogers was able to keep Maple Grove in check throughout the majority of the powerplay. With one more rush in the powerplay Danny Nelson 20 (F, L, 6’2″, 190, Maple Grove HS, 08/03/2005) spun off a forechecking Rogers penalty killer and make a breakout pass to Luke Margenau 13 (D, R, 5’6″, 146, Maple Grove HS, 09/11/2004) who had a clear lane in transition and skated his way to below the goal line where he found Joshua Giuliani 19 (F, R, 6’1″, 185, Maple Grove HS, 06/11/2004) all alone and was able to easily bury it for a 2-0 lead. Rogers was once again able to shake off the goal and started to take control and push the pace. The Royals threw everything at the net and was tenacious on pucks. Their hard work eventually earned them a powerplay opportunity with three minutes to go in the second. Hogan Sinjem 10 (RW, R, 6’0″, 165, Rogers HS, 12/03/2003) was able to hold the zone at the point after a missed shot rung around the boards and he sent it back around to the weak side where Sam Ranallo 7 (F, L, 5’11”, 150, Rogers HS, 11/17/2004) picked the puck off the wall, shook a penalty killer, and attacked the open ice and sniped a beautiful goal after dragging the puck into his feet to change the angle. This cut the Maple Grove lead 2-1. Just forty seconds later Landen Gunderson 17 (F, R, 6’0″, 171, Maple Grove HS, 11/28/2004) answered back skating end to end and beating the Rogers’ goalie short side from a sharp angle outside the dots near the goal line. The second period ended 3-1 in favor of Maple Grove. Shots were 25-21 in favor of Rogers.
Third period started off even with both teams continuing to play quickly in transition. Early in the third Rogers was able to sustain pressure with Payton Struck 19 (F, R, 6’1″, 172, Rogers HS, 01/23/2005) forechecking with a purpose. He was able to win the puck battle and slide it over to Sam Ranallo 7 (F, L, 5’11”, 150, Rogers HS, 11/17/2004) where he skated up the half wall fighting through a check and was able to poke it out to a waiting Hogan Sinjem 10 (RW, R, 6’0″, 165, Rogers HS, 12/03/2003) who rifled it home from the far circle to bring the Royals back within one. Once again Maple Grove responded back quickly when Bennett Glad 34 (Maple Grove HS, 01/01/2003) hustled on the forecheck, lifted the opponents stick and drove to the net to slide it in to make it a 4-2 Maple Grove lead. The Crimson never looked back and finished with a 4-2 win and a trip to state. Maple Grove’s Toby Hopp 1 (G, L, 5’11”, 165, Maple Grove HS, 06/27/2004) stopped 31 of 33 shots.
Three Stars
- Landen Gunderson, Maple Grove
- Toby Hopp, Maple Grove
- Sam Ranallo, Rogers
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
