Third Time is the Charm for Warroad

ST. PAUL, Minn—The lead in to the class A championship tilt between #1 Warroad and #2 Breck from a pure hockey perspective was tremendous. Two teams that are the fastest in high school hockey and can put the puck in the net. Add to that the interplay between the coaches and you had the makings of a game for the ages.

The teams battled through the nerves and jitters in the first period before settling in during the late stages of the period. Quality scoring chances were fairly even although Breck held the slight edge on shots on goal at 11-8. The Mustangs did enjoy a power play in the first period when Aspen Pomplun was gated for tripping at 13:58. Breck could not capatilize however and the teams ended the first period tied at one.

Both squads skated similarly in the early stages of the second but at 8:51 of the period, Breck’s Kayla Mork skated in two on one and went top shelf beating Warroad goaltender Shelby Amsley-Benzie top shelf for the 1-0 lead. Warroad thought they had the game tied but a quick whistle before the puck went in the back of the net negated the goal and rendered it not reviewable.

The Warriors continued to buzz and create chances. They outshot the Mustangs in the second period 14-5 but could not find the back of the net. They came close again with 1:16 remaining when Brook Story had a point blank look at the net, but Breck goaltender Taylor Neisen’s toe save snuffed out the chance. The Mustangs had one final push with seven seconds remaining in the second period, Emily Kleidon tried to go top shelf on a break away only to watch Amsley-Benzie make the spectacular glove save.

Warroad tied the game at 2:53 of the second period when Megan Brettingen skated in two on one and went top shelf beating Taylor Neisen top shelf. The goal came as the teams were skating four on four courtesy of back to back penalties to Emily Kleidon of Breck and Layla Marvin of Warroad. As Kleidon exited the penalty box she was hit with a pass that just pulled her offsides or she may have regained the lead for the Mustangs. With 2:07 remaining and the game appearing to be headed to overtime, Layla Marvin headed to the net and took a pass from Karley Sylvester and put it five hole for the 2-1 lead. Amsley-Benzie made a huge save on a fluttering puck with 11 seconds remaining to keep the lead and Sylvester added a empty net goal and sent hockeytown into a state of frenzy.

“Gritty,” said coach David Marvin about his teams effort. “These guys just kept goin and goin. We went with two lines and we just wore them down. This is a talented gritty group of kids.”

With as much skill and firepower the two squads possess, the defensive effort turned in by Marvin’s team might have been the most impressive part. They allowed only 5 shots each in the second and third periods of play after being outshot 11-8 in the first.

The title for Warroad is the first for the girls program after two previous tries. The team lost in last years title game.

“I’m just really happy for these 17 kids. To have a team that is that unselfish. This isn’t a one horse team and that makes us special.”

Special, and the best girls’ hockey team in the state of Minnesota.