Game 1: Stillwater 4, Farmington 1

Stillwater got a 21-save performance from senior goaltender Josh Benson and two goals from senior forward Jackson Cates as the Ponies out-skated Farmington in a 4-1 win in the first Class 2A quarterfinal.

Junior forward Noah Cates scored a goal and added two assists in the win, and junior forward Luke Manning also scored for the No. 2 seed Ponies (27-1-1).

Farmington senior defenseman Erik Holmstrom scored with seven seconds remaining to spoil the shutout. Tigers’ sophomore goaltender Gavin Enright totaled 19 saves for the Tigers (18-9-1).

The win sends the Ponies to their first-ever state tournament semifinal in just their second overall appearance. 

Game 2: Wayzata 3, Burnsville 1

After Burnsville’s Cade Borchardt scored his 10th goal of the playoffs and gave the Blaze (16-11-2) a 1-0 lead after one period of play, the momentum was firmly on Burnsville’s side.

Wayzata senior forward and North Dakota commit Mark Senden stole it right back, converting a beautiful backhand-forehand-backhand move and tying the game 1-1 early in the second period.

The No. 3 seed Trojans (20-8-1) scored twice more in the second frame, getting goals from senior forwards Luke Paterson and Dillon Riley. Riley’s goal was his fourth goal and ninth point of the postseason, far out-pacing his regular season totals of one goal and four points.

Wazyata senior goaltender Alex Schilling made 21 saves in the win. 

Game 3: Eden Prairie 7, Anoka 3

Junior forward Casey Mittelstadt put on a show Thursday night, scored a goal and adding five assists to lead No. 1 seed Eden Prairie to a 7-3 win over Anoka.

Junior defenseman Nicky Leivermann and junior forward Hunter Johannes each scored twice, and senior forwards Michael Graham and Spencer Steen each scored once for the Eagles (20-7-2).

Mittelstadt’s five-assist performance was just one shy of the all-time tournament record of six assists in a game, which was set in the 1997 Class A tournament by Dom Talarico of Proctor.

Senior forward Michael Talbot was the lone bright spot for the Tornadoes, scoring a hat-trick with one goal in each period. 

Game 4: Grand Rapids 3, Bemidji 2 (OT)

In the evening finale between a pair of northern powers, it was only fitting that the game’s result would be decided in overtime.

Grand Rapids senior forward Alex Adams scored the game-winner in the extra session, entering the Lumberjacks’ slot unchecked and one-timing a centering feed by fellow senior Mitchell Mattson past Bemidji’s Matt Fitzgerald to send the Thunderhawks to Friday’s semifinal round.

Sophomore forward Gavin Hain and junior forward Micah Miller tallied the other two goals, while Bemidji senior forward Alex Pollack scored both goals for the Lumberjacks (23-3-2).

Sophomore goaltender Gabe Holum made 27 saves, many of them spectacular, for the No. 4 seed Thunderhawks (22-6-1), while his counterpart Fitzgerald (also a sophomore) made 24 stops for the Lumberjacks. 

Mankato West 3, Princeton 0

St. Cloud Cathedral 4, Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 2

CLASS A SEMI-FINALS (XEC)

Breck vs. Thief River Falls - 11 a.m.

Hermantown vs. St. Paul Academy/Summit School - 1 p.m.

CLASS AA SEMI-FINALS (XEC)

Stillwater vs. Wayzata - 6 p.m.

Eden Prairie vs. Grand Rapids - 8 p.m.

CLASS AA CONSOLATION (Mariucci Arena)

Burnsville vs. Farmington - 10 a.m.

Anoka vs. Bemidji - Noon

Photos by Nick Wosika