Down by two goals entering the third period of Friday’s Class A semifinal, Hermantown coach Bruce Plante remained supremely certain that his team could complete the comeback.

“We weren’t nervous and we weren’t panicky,” Plante said after the game. “We were a little tired, but otherwise I knew the guys were going to respond.”

Respond they did.

Seniors Ryan Sandelin and Elliot Peterson scored in the third period to tie the game at 5-5, and Sandelin scored at the 7:38 mark of overtime to send the Hawks on their way to the finals with a chance to defend their state championship.

“We all believed in each other and we knew if we kept chipping away we’d get goals,” Sandelin said, dispelling the notion that Hermantown has played with any sense of nervousness. “I trust all my teammates, and we just go out and do our thing and just play,” Sandelin added.

St. Cloud Cathedral was the only team “just playing” for a portion of the game, taking a 2-0 lead on goals by Connor Beltz and Michael Spethmann.

Matt Valure and Sandelin answered for Hermantown (28-1-1), with Sandelin scoring the first of his four goals. 

Reagan Garden, Beltz and Jake Van Halbeck stretched the Crusader lead to 5-2 midway through the second.

After Sandelin netted his second of the game to pull the Hawks within two at 5-3, he popped in Hermantown's fourth goal just 55 seconds into the third period.

“For them to get the goal 50 seconds (into the third) probably wasn’t the best recipe for success,” St. Cloud Cathedral head coach Derrick Brown said, adding that the Hawks are unlike any other team the Crusaders (21-7-2) have faced this season. “Give them credit, they found a gear we could not match,” Brown said.

Hermantown defenseman Elliot Peterson scored at the 11:27 mark of the third to tie the game, and said his relative lack of scoring preceding the game only enhanced the experience.

“That’s my third goal this year, and to get it at this stage, there’s no words to describe it,” Peterson said. “It’s still a blur in my mind.”

Saturday’s Class A championship game will feature the State Tournament fixture Hawks against tourney first-timer Monticello-Annandale-Maple Lake at noon.