Luverne Rallies Late to Edge Mankato East in Playoff Battle

In a tightl Section 3A playoff matchup, Luverne held off Mankato East with a 3-2 victory, thanks to a late third-period goal from Landyn Lais. The game was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading momentum swings before Luverne’s special teams play proved to be the difference.

First Period: Lais Puts Luverne Ahead on the Power Play

The opening period saw both teams struggle to find offensive rhythm, but Luverne capitalized on a power-play opportunity late in the frame.

At 14:28, Landyn Lais netted his first goal of the night, assisted by Blake Sauer and Maddux Domagala, giving Luverne a 1-0 lead after the first period.
Mankato East had a power play of their own but was unable to generate quality scoring chances.

Second Period: Mankato East Strikes Back

The second period was a defensive battle, with both teams limiting each other’s scoring opportunities. Mankato East finally broke through late in the period:

At 16:25, Indy Ragan found the back of the net off a setup from Griffen Asher, tying the game at 1-1 heading into the final period.
Luverne outshot Mankato East 13-8 in the period, but Brody Kunst stood tall in net, making key saves to keep the game tied.

Third Period: Luverne Seals the Win Late

The final period saw high-intensity action, with both teams pushing for the go-ahead goal.

Mankato East took its first lead at 3:13, when Luke Lebens scored an even-strength goal off a feed from Tyler Rundle, making it 2-1 Mankato East.
However, Luverne responded on the power play at 11:53, when Blaik Bork buried a shot, tying the game at 2-2.
With the game appearing to be headed for overtime, Landyn Lais stepped up once again, scoring the game-winner at 16:23 on an even-strength goal to give Luverne a 3-2 victory.

Key Stats & Takeaways

✅ Special Teams Battle: Luverne went 2-for-4 on the power play, while Mankato East was 0-for-3, proving to be a deciding factor.
✅ Goaltending Duel: Gavin Hoven stopped 22 of 24 shots (.917 SV%) for Luverne, while Brody Kunst made 30 saves on 33 shots (.909 SV%) for Mankato East.
✅ Lais Leads the Way: Landyn Lais (2G, 0A) played the hero, scoring twice, including the game-winner.
✅ Luverne’s Offensive Pressure: Outshooting Mankato East 33-24, Luverne maintained consistent offensive zone time.