Orono beats Minneapolis in Section 2A Battle, Advances to State Tournament

Orono is heading back to the Minnesota State Tournament after a 4-3 victory over Minneapolis in the Section 2A Championship. The Spartans, who made a state appearance last year, fought off a resilient Minneapolis squad to punch their ticket to St. Paul.

Game Recap

First Period: Minneapolis jumped ahead early as Nik Nordeen put them on the board at 7:17. Orono responded five minutes later, with Jackson Knight scoring his first of two goals. However, Johan Krasean gave Minneapolis the lead back with 16 seconds left in the period, sending them into the break up 2-1.
Second Period: Orono tied it up at 9:29, as Lachlan Hoffman found the back of the net, setting up an exciting final frame.
Third Period: Jackson Knight struck again at 7:45, giving Orono its first lead of the night. Then, with under a minute left, Miller Williams sealed the win with an empty-net goal. Minneapolis got one back 19 seconds later, as Eli Milinkovich scored, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

Key Performers

Jackson Knight (Orono): 2G
Miller Williams (Orono): 1G
Lachlan Hoffman (Orono): 1G
Goaltending Battle:
- Orono’s Evan Schmidt: 20 saves on 23 shots (.870 SV%)
- Minneapolis’ Griffin Simpson: 31 saves on 35 shots (.886 SV%)

Orono’s Path to State

The Spartans return to St. Paul, looking to build on last year’s experience. With a deep offensive lineup and strong goaltending, Orono will be a tough out in the Class A tournament.

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