Minnesota Class 1A girls hockey state tournament: Orono defeats Proctor/Hermantown in overtime to reach state final

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The No. 3-seed Orono Spartans defeated the No. 2-seeded Proctor/Hermantown Mirage 4-3 in the Class 1A state tournament semifinals at Xcel Energy Center.

As expected, it was back and forth action to start the game. But, it was Mirage who struck first as Nya Sieger set up Reese Heitzman beautifully in the slot as she buried the game's first goal. 

Orono got a chance later on the power play, but the Mirage executed on the penalty kill and took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.

In the second period, Orono got another opportunity on the power play, and this time the Spartans took advantage as Alexa Niccum pocketed her 12th goal of the season as she got her own rebound off the Mirage goaltender's pad and jammed it home to even the game at one early in the second.

The Spartans were just getting started. Later in the period, it was Macy Rasmussen who got on the board for the Spartans. Rasmussen circled into the zone and threw a shot on net that beat the Mirage goaltender top shelf.

Just minutes later, the Spartans scored their third goal of the second period. This time it was the star Zoe Lopez who entered the scoring column with her third of the tournament. Lopez scored from the circle, nearly the same spot as Rasmussen, as Orono briefly took a 3-1 lead.

Proctor/Hermantown would not go away. The Mirage continued to pressure the Spartan goalie and finally broke through. This time it was Sieger on the scoring end of the goal as she put one home from the slot to bring her team back within one goal.

“We are so evenly matched with Hermantown/Proctor, " Orono head coach Larry Olimb said. “We tied them during the regular season so we knew they would play hard the whole game”.

The Mirage created more chances later in the period, but they headed into locker trailing 3-2 with one period remaining.

Proctor/Hermantown continued to apply the pressure early in the third period, but Spartan goaltender Celia Dahl was able to steer the Mirage’s shots aside to maintain the one goal edge.

“We were ready for this game,” Dahl said. “We knew what was coming with Hermantown/Proctor.”

Both teams traded power plays midway through the third period, but nothing was going for either team as Orono was clinging to its one-goal advantage deep into the third. 

With the net empty, it was Orono who picked up a late penalty to give the Mirage a 6-on-4 with just 55 seconds remaining. That penalty proved costly for the Spartans. The Mirage capitalized and tie the game thanks to Izy Fairchild, who shot an absolute rocket that just squeezed by Dahl.

“There was lot going on in front of the net,” Dahl said. “I knew the shot was coming, but [Fairchild] kind of fumbled it which threw me off a little bit”

Fairchild's goal ultimately sent this one to overtime. 

In the overtime period, it was Orono who would once again have to kill off another power play before getting back on the attack. Once the Spartans killed the penalty, they were able to penetrate the Mirage defense and find the game winner. 

It was a scramble in front of the net, and after a bounce of a skate, Spartan forward Maddy Kimbrel wound up with the puck on her stick and put it past the Mirage goaltender to send Orono to the state championship. 

“I give the credit to the girls in this one," Olimb said. “There was no panic from us, and I give them the credit for that.”

Orono will play the winner of South St. Paul and Warroad in the state championship game at 4 p.m. on February 25.