The Eagan boys’ hockey team is headed to the Class 2A tournament for the third time in four seasons after defeating St. Thomas Academy 4-2 on Thursday night.

The Wildcats (18-9-1) scored four unanswered goals to clinch the Section 3 championship at the Lee and Rose Warner Coliseum. They had trailed 2-0 midway through the second period.

“We’re just [a] mucker, grinder team that just works hard, and these kids, it proves that if you just stick together and you work hard, good things can happen,” Eagan coach Michael Taylor said.

St. Thomas Academy finishes its first season in Class 2A at 20-7-1, after winning the past three Class 1A championships.

While the Cadets took a 1-0 lead in the first period, Eagan appeared to be the more physical team.

St. Thomas Academy took a 2-0 lead midway through the second period, but Eagan continued to wear down the Cadets with physical play. The Wildcats cut the lead to 2-1 with 6:39 remaining in the second period on a power-play goal by senior Nick Wolff. Senior Max Elsenheimer then tied the score with 39 seconds remaining in the period.

Eagan senior Kyle Stebbing scored the game-winner early in the third on a one-timer from the left circle, and the Wildcats added an empty-net goal with 42 seconds remaining.

Eagan was the fourth seed in the section but upset top-seeded Cretin-Derham Hall in the semifinals Saturday. It had finished the season fourth in the South Suburban Conference.

Nate Gotlieb is a University of Minnesota student reporter on assignment for the Star Tribune.


PHOTO GALLERY: Eagan 4, St. Thomas Academy 2