The puck sailed into the net and then shot back out again in a blink of an eye. It all happened so fast, there was a second or two of confusion.

Lakeville North freshman Henry Enebak had just scored 1 minute, 21 seconds into overtime to beat Roseau 2-1 in the opening game Wednesday of the Class 2A boys’ hockey state tournament. But he sure wasn’t acting like it.

“I didn’t really know what happened at first,” Enebak said. “Because the puck kicked back out. …. But then I saw my teammates coming for me.
“I guess I scored.”

Enebak, who scored eight goals in 22 regular season games, eventually switched into celebratory mode with his fellow Panthers. They had, after all, just won a state quarterfinal game for the first time in the program’s history. No. 2 seed Lakeville North (24-4-1) had lost its four previous opening-round games by a combined score of 27-6, including last year’s 9-3 pounding at the hands of eventual state champion Edina.

“I’ve been on the other side of it, big time, last year,” third-year Lakeville North coach Trent Eigner said after beating the unseeded Rams (20-8-1). “To get through this one is great. It’s a huge step for our program.”

Enebak’s goal came on a low shot that sailed between Roseau goaltender Ryan Anderson’s leg pads.

Freshman Ryan Poehling set up older brother Jack for the Panthers’ first goal. A third Panthers’ freshman, goaltender Jake Oettinger, made 29 saves.

LOREN NELSON

Freshman Henry Enebak scored on a low wrist shot 1 minute, 21 seconds into overtime to lift Lakeville North past Roseau 2-1 on Thursday in the opening game of the state boys’ Class 2A hockey tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Enebak’s shot from the high slot beat Roseau goaltender Ryan Anderson between the legs and ended unseeded Roseau’s bid of an upset over the No. 2 Panthers.

After a scoreless first period, the teams traded goals 53 seconds apart midway through the second.

Roseau senior Alex Halstengard hustled through the crease to corral a big rebound of a Zach Yon shot off a face off. Halstengard’s low shot found an opening between Panthers freshman goaltender Jake Oettinger’s skates, and the underdog Rams led 1-0 with 9:25 remaining. 

The lead lasted less than a minute, as Jack Poehling finished off a gorgeous three-way passing play that included his brothers Ryan and Nick, Jack’s twin brother. Nick created a turnover in the neutral zone, fed Ryan on the left side and Ryan found Jack with a pass through the slot. The goal – Jack needed only to whip the puck into an open net – tied the score at 1 with 8:32 remaining.

After a conservative start, the teams exchanged prime scoring chances in the late stages of the first period, with Lakeville North peppering Anderson with 11 shots, most of which came on the Panthers’ two power plays. 

Roseau’s best chance came after Yon, the Rams’ senior scoring leader, took a long pass near the Lakeville North blue line and streaked in alone on Oetinger. Yon lost control of the puck just as he reached Oetinger, who calmly smothered the loose puck. Roseau had eight shots in the opening period, including four from Yon.

Nick Poehling fired a shot off the right post, and Alex Strand just missed the net on a 2-on-1 with Yon to highlight the teams’ numerous scoring chances in the third period. Roseau outshot Lakeville North 11-8 in the third.