Senior Alex Adams scored 2 minutes, 6 seconds into overtime to lift No. 4 seed Grand Rapids to a 3-2 victory over No. 5 seed Bemidji in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A state tournament on Thursday at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Adams’ goal came on a low shot that skidded into the Lumberjacks’ goal, and ricocheted right back out, causing a delayed reaction by the Grand Rapids cheering section. With the puck on Adams’ stick and the game on the line, they should have known the outcome.

It was Adams who sent the Thunderhawks to state by scoring with six seconds left in regulation in a 6-5 section final victory over Duluth East.

“Last couple of games I’ve gotten pretty lucky coming up with the big goal,” Adams said. “That was a pretty hard goal not to put away. It has been a really fun week.” 

Bemidji (23-3-2) had tied the score at 2 just 16 seconds in the third period when junior Alex Pollock scored his second of the game.
No worries for the Thunderhawks.

“We’ve got Alex Adams on our team, so we’re fine,” Grand Rapids coach Trent Klatt said.

Grand Rapids (22-6-1) took its first lead, at 2-1, on a solo rush and perfectly placed shot by Micah Miller. The junior forward corralled the the puck at center ice, sped into the Bemidji zone and unloaded a shot that clanged into the goal at the intersection of the left post and crossbar. 

Grand Rapids played without sophomore forward Blake McLaughlin, who has committed to the University of Minnesota. Grand Rapids team website GRHS Hockey Online reported through Twitter that McLaughlin, who ranks sixth on the Thunderhawks in scoring with 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists), was scratched because of a rules violation.

When asked about the reason for McLaughlin’s absence, Klatt said, “I’ve been told not to comment on that.”

He did confirm that McLaughlin would not play in Friday’s semifinal against Eden Prairie.

“There’s really nothing we can do about the situation we are in, other than just deal with it,” Klatt said about McLaughlin’s absence. “I’ve got 20 guys in that locker room that believe we can win. And when you have that many guys who believe you can win, you can do anything.

“So we have a way that we want to play the game (Friday night), we are going to approach it the same way we approach every game, and we are going to give it heck.”

First report

Senior Alex Adams scored 2 minutes, 6 seconds into overtime to lift No. 4 seed Grand Rapids to a 3-2 victory over No. 5 seed Bemidji in the quarterfinals of the state Class 2A tournament on the Thursday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul

Bemidji (23-3-2) had tied the score at 2 just 16 seconds in the third period when junior Alex Pollock scored his second of the game. With the Lumberjacks on a power play, he one-timed a pass from Jack Johnson, beating Grand Rapids goaltender Gabe Holum over the sophomore’s glove hand.

Grand Rapids (22-6-1) took its first lead, at 2-1, on a solo rush and perfectly placed shot by Micah Miller. The junior forward corralled the the puck at center ice, sped into the Bemidji zone and unloaded a shot that clanged into the goal at the intersection of the left post and crossbar.

The second period ended in dramatic fashion, as Miller appeared to have scored on another brilliant solo rush. The red light came on and the Grand Rapids cheering section erupted as Miller raced into the Bemidji end and fired the puck into the net just as the horn sounded to end the period. Video review, however, showed the puck was still a foot outside the crease when time expired, and the goal was disallowed.

Grand Rapids sophomore Blake McLaughlin, who has committed to the University of Minnesota, was a healthy scratch from the Thunderhawks lineup and replaced by sophomore goaltender Zach Stejskal.

Grand Rapids team website GRHS Hockey Online reported through Twitter that McLaughlin, who ranks sixth on the Thunderhawks in scoring with 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists), was scratched because of a rules violation.

Grand Rapids tied the score at 1 on a Gavin Hain one-timer 1:24 into the second period. Hain, stationed near the face-off dot to the left of Bemidji goaltender, converted a rebound of a Drake Anderson shot from the point. The goal was the 18th of the season for Hain, a sophomore who has committed to play at the University of North Dakota.

Pollock opened the scoring with 41.9 seconds left in the opening period when he scored on a breakaway, beating Holum with a deke and shot between Holum’s legs.