Logan Lindstrand scored the in the first period, Griffin Ness added a breakaway goal with 1:35 left and goaltender Alex Schilling made 21 saves as No. 3-seeded Wayzata held on to defeat No. 2-seeded Stillwater 2-1 on Friday in the Class 2A quarterfinals at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
The victory gives the Trojans (21-8-1) their first state championship berth in program history.
Ness, a sophomore forward, broke free at center ice and beat Stillwater goaltender Josh Benson with a shot over his glove hand to put the Trojans ahead 2-0. The goal was Ness’ fourth of the season.
Jackson Cates scored with 1 minute left to pull the Ponies to within 2-1 and energize the massive crowd. His brother, Noah had another close-range shot stopped by Schilling just before the final horn sounded and the net was pushed off its moorings in the wild scramble.
Lindstrand, a junior defenseman, scored 6:55 into the first period when his shot from the right point sailed through a traffic jam of players and past Stillwater (27-2-1) senior goaltender Josh Benson. The goal was Lindstrand’s fourth of the season.
Stillwater’s Simon Sagissor streaked in alone on Schilling on a partial breakaway with 3 minutes left in the third, but couldn’t beat the Trojans’ senior goaltender. Stillwater’s best chance in the early going of the third came on a rebound try by Jackson Cates from just outside the crease. The Ponies’ Gavin Holland rocketed a shot off the pipe just seconds later. The Ponies continued to ratchet up the pressure throughout the third, repeatedly testing Schilling.
Wayzata controlled play throughout the first, outshooting Stillwater 11-4.
Wayzata’s Mark Senden, a senior forward who has committed to the University of North Dakota, was stopped on a breakaway 7 minutes into the second period. Benson flashed his right leg in time to stuff Senden’s low shot. Benson’s effort immediately was replayed and honored as the Save of the Game on the Xcel’s massive scoreboard screens. Benson made another good save on a rushing Grant Anderson late in the second.
The Ponies played without junior forward Luke Manning, their third-leading scorer who was scratched because of a concussion he suffered in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Junior forward T.J. Sagissor, questionable because of a foot injury he suffered Thursday, played a regular shift.