Hermantown’s Logan Judnick scored a goal in the second period against Breck goalie Linden Olness. Photo: JIM GEHRZ • james.gehrz@startribune.com

The final horn sounded and and sticks and gloves and helmets were heaved airborne. Goaltender Luke Olson suddenly found himself mobbed by jubilant teammates. Coach Bruce Plante was engulfed by his assistants in a celebratory mosh pit on the bench.
 
This wasn’t your standard championship celebration, customary as some of the scenes might have been. No, this was a moment six years in the making. This was more than just joy.
 
This was relief.
 
This was No. 1-seeded Hermantown winning a state Class 1A championship after finishing second in the title game each of the previous six years, an unfathomable streak the Hawks finally halted with authority in a 5-0 victory over No. 2-seeded Breck (26-4-1) on Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
 
“It’s just a weight off your back after those six losses,” said Olson, who watched five of the previous title games as a fan and last year’s as the Hawks’ starting goaltender. “To get this one out of the way, its unbelievable.”
 
Hermantown’s dubious streak, unmatched in Minnesota high school championship history,  started in 2010 with a 2-1 loss to Breck. The winning goal bounced off a Mustangs’ player’s shin pad in the closing minutes. The title games loss have come in similar, excruciating fashion ever since. Until Saturday.
 
The 67-year-old Plante, in his 27th season guiding the Hawks, said he’s not sure he could have survived another loss.
 
“They probably would have taken me out of here in a straitjacket or something,” Plante said. “It would have pushed me over the edge.”
 
Some brilliant early saves by Olson allowed the Hawks (28-1-1) to shake their title-game jitters, and first-period goals by Cole Koepke, Jesse Jacques and James Lindberg gave them a 3-0 cushion at the first intermission. Hermantown scored one goal in each of the final two periods.
 
“They have been here a lot, and they couldn’t close the deal,” Breck coach Les Larson said. “You would think that would be in the back of their minds.”
 
Hermantown defenseman Wyatt Aamodt, a Mr. Hockey award finalist who had two assists to go along with impeccable defensive play, said the pressure to end the streak was a noticeable burden.
 
“But we figured if we could get out there and jump on them early and pop a couple in and just keep rolling we would be fine,” he said.
 
And so they were. Olson finished with 18 saves and five different players scored as Hermantown, ranked No. 1 in the state most of the year, completed the playoffs having outscored their six opponents 52-6.

First report

Senior goaltender Luke Olson was superb in making 22 saves and Hermantown got goals from five different players as it beat Breck 5-0 on Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul to win the state Class 1A championship and halt one of the most astounding, and dubious, streaks in high school sports.
 
No. 1-seeded Hermantown (28-1-1) had lost in the previous six state championship games, the runner-up streak starting back in 2010 with a 2-1 loss to Breck when a shot deflected in off a Mustangs’ player’s shin pad in the closing minutes.
 
The hockey gods didn’t weren’t required to make any last-minute rulings this time. Hermantown streaked to a 3-0 lead after the first period, led 4-0 after the second and effectively limited Breck’s scoring chances in the third.
 
Hermantown was ranked No. 1 and Breck No. 2 in the state in the final coaches' poll.
 
Junior Logan Judnick scored the lone goal of the second period, kicking a rebound in the slot to his stick before before slamming the puck into the net to put Hermantown ahead 4-0 with 9:57 left in the second.
 
Trailing 3-0 to start the second period, No. 2-seeded Breck (26-4-1) had several outstanding scoring chances in the opening minutes, most notably a point-blank rebound attempt by Will Togerson. But Olson, ranging from rock-steady to spectacular all game, denied the chance with his right leg pad. Not long after that save, Breck’s Tyler Scott fired a shot off the left goalpost.
 
Senior James Lindberg put the Hawks ahead 3-0 with 4.5 seconds left in the first period when he launched a shot high over Breck goalie Linden Olness’ shoulder. Lindberg was standing just a few feet in front of the goal line when he unloaded the tough-angle shot for his eighth goal of the season.
 
Senior forward Cole Koepke opened the scoring for Hermantown with 7:13 left in the first period, as he shot from the high slot after taking a pass from defenseman and Mr. Hockey award finalist Wyatt Aamodt. The goal was the first allowed in the tournament for Breck, which shut out previous tourney opponents Mankato West and Thief River Falls.
 
More heavy forechecking led to Jesse Jacques’ goal that put Hermantown ahead 2-0 in with 4:29 left in the first. Linemates Ryan Sandelin and Koepke worked the puck out of the right corner and into the slot for Jacques, who drilled a shot past Olness’ left arm.
 
Sandelin’s shorthanded goal with 2:10 left completed the scoring.
 
Breck outshot Hermantown 23-18. Sophomore goaltender Linden Olness made 18 saves for the Mustangs.
 
Hermantown defeated its six playoff opponents by a combined score of 52-6.

Postgame Press Conference & Highlights


Photo gallery: Hermantown 5, Breck 0