Wayzata entered its matchup with Benilde-St. Margaret’s with a sub-.500 record and a three-game losing streak, but junior goaltender Alex Schilling said the Trojans did not feel like underdogs.

“Coach (Pat O’Leary) wrote on the board to believe (before the game),” Schilling said. “All throughout the game, we knew that we were going to get that last goal.”

Wayzata got the last goal in dramatic fashion, as junior forward Luke Paterson tapped home loose puck in crease with 1:41 left in regulation in the Trojans’ 2-1 victory over the Red Knights Tuesday night at the St. Louis Park Rec Center.

“I told our guys a rough goal would be the one,” O’Leary said. “We threw one to the net and got a big goal.”

The goal not only ended the skid for Wayzata (11-11-2), ranked No. 8 in the Class 2A coaches poll, but earned the Trojans an important victory over a Section 6 rival with playoff seedings being decided within a few days.

Paterson also netted the game-tying goal - one that required the same extra strength and grit around the net as the game-winner - with less than 2 minutes to play in the first period. 

O’Leary said Wayzata has struggled to score goals lately, but the Trojans won’t be disappointed with getting goals that matter. 

“Our goal is to get three goals every single game, but we were happy with two hard-nosed goals (tonight),” he said.

Paterson said his scoring success is a result of the chemistry he has with his linemates, Wayzata’s leading scorers Billy Duma and Max Zimmer. The two juniors have a combined 15 goals and 54 points.

“Duma and Zimmer have been on my line for a long time,” Paterson said. “We always know where (the others) are,” Paterson added. 

Paterson’s multi-goal performance brought his scoring total for the season to eight goals and 12 points. 

While Paterson sparked the Trojans’ offense, junior goaltender Alex Schilling was outstanding in anchoring the defense with a performance that sealed the victory.

Schilling, who gave up five goals in Wayzata’s 5-1 loss to Lake Conference rival Minnetonka on Feb. 7, made 42 saves against No. 10-2A Benilde-St. Margaret’s (13-9-2). 

O’Leary said Schilling’s poise under pressure was the key in the win over the Red Knights. 

“He stays under control,” O’Leary said. “You can see tonight that was the reason we won.”

The win improves Schilling’s record to 9-9-1 and his save percentage to .895.

Schilling, who was a member of Wayzata’s 2014 Class 2A state champion tennis team, had extra motivation to turn in a big performance Tuesday night. 

He played with current Red Knights Carter Roo and Cade Gleekel for Team Northwest in the Upper Midwest High School Elite League this fall and is more than a counterpart of Benilde-St. Margaret’s sophomore Ryan Bischel.

“The Red Knights’ goalie (Bischel) is my neighbor,” Schilling said with a grin. “I had to win this one.”


Red Knight forward Jerry Calengor opened the scoring midway through the first period, but it was all Benilde-St. Margaret's could muster in a 2-1 loss to Wayzata on Feb. 10. Photo by Nick Wosika

First Report

Junior forward Luke Paterson scored two goals, including the game-winner with 1:41 left in regulation, to lift Wayzata over Benilde-St. Margaret’s 2-1 in a matchup of Class 2A, Section 6 rivals at the St. Louis Park Recreation Center on Tuesday night. 

Junior forward Billy Duma finished with two assists for the Trojans, ranked No. 8 in the Class 2A coaches poll.

Paterson’s second goal was nearly a carbon copy of his first, as he tapped a loose puck in the crease past Red Knights sophomore goalie Ryan Bischel. 

Bischel finished with 38 saves, while junior goaltender Alex Schilling made 42 spectacular saves for the Trojans (11-11-2), who snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory. 

Junior forward Jerry Calengor scored the lone goal for No. 10-2A Benilde-St. Margaret’s (13-9-2).

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