Bemidji’s Jake Leitner touched the gold medal draped around his neck, unable to stop smiling.

The Lumberjacks senior captain knew the history of heartbreak surrounding the Bemidji boys’ hockey program — and he was ready to start the party.

“Twenty-nine years,” said Leitner, detailing the drought since the Lumberjacks’ last state tournament appearance.

It’s time for a new countdown. Leitner and top-seeded Bemidji defeated second-seeded Moorhead 2-0 in the Class 2A, Section 8 championship game at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls on Wednesday night. Now it’s just seven days to a return trip almost three decades in the making.

“I’m going to celebrate like it’s 1986,” grinned Leitner, whose mother Melissa was a senior at Bemidji High School that year. She was classmates with Mr. Hockey George Pelawa, who led the last Lumberjacks’ team to reach the state tournament.

How long ago was it? Well, Maverick and Goose were discussing the “need for speed,” and Mike Tyson was about to become the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history. Ronald Reagan was midway through his second term as president, and bigger was better for hairstyles.

“It’s huge for our community and hockey program, everything that has to do with Bemidji,” said senior goaltender Grant Tharaldson, who stopped all 26 Moorhead shots he faced Wednesday night. “It’s an unreal feeling.”

Tharaldson’s timely saves were key, as were a pair of goals in the final seconds of the first two periods. That combination propelled the Lumberjacks back to state.

Brady Tatro buried a rebound of Rocky Copiskey’s shot with just 16.4 seconds left in the first period. Leitner did one better, ripping a wrister just under the crossbar with only 2.6 seconds left in the second period.

“It felt like we put the dagger in them,” Leitner said.

Tharaldson agreed and said the two goals energized the locker room.

“Our big players scored the big goals,” Bemidji coach Wade Chiodo said. “Games like this, your key players have to find the back of the net and they did.”

Moorhead turned up the pressure in the third period, but Tharaldson stood tall.

“Our defense was there all game blocking shots,” Tharaldson said. “I always count on those boys in front of me to do what they can to help me out.”

A close game shouldn’t have been a surprise, as the teams have a history of playing close games. In 11 previous meetings over the past five years, seven went to overtime. But until this year, the Spuds had Bemidji’s number. Moorhead was 6-0-3 in the first nine, including a 2-0 victory in the 2011 section final.

Bemidji (23-3-2) turned the tables this winter, sweeping all three games from the Spuds (17-9-2), including Wednesday’s section final victory.

“I knew we were going to be right there, we just had to come together as a team,” Chiodo said. “And we did.”

First Report

It’s been a long wait in Bemidji.

The top-seeded Lumberjacks returned to the state tournament after a 29-year absence, defeating second-seeded Moorhead 2-0 in the Class 2A, Section 8 final at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls on Wednesday.

A pair of goals in the final seconds of the first two periods propelled Bemidji, ranked No. 12 in the final Class 2A coaches poll.

Brady Tatro buried a rebound of Rocky Copiskey’s shot with just 16.4 seconds left in the first period. The Lumberjacks’ Jake Leitner did one better, ripping a wrister just under the crossbar with only 2.6 seconds left in the second period.

No. 17 Moorhead turned up the pressure in the third period, but Grant Tharaldson stood tall. The senior goaltender stopped all 26 shots he faced to send Bemidji back to state.

Bemidji (23-3-2) swept all three games from Moorhead (17-9-2) this winter, but the third victory may be the most significant because it a run of dominance by the Spuds and Roseau - the only two teams to represent the section in the state tournament during the last 19 years.


Bemidji goaltender Grant Tharaldson (30) stops a shot by Moorhead's Justin Keller (14) in the second period. Photo by Tim Kolehmainen

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