Lakeville North’s Jack Poehling recalled sitting in the locker room earlier this season when coach Trent Eigner said, “Let’s do something great. Let’s go 31-0.”

A group led by six future Division I players accepted the challenge and reached a destination bigger than they could have imagined.

The top-ranked Panthers’ 4-1 victory against a spirited Duluth East team in Saturday’s Class 2A boys’ hockey state championship capped a 31-0 season. They are the 17th team in tournament history to go undefeated and the first unblemished large-class team since the 1992-93 Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars.

An announced Saturday evening session record crowd of 19,495 fans packed the Xcel Energy Center to bear witness.

The challenge of the chase never overwhelmed the Panthers, who sacrificed in large and small ways all season to become champions.

“We said, ‘Hey, let’s do it,’ ” Poehling said in response to Eigner’s prodding. “Now we did it and it’s just the greatest feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”

The line of brothers Nick, Jack and Ryan Poehling, contributed three goals and five assists Saturday, propelling a talent-laden team right to the end. “Unfinished business” was the official Panthers’ motto after taking second place to Edina last season.

Unseeded Duluth East (16-11-4) scrapped its way to the title game, taking out No. 3 seed St. Thomas Academy and handing No. 2 Edina just its second loss all season. The Greyhounds’ leaders, Nick Altmann and Brian Bunten, were the hardest-working captains Mike Randolph ever coached.

Duluth East was methodical and patient, and Eigner asked Lakeville North’s stars to play a similar game. Again, the Panthers accepted his challenge.

The Panthers’ poise forced the Greyhounds, a team which preys on opponents’ mistakes, to make the first one.

Gathering a turnover inside the Greyhounds’ zone, Nick Poehling passed to younger brother Ryan. Though battling mononucleosis, Ryan Poehling beat goaltender Gunnar Howg for a 1-0 lead at 12:33 of the first period.

A Poehling-to-Poehling power-play goal built a 2-0 Lakeville North lead at 1:16 of the second period. Jack tipped Nick’s shot into the net.

In the third period, defenseman Angelo Altavilla snuck in unnoticed from the blue line, took a Nick Poehling pass and scored.

Duluth East came back from three-goal deficits in the quarterfinals against St. Thomas Academy but got only a third-period goal by Ryan Peterson.

“We never had any quit in us,” Altmann said. “We gave it our all.”

The Poehlings all committed to play at St. Cloud State. Jack McNeely (Nebraska-Omaha) and future Gophers’ teammates Jack Sadek and Ryan Edquist gave the Panthers a half-dozen premiere players.

“There are very skilled players on our team but the thing that made us most successful was, when we came to the rink, we checked our egos,” Jack Poehling said. “We became brothers and played for each other. Everyone had their role and that’s what made us the team we are.”

First Report

The Lakeville North Panthers are perfect.

A 4-1 victory against a spirited Duluth East team in Saturday’s Class 2A boys’ hockey state championship game made Lakeville North the 17th team in tournament history to go undefeated, the 13th large-school or single class team to finish without a tie – first since the 1992-93 Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars.

The game was played before an announced Xcel Energy Center crowd of 19,495 fans, a Saturday evening session record.

The line of brothers Nick, Jack and Ryan Poehling, contributed two goals and four assists, maintaining their place as catalysts for a talent-laden team.

Unseeded Duluth East scrapped its way to the title game, taking out No. 3 seed St. Thomas Academy and handing No. 2 Edina just its second loss all season. The Greyhounds were methodical and patient, willing to trade puck possession and large numbers of shots on goal for capitalizing at opportune moments. Their leaders, Nick Altmann and Brian Bunten, were the hardest-working captains Mike Randolph ever coached.

Lakeville North countered with poise of its own and the confidence of going into 30 previous games this season and coming out with a victory each time. Among the Panthers’ victims was Duluth East. They won 2-1 on Jan. 13 in Lakeville, outshooting the Greyhounds 41-20.

On Saturday, a Greyhounds team which preys on opponents’ mistakes made the first one.

A defenseman misfired on his clearing attempt and Lakeville North’s Nick Poehling pounced. Gathering the puck inside the Greyhounds’ zone, he turned and passed to younger brother Ryan. Though “sick as a dog” according to coach Trent Eigner, Ryan Poehling shot from the high slot and beat the goaltender for a 1-0 lead at 12:33 of the first period.

A Poehling-to-Poehling power-play goal built a 2-0 Lakeville North lead at 1:16 of the second period.

Nick Poehling wiggled parallel to the blue line, throwing a puck toward the Greyhounds’ goal. Twin brother Jack changed the puck’s flight plan with his stick blade, sending it under the goalie.

Defenseman Angelo Altavilla picked the right time to get involved in the offense. Skating in from the blue line, he took a Nick Poehling pass and fired the puck into an open net.

Duluth East came back from three-goal deficits in the quarterfinals against St. Thomas Academy but could find similar magic against the Panthers. A third-period goal by Ryan Peterson sparked the Greyhounds’ faithful but Duluth East got no closer.

Despite getting the wealth of attention, the Poehling brothers endear themselves to talented teammates by playing hard and without regard for individual reward. The trio combined for 86 goals and 111 assists this season, most notably the first two goals Saturday.

The Poehlings, who all committed to play at St. Cloud State, are joined by Division I-bound teammates Jack McNeely (Nebraska-Omaha) and future Gophers’ teammates Jack Sadek and Ryan Edquist. In addition, defenseman Angelo Altavilla will play baseball for Nebraska.


Photo gallery: Lakeville North wins Class 2A championship


Photo Gallery II

Star Tribune's Three Stars

1. Nick Poehling, Lake­ville North: Was absolutely dominant in scoring a goal, setting up three others, unloading a team-high five shots and delivering three hits.

2. Ryan Poehling, Lake­ville North: Despite playing with mono that required him to be on an IV all week, the sophomore opened the scoring, delivered a crushing hit and blocked a shot in his best game of the tournament.

3. Angelo Altavilla, Lake­ville North: Senior defenseman helped clinch the victory with a crucial third-period goal, had two other shots and was impeccable all game with his breakout passes.