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Grand Rapids deals defending Class 2A state champ Hill-Murray first loss of season

By Heather Rule, SportsEngine, 01/23/21, 12:15PM CST

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Senior defenseman Jack Peart, the Thunderhawks' leading scorer a season ago, tallied the game-winning goal in the third period.

Grand Rapids' Hayden DeMars (20) carries the puck into the offensive zone as Hill-Murray's Joe Palodichuk (2) defends. The Thunderhawks beat the Pioneers 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Aldrich Arena in Maplewood.  Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Grand Rapids' Hayden DeMars (20) carries the puck into the offensive zone as Hill-Murray's Joe Palodichuk (2) defends. The Thunderhawks beat the Pioneers 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Aldrich Arena in Maplewood. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

The battle on the ice between Grand Rapids and Hill-Murray was about as close as one might expect for two of the top teams in the state bordering each other in the state rankings.

“You’ll see what your D zone’s made of in games like these,” said Grand Rapids senior defenseman Jack Peart.

In a slight upset, Grand Rapids, ranked No. 7 in the Class 2A coaches’ poll, defeated No. 6-2A Hill-Murray 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Aldrich Arena. Sometimes it’s a lucky bounce here or there that’s the difference. It certainly was the case in this game; each of the three goals took a bounce or deflection off the opposition before the puck found the back of the net.

Shots on goal were 21-14 in favor of Hill-Murray, without a lot of second-chance opportunities in what Grand Rapids coach Wade Chiodo called an even, “neutral-zone game.”

“That’s what happens when you’ve got two good teams going back and forth,” Chiodo said. “Obviously we got a bounce at the end, it went in the net and we’ll take it.”

The Thunderhawks (4-0-0) broke a 1-1 stalemate with 6 minutes, 20 seconds to play in regulation when Peart’s shot from the point made it through traffic and into the net for the eventual game-winner. His shot hit a Hill-Murray defenseman on the way in, which Peart said he and his teammates will take any day.

Grand Rapids' Sam Sterle (24) battles Hill-Murray's Dylan Godbout (17) for control of the puck during Saturday afternoon’s game. Sterle had a goal in the Thunderhawks’ 2-1 victory over the Pioneers. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Grand Rapids' Sam Sterle (24) battles Hill-Murray's Dylan Godbout (17) for control of the puck during Saturday afternoon’s game. Sterle had a goal in the Thunderhawks’ 2-1 victory over the Pioneers. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

First Report

The battle on the ice was about as close as one might expect for two of the top teams in the state bordering each other in the state rankings.

In the slight upset, Grand Rapids, ranked No. 7 in Class 2A coaches’ poll, defeated No. 6-2A Hill-Murray 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Aldrich Arena.

The Thunderhawks (4-0-0) broke a 1-1 tie in the third period when senior defenseman Jack Peart’s shot from the point made it through traffic and into the net for the eventual game-winning goal with 6 minutes, 20 seconds to play in regulation. 

The Pioneers (2-1-0) had taken a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal from Jared Jensen in the second period before Sam Sterle tied the game with a power-play goal of his own.

In goal, Hill-Murray junior Nick Erickson made 12 saves, while senior Wyatt Pilkenton stopped 20 shots for the Thunderhawks. 

Hill-Murray's Nick Erickson (1) makes a save during the first period of Saturday afternoon’s game against Grand Rapids. The defending Class 2A state champion Pioneers fell to the Thunderhawks 2-1. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

Hill-Murray's Nick Erickson (1) makes a save during the first period of Saturday afternoon’s game against Grand Rapids. The defending Class 2A state champion Pioneers fell to the Thunderhawks 2-1. Photo by Jeff Lawler, SportsEngine

The MN Hockey Hub poll is for entertainment purposes only.

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