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Minnetonka scores just before time expires in regulation, skates to tie with Wayzata

By Loren Nelson, SportsEngine, 02/25/21, 5:30PM CST

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The Skippers' Hunter Newhouse had a rebound goal with less than a second on the game clock to tie the game at 3 in the third period.

Minnetonka's Hunter Newhouse (10) flipped a shot into the upper left corner of the goal with .1 seconds remaining Thursday night to tie the score at 3-3 and force overtime against Wayzata. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

Minnetonka's Hunter Newhouse (10) flipped a shot into the upper left corner of the goal with .1 seconds remaining Thursday night to tie the score at 3-3 and force overtime against Wayzata. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

A lot can happen in eight seconds. All of it favorable for Minnetonka. None of it nearly as good for Wayzata.

The puck was deep in the Minnetonka zone with about 8 seconds left in regulation and Wayzata leading by a goal Thursday night. Then the game, already a back-and-forth thriller with playoff speed and intensity, was cranked to 11 on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of sheer unpredictability and excitement.

“When the puck was down there, and (Wayzata junior forward) Johnny Mattson had them pinned with 7, 8 or 9 seconds left, whatever it was, I’m like, ‘I didn’t want to jinx us, but I feel like we are pretty good here.’ ” Wayzata coach Pat O’Leary said after the Skippers and Trojans skated to a 3-3 tie at the Plymouth Ice Center. “Then I’m like, ‘Oh my lord.’ ”

Hunter Newhouse scored a most improbable goal with .1 seconds remaining to force the overtime period, the final step in a process that saw the puck go end-to-end with the help of a stretch pass to neutral ice, include a shot from the point that would “Plinko” (O’Leary’s description) off the traffic jam of players in the crease area and the final flip of a loose puck by Newhouse over Trojans goaltender Will Ingemann and into the upper left corner of the net. The clock read 00.1 as the puck sailed into the webbing. Hockey’s equivalent of a Hail Mary.

“I just chipped it over the guy’s pad,” said Newhouse, a senior forward. “I was asking the guys, ‘Was that good or what?’ Yeah, it was exciting.”

The matchup was the third of the season, and second that extended into overtime, between the Lake Conference rivals. Wayzata won 4-3 in overtime on Jan. 23 and 5-3 on Jan. 28. Both of those games were at Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka.

With the season shortened and an abundance of metro teams playing conference-only schedules, several of the Lake teams chose to play each other three times this season instead of the customary two meetings.

“When half your schedule is Wayzata, Edina and Eden Prairie, you know you are going to be battle-tested when it matters,” said Minnetonka coach Sean Goldsworthy. “They test your mettle, they test your depth. Sometimes the game gets emotional, too, so you find out what your rattle level is.”

Wayzata's Jake Schneider beats Minnetonka goaltender Kyle Briesemeister to put the Trojans ahead 3-2 late in the third period on Thursday night. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

Wayzata's Jake Schneider beats Minnetonka goaltender Kyle Briesemeister to put the Trojans ahead 3-2 late in the third period on Thursday night. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

First Report

Minnetonka senior Hunter Newhouse scored a rebound goal with .1 seconds left in regulation and senior Jake Schneider scored twice for Wayzata on Thursday night as the Skippers and Trojans skated to a 3-3 tie at the Plymouth Ice Center.

Newhouse’s dramatic goal to end regulation came after the Skippers (8-3-1) dug the puck from behind their goal line, made a stretch pass up to neutral ice and quickly gained entry into the Trojans' zone. A shot from the point sailed through heavy traffic, reached the Wayzata (7-4-1) net and Newhouse was there for the rebound, scooping the puck over Trojans goaltender Will Ingemann.

The meeting was the third of the season between the Lake Conference rivals. Wayzata won 4-3 in overtime on Jan. 23 and 5-3 on Jan. 28. Both of those games were at Pagel Activity Center in Minnetonka.

Schneider scored his second goal of the night with 4:24 remaining in regulation to put Wayzata ahead 3-2. He also scored the lone goal of the second period as Wayzata tied it at 2-2. Schneider’s two goals give him nine for the season — second most on the team.

Wayzata’s Cashen Naeve opened the scoring 3:21 into the first period, and Minnetonka responded with a goal by Joe Brink 13 seconds later. Reed Hanus scored with 7:46 left to put the Skippers ahead 2-1, giving them their only lead of the game.

Ingemann finished with 30 saves while Minnetonka’s Kyle Briesemeister made 23 stops.

Minnetonka outshot Wayzata 8-5 in the overtime period.

Minnetonka's Tyler Kueppers (right) moves the puck ahead of Wayzata's Gavin O'Connell on Thursday night. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

Minnetonka's Tyler Kueppers (right) moves the puck ahead of Wayzata's Gavin O'Connell on Thursday night. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

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