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Newhouse powers Minnetonka past Prior Lake in section semifinal

By Loren Nelson, SportsEngine, 03/20/21, 10:00PM CDT

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Hunter Newhouse scored twice for the Skippers, sending them to next week's Class 2A, Section 2 championship game.

Minnetonka's Hunter Newhouse gets tangled with Prior Lake goaltender Trevor Boschee as the puck drops into the net for a third-period goal. The Skippers defeated the Lakers 3-1 on Saturday. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

Minnetonka's Hunter Newhouse gets tangled with Prior Lake goaltender Trevor Boschee as the puck drops into the net for a third-period goal. The Skippers defeated the Lakers 3-1 on Saturday. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

Hunter Newhouse’s impact on a hockey game is akin to that of a hurricane making landfall.

If there’s chaos in the crease, Newhouse is the cause of it. If there’s a mad scramble for the puck in the corner, Newhouse is at the center of it. If the teams are exchanging pleasantries at center ice, Newhouse’s facemask is stuck in the middle of it.

So when Minnetonka coach Sean Goldsworthy says Newhouse plays a 200-foot game, there isn’t a hint of hyperbole in the statement. Minnetonka’s senior forward seemingly was everywhere doing anything possible to help the Skippers secure their 3-1 Class 2A, Section 2 semifinal victory over Prior Lake on Saturday at the Dakotah! Ice Center in Prior Lake.

“I thought Newhouse carried us tonight,” Goldsworthy said. “He plays both ends of the rink. He can skate all day. He rarely ever hits a point where he gets tired.”

Minnetonka's Hunter Newhouse unloads a shot that results in a first period power-play goal. The Skippers defeated Prior Lake 3-1 on Saturday to advance to the Class 2A, Section 2 final. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

Minnetonka's Hunter Newhouse unloads a shot that results in a first period power-play goal. The Skippers defeated Prior Lake 3-1 on Saturday to advance to the Class 2A, Section 2 final. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

First Report

Hunter Newhouse scored twice and Kyle Briesemeister made 27 saves as Minnetonka held off Prior Lake 3-1 in a Class 2A, Section 2 semifinal on Saturday at the Dakotah! Ice Center in Prior Lake.

Newhouse, a senior forward, scored the lone goal of the first period on a power play and added a shorthanded goal to put the No. 3-seeded Skippers (12-6-2) ahead 3-0 in the third period. The goals give Newhouse a team-best 12 tallies this season. He’s also Minnetonka’s scoring leader with 25 points.

Briesemeister, who split playing time with fellow senior goaltender Anders Irene to start the season, continued his brilliant late-season play. He made 10 of his saves in the third period and was an integral part of a Skippers penalty killing unit that held No. 2 seed Prior Lake (14-3-2) scoreless on two 5-on-3 power play opportunities. 

Prior Lake, ranked No. 9 in the Class 2A coaches poll, outshot Minnetonka 28-25 but didn’t score until senior forward Bennett Soderberg’s power-play goal made it 3-1 with 11:40 remaining.

Senior forward Vinnie Farina also scored for Minnetonka. The goal was his fourth of the season.  

Junior Trevor Boschee made 22 saves for the Lakers.

Minnetonka goaltender Kyle Briesemeister makes a second-period save in front of Prior Lake's Alex Bump. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

Minnetonka goaltender Kyle Briesemeister makes a second-period save in front of Prior Lake's Alex Bump. Photo by Loren Nelson, SportsEngine

The MN Hockey Hub poll is for entertainment purposes only.

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