Maple Grove advanced to its first state championship game with a 6-2 victory over unseeded Prior Lake.

Senior Joshua Giuliani put the Crimson (23-6-1) up 2-0 early in the first period and completed a hat trick by the second intermission in Friday’s first Class 2A boys' hockey state tournament semifinal at Xcel Energy Center.

Maple Grove coach Todd Bergland said his team’s defense played well, and so did the power play (2-for-3).

“Across the board, I think that was one of our most complete games all year,” Bergland said.

Maple Grove used its physical play to not only score six goals but also shut down Prior Lake’s Alex Bump. He scored one goal Friday after pumping in five in the quarterfinals. Giuliani was the main contributor to that defensive role for the Crimson, to go along with his hat trick.

“I love to play defense, I love to play offense,” Giuliani said. “I like to do defense first.”

Prior Lake (19-11-0) got within a goal in the first period, but Maple Grove’s top line came through again. Finn Brink grabbed a Lakers turnover at center ice and went in for a shorthanded goal with 47.4 seconds left in the opening period for a 3-1 lead.

Prior Lake coach Joe Pankratz saw that as the backbreaker for his team. That, and the physical and fast play of Maple Grove.

“They smacked us pretty good tonight,” he said. “We couldn’t bounce back from it.”