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Brady Ingebritson celebrating the tying goal with under a minute left. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, Hockey Day Minnesota

Hill-Murray posts furious rally to close out White Bear Lake in overtime

By Kassondra Burtis, SportsEngine, 01/28/23, 8:00PM CST

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Ingebritson nets a pair of goals late to clinch the comeback win for the Pioneers.

Brady Ingebritson celebrating the tying goal with under a minute left. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, Hockey Day Minnesota

Brady Ingebritson celebrating the tying goal with under a minute left. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, Hockey Day Minnesota

The Pioneers saw no reason to panic when trailing by a goal against rival White Bear Lake with under one minute to play in regulation.

In fact, the deficit is a situation they’ve found themselves in before. The biggest factor in their comeback might not have even been on the ice, but in a coach’s encouragement during a timely timeout.

Coach Bill Lechner’s timeout conversation was just what the Pioneers needed, as senior captain Brady Ingebritson scored shortly thereafter to tie the game with 45 seconds left in the third period and send it to overtime.

In the extra period, Ingebritson came to the Pioneers’ rescue once again, netting the overtime game-winning goal to secure the 3-2 victory against the Bears on Saturday at Polar Lakes Park in White Bear Lake.

“Coach has got a lot of trust in us and he knew that we could score there,” Ingebritson said. “He said that it could be done. He knew that we could come back, we could tie the game then win it. He had full confidence in us.”

The victory capped off the slate of high school games on Hockey Day Minnesota and extended the Pioneers’ winning streak during the annual event to four games.

It also extends the winning streak of the Pioneers against White Bear Lake to six games. The last time the Bears, ranked No. 9 in the most recent Class 2A Let’s Play Hockey poll, defeated the unranked Pioneers was Dec. 19, 2019, in an overtime win.

The Pioneers are now undefeated in the last five games, winning four and playing one to a tie. On Saturday they defeated a Bears roster that had shutout opponents in three of its past five games. Despite the Pioneers featuring a relatively young roster, Lechner is seeing the team come together as the season progresses.

“In the beginning, their eyes were wide open but now they’re starting to play better in competition,” Lechner said. “Our schedule right from the get-go was against tough teams and it looked like everyone was selling us a little short, respectively.”

When it comes to the storied rivalry between White Bear Lake (13-4-0, 7-1-0) and Hill-Murray (8-8-1, 5-1-0), both teams know that records don’t indicate how a game will go. A rivalry like this brings about another level of competition.

“In history, it really doesn’t matter the records when we play each other,” Lechner said. “It’s White Bear and Hill-Murray, kind of the city rivalry. Either way, even if we were 15-0 and they were 8-8, when we play each other that goes away and you play hard.”

An added level to this year’s matchup of the two rivals was that Saturday’s game was played as part of Hockey Day Minnesota. Outdoor hockey, televised, under the lights, with media surrounding the rink—it can all add to the pressure for young players. Lechner said the Pioneers worked hard at keeping the focus on the game at hand.

In addition to keeping focused throughout the weeks leading up to the much-talked-about game, Ingebritson said the important thing was to prepare for and treat it like any other game. With the way the Pioneers have competed of late, they know that playing their game was all that mattered.

“Right now for us, we don’t really look at anyone’s record because ours might not be the best, but right now we’re playing our best hockey,” Ingebritson said. “White Bear is a good team and in the past years we’ve beat them. We know what it takes to beat them.”

It’s the only meeting of the regular season for the rivals, but the two will likely see each other again in the playoffs—a matchup they’ve seemingly made a yearly tradition. While not necessarily a preview to how a possible playoff matchup will unfold, Lechner said the game is a good measuring stick.

“It certainly helps but it’s not the end-all,” Lechner said. “It was a very hard-working game and we were very fortunate to come out on top. But it does prepare us a little bit to see and feel each other out. But a month from now, we’re starting over.”

Boden Sampair carries the puck for Hill-Murray. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, Hockey Day Minnesota

Boden Sampair carries the puck for Hill-Murray. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, Hockey Day Minnesota

First report

Brady Ingebritson played the hero for Hill-Murray as the Pioneers defeated White Bear Lake 3-2 in overtime on Saturday at Polar Lakes Park in White Bear Lake. It was the third and final game of outdoor high school hockey in the annual Hockey Day Minnesota.

The Pioneers (8-8-1) opened the scoring early as sophomore forward Boden Sampair intercepted an errant White Bear Lake pass, breaking through the two defenseman and winning a one-on-one battle against Bears goalie Leo Gabriel.

The Pioneers lead—which came just 58 seconds into the game—didn’t last long, as the Bears answered with a goal less than a minute later. Senior forward Aiden Welch received a pass in the slot, tucking a goal past the glove of Pioneers goalie Jack Erickson.

The game was deadlocked at 1-1 through more than 35 minutes, including a second period which only saw three total shots on goal combined between the teams.

A Nolan Roed goal put No. 9-2A Bears (13-4) ahead by one late in the third period, but after a Pioneer timeout, Brady Ingebritson scored with 46 seconds remaining to tie the game.

In overtime, Ingebritson scored once again and lifted the Pioneers to a 3-2 victory—the fourth Hockey Day Minnesota victory for the Pioneers.

Erickson made 16 saves for the Pioneers in the win, while the Bears’ Gabriel stopped 20 shots.

Nolan Roed celebrates his go-ahead goal in the third period. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, Hockey Day Minnesota

Nolan Roed celebrates his go-ahead goal in the third period. Photo by Brennan Schachtner, Hockey Day Minnesota

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