Eastview high school may want to take out a restraining order on Ian Entzion.

That is, if they haven’t already.

Entzion’s breakaway goal propelling No. 17 Eagan to a 3-2 victory over No. 11 Eastview wasn’t the first time he crushed the hopes of Lightning athletes and fans. Leading the Wildcats football team this past fall, he helped Eagan upset their crosstown rival for the first time in the school’s history. 

So you think they might be a little bitter?

“Yeah, they probably hate me,” Entzion said.  

Since being founded in 1997, Eastview dominated Eagan in football, not losing a single game to the Wildcats in 17 years. That all changed when the senior took the reins as quarterback, and defeated the Lightning a few months ago. 

“I’m pretty sure the football coach had tears in his eyes after that game,” Entzion’s mother said. 

Which brought him to tonight, where once again, the rivalry proved to be as aggressive and fierce as ever. After three periods of fast, hard-hitting hockey, the border rivals were tied at two. 

The game didn’t start as Eagan wanted, though. After a sloppy first period, the Wildcats trudged into the locker room with frustration. Outshot and outplayed, it was on the players’ shoulders to turn things around. 

“They got in the locker room and got after themselves because they were sloppy and their feet weren’t moving,” Eagan coach Mike Taylor said. “I didn’t really have to say too much because they knew what they had to do.”

The Wildcats were able to pick up the pace in the second period, but they were still going against one of the top goalies in the state in Zach Driscoll. 

“You’ve got to get shots to the net and get bodies in front of him because that’s the only way you’re going to beat him,” Taylor said. 

Eagan did just that as defenseman, and Mr. Hockey finalist, Nick Wolff scored on a powerplay goal at 11:15 of the period, set up by a beautiful screen from guess who? Ian Entzion. 

“It was a great screen by Ian, and it was sort of a lucky goal,” Wolff said. “But it wouldn’t have happened without a great screen in front.” 

A scoreless third period brought the rivals to a familiar place: overtime. The Lightning edged out Eagan earlier in the year outdoors at TCF Bank stadium 3-2 in sudden death, just adding to the already high tensions between the teams. 

“It’s quite the rivalry. They’d beaten us twice in a row, so we definitely wanted to get them back,” Taylor said.

But a few minutes into overtime, Entzion found the puck on his stick on a breakaway and once again made Eastview pay. He fired the puck past Lightning Driscoll’s glove to seal the upset in sudden death. 

“The puck kind of just popped through the defense and I was lucky enough to get around them,” Entzion said.

It was the forward’s second time upsetting his rival in as many sports. Not exactly used to being the hero in hockey, it was a special night for the senior. 

“It’s a fantastic feeling,” he said. 
 
Now, Eastview is just hoping he doesn’t play a spring sport.