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Delano defeats defending 1A champ Orono to advance to state tournament

By MATTHEW DAVIS, Special to the Star Tribune, 02/28/19, 7:15PM CST

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The Tigers, behind 26 saves by goaltender Aaron Kruse, prevailed for a 2-0 victory in the Section 2 championship game.


Delano's Aaron Kruse makes a sliding save with six minutes left in regulation, stopping a shot from Jamie Bazil (12). Kruse backstopped a 1-0 win earning a shutout on 26 saves to capture the Class 1A, Section 2 title. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

Delano senior forward Hogan Williams scored the only goal needed Thursday to send the Tigers back to the boys' hockey state tournament.

Williams’ first-period power-play goal helped Delano, the No. 2 seed, unseat defending Class 1A state champion Orono 2-0 in the Class 1A, Section 2 championship at St. Louis Park Rec Center.

“It’s amazing. It really hasn’t sunken in,” Williams said. “Especially to beat Orono, our biggest rival, tops it off.”

The Tigers (17-9-2) added an empty-netter by sophomore forward Kurt Schumacher with 20.6 seconds left to seal a second trip to Xcel Energy Center after making it there in 2017.

Delano senior goalie Aaron Kruse made 26 saves, which included stopping three close-in shots by Orono (18-10) in the second period. Kruse made a glove save on Orono junior forward Nick Mohs-Messerli’s shot with 2:42 left in the second.

“I didn’t even think about it until after I made it,” Kruse said about the save. “It just happened.”

Orono crashed the net twice in the final six minutes with players piling around Kruse, to no avail. The Spartans finished with a 26-15 advantage on shots.

“I just do anything I can to keep it out of the net,” Kruse said.

Orono junior goalie Finn Grandy had 13 saves. He also helped stave off the Tigers’ lone power play.

“They outworked us today,” Grandy said. “We didn’t get the job done, but I love this team.”

First report

Delano senior forward Hogan Williams scored the only goal needed to send the Tigers to the boys' hockey state tournament.

Williams scored a power-play goal in the first period as Delano, the No. 2 seed, unseated defending Class 1A state champion Orono 2-0 on Thursday in the Class 1A, Section 2 championship at St. Louis Park Rec Center.

The Tigers (17-9-2) added an empty-netter by sophomore forward Kurt Schumacher with 20.6 seconds left to seal another trip to the state tournament after they made it in 2017.

Delano senior goalie Aaron Kruse made 26 saves, which included stopping three close shots by Orono (18-10) during the second period. He made a glove save on Orono junior forward Nick Mohs-Messerli’s shot with 2:42 left in the second.

Orono crashed the net twice in the final six minutes with players piling around Kruse, but the Spartans couldn’t get anything past him. The Spartans finished with a 26-15 advantage on shots.

Orono junior goalie Finn Grandy had 13 saves. He also helped the Spartans stave off the Tigers’ lone power play.

Check back later for more on the game.


Fisher Eiss (21) comes away with the puck after winning the battle in the corner with Hogan Williams (12). Williams scored the game-winning goal in the first period. Photo by Cheryl Myers, SportsEngine

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