Centennial routs Holy Family Catholic in MSHSL Girls Hockey Class 2A Semifinal: Live score recap (2/20)

ST. PAUL — At some point, No. 3 Holy Family Catholic head coach Randy Koeppl stopped looking up at the scoreboard. His team trailed by multiple goals, and every No. 2 Centennial/Spring Lake Park shot seemed to go in.

Centennial/Spring Lake Parks’ route began in the second period when Holy Family Catholic senior goalie Kayle Swartout deflected a shot with her blocker and it bounced off the boards and looped back toward goal, and it hit off her heel and into the net.

“When something like that happens, you start thinking, ‘Is this our night?’” Koeppl said. “I was proud of the kids. They stayed positive, as they do.”

The game felt like an avalanche after that. The Cougars scored 13 seconds later to make it 3-1, and eventually, Centennial/Spring Lake Park (26-3-1) defeated the Holy Family Catholic Fire (25-4) 8-2 in the 2026 MSHSL Class 2A semifinal on Friday at Grand Casino Arena.

Eight different skaters scored for Centennial/Spring Lake Park in what was a comprehensive win against a team they faced four times this season, having split the games 2-2.

“It was one of our best games that we’ve played in our tenure here,” Centennial head coach Sean Molin said.

The win gives Centennial its second state championship appearance but first as Centennial/Spring Lake Park. The Cougars get to face No. 1 Hill-Murray, a team they lost 4-3 to in the final game of the regular season, on Saturday at 7 p.m.

“It will be a great example of girls hockey tomorrow,” Molin said. “We’re excited for it.”

Centennial routs Holy Family Catholic in MSHSL Girls Hockey Class 2A Semifinal: Live score recap (2/20)

First Period Updates

The game is underway.

GOAL CENTENNIAL! Mia Sutch rockets a shot into the top corner from the left face off cirlce. The first shot on goal of the game is a goal — Centennial/SLP 1, Holy Family 0 — 16:00

GOAL HOLY FAMILY! Seconds into a power play, Maddy Kimbrel buries a puck after a pass from behind the net — Centennial/SLP 1, Holy Family 1 — 13:10

Three minutes remain in the period, and Centennial/SLP has a 7-4 shots on goal advantage. Neither team is sustaining much pressure so far.

END OF FIRST PERIOD: Centennial/SLP 1, Holy Family 1

Centennial/SLP finishes the firts period with a 12-8 shots on goal advantage.

Second Period Updates

The Second period is underway.

Power play for Holy Family. Centennial's Lillian Renslow goes to the penalty box for cross checking — 14:15

Centennial/SLP kills the penalty.

Another power play for Holy Family. Centennial/SLP's Annabelle Buccicone hit Holy Family's Maddy Kimbrel into the boards, and she gets a 2-minute penalty for body checking — 10:47

A tripping penalty on Holy Family's Taryn Richter will make this a 4-on-4 for 22 seconds — 9:10

GOAL CENTENNIAL/SLP! Moments into a 5-on-4 advantage, Buccicone is credited with a goal that bounced off the boards and looped back over the goal and off the Holy Family goalie and into the net — Centennial/SLP 3, Holy Family 1

GOAL CENTENNIAL/SLP! Thirteen seconds later, Annabelle Buccicone shot from the blue line and through traffic and into the top left corner — Centennial/SLP 3, Holy Family 1 — 8:26

Power play for Centennial/SLP. Richter is called for roughing — 7:33

GOAL CENTENNIAL/SLP! Alaina Gnetz scores on the power play for the Cougars. She shot from the top of the right face off circle and into the top of the net to continue a great second period for the Cougars — Centennial/SLP 4, Holy Family 1 — 5:55

GOAL CENTENNIAL/SLP! Jozie Kelzenberg buries her 2-on-1 chance into the net — Centennial/SLP 5, Holy Family 1 — 0:48

END OF SECOND PERIOD: Centennial/SLP 5, Holy Family Catholic 1

Holy Family has a 21-20 shots on goal advantage,

Third Period Updates

Holy Family wins the face off, and we're underway in the third period.

GOAL CENTENNIAL/SLP! Katie Ball went around a Holy Family defender and slid the puck past goalie Kayla Swartout for the Cougars sixth goal of the game — Centennial/SLP 6, Holy Family 1

GOAL HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC! Kimbrel scores with a wrist shot while charging down the right side — Centennila/SLP 6, Holy Family Catholic 2 — 12:30

GOAL CENTENNIAL/SLP! Madeline Wolter shot by the left boards, and Swartout did not see the puck through traffic, and it's another goal for the Cougars — Centennial/SLP 7, Holy Family 2 — 10:04

Power play for Holy Family. Avery Wagner goes to the box for two minutes for tripping — 8:52

Centennial kills the power play.

GOAL CENTENNIAL/SPRING LAKE PARK! Wagner gets her first. She beats Swartout on a 1-on-1, and Centennial/SLP continues to roll — Centennial/SLP 8, Holy Family Catholic 2 — 5:40

FINAL: Centennial/Spring Lake Park 8, Holy Family Catholic 2

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