Warroad tops Hibbing in Minnesota High School Boys Hockey State Tournament Class 1A Championship

ST. PAUL, Minn. — People in Minnesota know that the small town of Warroad calls itself Hockeytown, USA, but for 21 years, the Warroad Warriors boys hockey team fell short of that name.

They won a state championship in 2005. They were the runners-up in 2009, and they missed the state tournament from 2011 to 2019. The Warriors were runners-up again in 2022 and 2023.

On Saturday, senior forward Mooney Shaugabay scored the game-winning goal in overtime during the Class 1A championship against Hibbing/Chisholm. His teammates piled onto him, but when each jubilant Warrior got off the pile, Shagaubay remained, crying.

His brother, Jayson, had been a part of the 2023 runner-up team, and his father, Dane, is a former player who has been an assistant coach for a decade.

“That just shows how much it means to all of us,” Warroad head coach Jay Hardwick said. “We’ve been so close. His brother was here. He saw his brother lose in double overtime.”

The No. 3 Warroad Warriors defeated the No. 1 Hibbing-Chisholm Bluejackets 5-4 in overtime on Saturday at Grand Casino Arena. They will bring a state championship back to Warroad and their families, and the Warriors will once again be atop Minnesota high school Class 1A hockey.

“This win goes out to all of those guy who fell short,” Shaugabay said. “This community has been so good for us after all the years of struggling, and to finally get it done for them is absolutely surreal.”

The Warriors win didn’t come easy. They took a 3-1 lead into the third period, but the Bluejackets scored three goals in the final period to take a 4-3 lead with 3:45 remaining.

“Coming into the third period, we wanted to go out with a bang,” Hibbing-Chisholm goalie Gavin Lamphere said.

Hibbing-Chisholm put more pucks to the net than Warroad did throughout the game, but Warriors’ goalie Patrick Kennedy scrambled for saves all game. He finished with 43.

“He played unbelievable the whole tournament, and today especially,” Hardwick said. “I don’t even know how he made some of those saves. Just unbelievable, and a testament to him and playing his heart out.”

The Warriors pulled Kennedy with one minute remaining. They passed the puck around the Bluejacket zone, and when it reached senior defender Broden Hontvet, he passed to junior forward Gavin Andersen, who was in the middle of the zone. Andersen directed Hontvet’s hard pass into the net to tie the game and force overtime.

“I’ve never been that excited in my life,” Andersen said.

Warroad’s overtime goal was a well exececuted 3-on-2. Roderick Jackson passed to Andersen at the top of the zone, who passed back to Jackson, whose shot went of Lamphere's pads and to Shaugabay for the goal

“A lot of time overtime goals aren’t like that,” Hardwick said. “It’s usually just a mess around the net. It’s not always pretty like that. We got it up the ice, and if you put the puck in those guys’ hands, they’re going to make plays.”

Those three players combined for a historic goal, and Hardwick, in his 14 years as coach, was happy to get the gold medal with the blue ribbon after years of falling short.

“I’ve got two of the red ones and one of the white ones,” Hardwick said. “It feels awfully good to have a blue one. It’s hard to find the words.”

Hibbing vs. Warroad: Live Score Recap of Minnesota High School Boys Hockey State Tournament Class 1A Championship

FIRST PERIOD UPDATES

The game is underway.

GOAL WARROAD! Conner Lund gathered himself and sniped a puck past Hibbing goalie Gavin Lamphere's glove from above the right face-off circle. It bounced off the right post and went in. Assist by Casey Hendrickson — Warroad 1, Hibbing 0 — 15:46

Hibbing had an opportunity when Kelin Elsner intercepted a puck at the Warroad blue line with a 1-on-1 opportunity, but Warriors defender Broden Hontvet got a piece of Elsner's puck when he shot to force it wide — 9:29 remains in the period.

Hibbing had a scrum in front of Warroad goalie Patrick Kennedy. The puck was all over the crease, out to the blue line and back to the crease again, but the Bluejackets did not score — 6:22

END OF FIRST PERIOD: Warroad 1, Hibbing 0

Hibbing had a flurry of shots with three minutes remaining in the period but nothing to show for it.

SOG
Hibbing: 12
Warroad: 7

SECOND PERIOD UPDATES

The second period is underway.

The second period has started in much the same way the first period ended. Hibbing is outshooting the Warriors and controlling the puck, but the Warriors have been hard to break down for a great chance.

Power play for Warroad! Hibbing's Cole Swanson goes to the penalty box for interference — 12:38

Hibbing kills the penalty. Warroad did not generate many chances during the power play.

Power play for Hibbing! Warroad's Wesley Schreiner gets called for interference — 9:57

GOAL HIBBING! Whitaker Rewertz skated from the Bluejacket zone all the way to middle of the Warriors' zone and shot the puck into the top right corner during the power play. Assist by the goalie, Lamphere — Warroad 1, Hibbing 1 — 8:36

GOAL WARROAD! Less than one minute later, Ayven Hontvet puts the puck through Lamphere's five-hole. Assist by Rodrick Jackson and Gavin Andersen — Warroad 2, Hibbing 1 — 7:51

GOAL WARROAD! Andersen scores for the Warriors. Mooney Shaugabay got the puck deep into the zone and by the boards. He flung a pass toward the net, and Andersen was in the perfect position to guide it in. Jackson with the second assist — Warroad 3, Hibbing 1 — 1:08

Kennedy has 31 saves for the Warriors. he just added a few more as Hibbing continues to put pucks toward the net.

END OF SECOND PERIOD: Warroad 3, Hibbing 1

SOG
Hibbing: 33
Warroad: 19

THIRD PERIOD UPDATES

The third period is underway.

GOAL HIBBING! The Bluejackets finally score after a flurry of activity near the net. Isaiah Hildenbrand carried the puck toward the net, and he eventually finished for the goal Cole Swanson and Blake Riccio with the assist — Warroad 3, Hibbing 2 — 14:13

Warroad's Andersen just hit the post. He flew threw the zone and wristed a shot during a 1-on-1 — 10:24

GOAL HIBBING! Rewertz scores his second goal of the game. The puck floated to the middle of the zone, and he took it and put it above Kennedy's glove and into the top corner. Hildenbrand assist — Warroad 3, Hibbing 3 — 4:36

Hibbing goalie with a hige glove save moments after the goal. Andersen had the puck right in front of him, but Lamphere caught his shot.

GOAL HIBBING! The Bluejackets take the lead. Benny Galli drove toward the goal with the puck. His initial shot was deflected, but it bounced off the boards back toward the goal, and he snuck it by Kennedy — Hibbing 4, Warroad 3 — 3:45

Warroad empties the net with 1:13 remaining and a face off in the Hibbing zone.

GOAL WARROAD! The Warriors score with the extra skater on the ice. They worked the advantage perfectly. Broden Hontvet had the puck at the top of the right face-off circle, and he passed it toward Andersen, who was in front of the net and he directed it in. Rodrick with the second assist — Warroad 4, Hibbing 4 — 0:46

END OF THIRD PERIOD: Warroad 4, Hibbing 4

Hibbing controlled the third period, but Warroad pushed at the very end and even had a chance after they tied the game.

The first overtime will be an 8-minute sudden death session.

SOG
Hibbing: 47
Warroad: 30

OVERTIME UPDATES

The overtime period is underway.

GOAL WARROAD! Shaugabay cleans up rebound, and the Warriors are the Class 1A champions. The Warriors executed a 3-on-2 opportunity when Roderick Jackson passed to Andersen, who passed back to Jackson, whose shot went of Lamphere's pads and to Shaugabay for the goal.

FINAL: Warroad 5, Hibbing 4

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