Moorhead defeats Stillwater in Minnesota high school boys hockey Class 2A championship thriller: Live score recap

The Spuds won their first state title in program history in the 2025 MSHSL boys hockey state tournament Class 2A championship

Sartell hockey sophomore Brady Anderson guards Moorhead junior Zak Devig on January 14, 2025 during a game at Scheels Athletic Complex in Sartell. The Sabres lost 3-0. / Reid Glenn / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Moorhead Spuds (28-2-1) were the top seed entering the 2025 Class 2A Minnesota (MSHSL) high school boys hockey state tournament. They were ranked as the top team in the state for much of the season, but they trailed after the first period in both the quarterfinals and the semifinals of the state tournament. 

The Spuds looked the part on Saturday night in the championship game. They scored three goals in the opening two minutes, 24 seconds of the first period. Moorhead held a 5-1 lead after one period thanks to a historic performance from senior forward Mason Kraft, who scored four goals in the first period to tie an MSHSL record for goals scored in one period in the state tournament. 

• Minnesota high school boys hockey state tournament: Championship scores, live updates, recaps (3/8/2025)

They went on to cap a historic night with more history and earned their first state championship with a 7-6 win against the No. 2 Stillwater Ponies (24-7) on Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center. 

“We’ve talked for two days in a row on how poor our starts have been,” Moorhead coach Jon Ammerman said. “You could tell our team, today, they were prepared. They were ready. They came out flying. We caught them on their heels a little bit. You could sense, in the end, we were on our heels a little bit, too.”

Stillwater was hoping for its first state title. The Ponies pushed until the end, but they fell one goal short of forcing overtime. Their six goals is an MSHSL tournament record for most goals scored in a championship loss. 

“The things they’re going to take away from these moments for the rest of their lives are going to be amazing,” Stillwater coach Greg Zanon said. “Whether they’re going to be an electrician, or whether they’re going to be a rocket scientist or whether they go and play hockey, they will know that they didn’t quit.”

The Spuds were 0-8 in championship games prior to tonight. The Moorhead hockey community knows what it's like to come close over and over, but this group of Spuds are the first to know what it's like to lift the championship trophy.

“Everyone knows everyone from squirts to high school,” senior forward Brooks Cullen said.  “Everyone is friends with each other. It’s such an unbelievable hockey community that we have. In my opinion, it’s unlike any other. It’s unbelievable to get the first championship for this town.” 

Kraft stated that people in Moorhead have approached him at the grocery store to express their support for the Spuds. They’ll be local celebrities now. 

“I’d say they already are,” Ammerman said. 

Kraft added: “I would agree with that.”

Moorhead defeats Stillwater in Minnesota high school boys hockey Class 2A championship: Live score recap (3/8/2025)

Teams are on the ice for introductions.

FIRST PERIOD UPDATES

Stillwater wins the opening face-off and we're underway.

GOAL MOORHEAD! Mason Kraft threw the puck toward in front of the net and it deflects off of Stillwater defender Trey Fredenberg's skate and into the net. Moorhead leads 1-0 with 15:38 remaining in the period.

GOAL MOORHEAD! Kraft carried the puck into the middle of the Stillwater zone and sniped a shot into the top right corner. Aiden Dufault and George Arnold with the assist. Moorhead leads 2-0, one minute-and-a-half into the game.

GOAL MOORHEAD! The Spuds score again, this time from the left face-off spot on a shot from Brooks Cullen. Tyden Bergeson and Carver Hasbargen with the assist. Moorhead leads 3-0 with 14:36 remaining in the period.

GOAL MOORHEAD! Kraft gets a hat-trick in the first period. Max Cullen and Brandon Mickelson with the assist. Moorhead leads 4-0 with 4:52 remaining in the first period.

GOAL STILLWATER! Luca Jarvis scores on a 2-on-1 opportunity. Assist from Matthew Volkman and Fredenberg. Moorhead leads 4-1 with 2:12 remaining in the first period.

GOAL MOORHEAD! Kraft scores his fourth of the period. He cleans up a loose puck in front of the crease. Zac Zimmerman and Drew Simonich with the assist. Moorhead leads 5-1 with 40 seconds remaining in the first period.

END OF FIRST PERIOD: Moorhead 5, Stillwater 1

The record for most goals scored a tournament championship game is 10 from Warroad in 1996.

With four goals in one period, Moorhead's Mason Kraft ties the MSHSL record for goals in a single period in the state tournament. He ties John Mayasich of Eveleth set in1951.

SECOND PERIOD UPDATES

The second period is underway.

POWER PLAY FOR MOORHEAD! Jarvis gets two minutes for hooking — 14:17 remains in the second period.

Stillwater back to full strength.

GOAL STILLWATER! Fredenberg backhands a loose puck into the net. Jarvis and Callen Grilz with the assist. Moorhead leads 5-2 with 9:51 remaining in the period.

GOAL STILLWATER! Jarvis scores on a shot from the right face-off circle. Fredenberg and Volkman with the assist. Moorhead's lead is cut to 5-3 with 8:21 remaining in the second period.

GOAL MOORHEAD! Twenty seconds later, Mickelson puts the puck into the net for the Spuds. Brooks Cullen and Zimmerman with the assist. Moorhead leads 6-3 with 8:01 remaining.

END OF SECOND PERIOD: Moorhead 6, Stillwater 3

The MSHSL league record for combined goals in a state title game is 13 between Warroad (10) and Red Wing (3) in 1996.

THIRD PERIOD UPDATES

The third period is underway.

GOAL STILLWATER! Fredenberg scores his second of the game. The puck goes in the net after it deflects off Moorhead's Jonas Kohn. Brody Dustin and John Karkula with the assist. Moorhead leads 6-4 with 13:06 remaining in the period.

Stillwater has a shot hit the post shortly after the goal.

POWER PLAY FOR MOORHEAD! Stillwater's Kohn goes to the box after he intentionally knocked the Stillwater goal out of place after a scramble in front of the net, called for delay of game — 10:03 remains in the period.

GOAL MOORHEAD! Zimmerman puts the puck into the top right corner from the right face-off circle on the power play. Moorhead leads 7-4 with 9:04 remaining.

GOAL STILLWATER! Volkman scores from a tight angle on the right side of the Moorhead zone. Assist to Jarvis and Fredenberg — 6:23 remains in the third period.

With its fifth goal, if Stillwater goes on to lose the game, it will have tied the MSHSL record for most goals in a state championship loss.

GOAL STILLWATER! Volkman scores for the Ponies. Assist from Jonas Kohn and Tate Batchelor. Moorhead 7, Stillwater 6 with 3:20 remaining.

Stillwater pulls its goalie with one minute remaining.

FINAL: Moorhead 7, Stillwater 6

Moorhead survives Stillwater's three shots in the final minute. The Ponies finish the game with a 32-29 shots-on-goal advantage.

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