Mahtomedi tops St. Cloud Cathedral in Minnesota High School Boys Hockey State Tournament: Live Score Recap

Senior Jackson Chesak was flawless in goal in the third period, and his Mahtomedi teammates did enough late to secure a 2-1 win over St. Cloud Cathedral in the MSHSL Class 1A quarterfinal on Wednesday at Grand Casino Arena.

Mahtomedi got the game-winning goal on a breakaway from senior forward Brayden Fuerst with 2:59 left. He chipped the puck over the leg of St. Cloud Cathedral goalie Hunter Moreland.

When the two teams met on February 13, the Zephrys won in a one-goal game, 4-3.

“We played a very competitive team,” said Chesak, who had 35 saves in the win on Wednesday, to 45tv. “It was a good game in the regular season and a great game now. Much respect to those guys.”

During the Zephrys’ 7-game win streak with him in goal, he’s giving up only 8 goals. For the last four games, it’s been 3 goals.

The 35 saves marked the 16th time in 28 games he’s had 30 or more saves in the crease.

A backup last year, Chesak played in the consolation semifinals, recording 46 saves in a 4-2 loss to Northfield.

The senior got his first shot at the big stage and stopped all 12 shots in the third period by the Crusaders.

That included at a critical junction with 7 minutes remaining.

The Zephrys were called for tripping, and the Crusaders went on the power play. When that happened in the second period, sophomore Bo Schmidt scored for Cathedral only nine seconds into the one-man advantage to make it 1-0 with 7:41 left.

Cathedral got 8 shots off in the 2-minute power play in the third, but Chesak turned them all away.

In the final 2 minutes, with a 6-on-5 situation, Chesak stopped the Crusaders’ final four shots.

“Especially a game like this to start off the tournament, you couldn’t ask for anymore,” Chesak told 45tv. “Our boys battled all the way through, and I mean … [the state tournament] is amazing. It’s magical. I love to be here, and I’m so thankful to be here.”

The Zephrys tied the game in the second period when junior Will Seevers scored with three minutes left. Vinny Redpath and Tommy Boe provided assists thanks to Redpath's shot and Boe corralling it and passing to Seevers in front of the net, who got it past Moreland for the equalizer.

The fourth-seeded Zephrys advance to play No. 1-seeded Hibbing/Chisholm at 11 a.m. on Friday in the semifinal.

Hibbing/Chisholm beat Mahtomedi, 7-4, December 20. The game was tied 3-3 going into the third period and was 4-4 in the 3rd period with 14 minutes to play.

Mahtomedi tops St. Cloud Cathedral in Minnesota High School Boys Hockey State Tournament: Live Score Recap

The Dodge County vs. Hibbing game just ended, so looks like a 1:45 p.m. start, roughly.

At 1:46 p.m., we are doing the roster announcement.

FIRST PERIOD UPDATES

Mahtomedi has 2 shots on goal, but a majoirty of the first part of this game has been played in the Crusaders' defensive end

First break. 9:29 left and still 0-0

Hand pass with will negate a goal by Mahtomedi's Will Seever. He fell to ground and used his right hand to swipe in the goal.

One Minute remaining in the period ... Thank you

Scoreless after 1st period

After the Zephyrs dominated the opening few minutes, the Crusaders put up shots in bunches late in the first period

SCORE: 0-0

Shots on goal — Mahtomedi 10; St. Cloud Cathedral 13

SECOND PERIOD UPDATES

A deflection off a Mahtomedi ealry in 2nd was almost our first goal. Big save by Jackson Chesak

Cathedral with a chance at the 11:20 mark with Chesak out of position, but no harm for Mahtomedi as Crusaders shot goes off Chesak's knee.

Big glove save by Chesak to turn away a shot by Brandan White at the 10:30 mark.

Media timeout; play resumes with 9:24 left in 2nd

FIRST PENALTY! Mahtomedi's Seevers gets called for slashing. 7:50 left.

Zephrys have struggled on PK this year and it shows right away

CATHEDRAL GOAL! Cathedral's Bo Schmidt scores with 7:41 left on a one-timer. That was shot No. 21 in the game. Assists to Griffin Strum and Brandan White

14-game point streak for the Crusaders' sophomore

MAHTOMEDI GOAL! Seevers gets a goal; in front of the goal and gets a pass from behind the net and puts it in with 3 minutes left. A little bit of redemption following his penalty that made it 1-0.

Vinny Redpath and Tommy Boe with the helper on the Seevers' 14th goal of the season

PENALTY! Call on Cathedral with Easton Dezelar getting taken down. 2:15 left

Henry Sampair with a one-timer but saved by Crusaders' goalie Hunter Moreland

Crusders back at full strength

What a crazy sequence at the end; Cathedral's Talen Ruprecht with a shot that goes off the post; Crusaders slow on the other end, but Zephrys' goal by Brayden Fuerst goes in after the buzzer.

End of 2nd period: St. Cloud Cathedral 1, Mahtomedi 1

Shots on goal in 2nd period: Cathedral 11, Mahtomedi 9;

Shots on goal after 2: Cathedral 24, Mahtomedi 19

THIRD PERIOD UPDATES

Moreland with a save

Chesak lost his stick, but a teammate picks it up and gives it back

Another Mahtomedi goal by Devin O'Donnell is waved off with 15:23 left. Review ongoing. No goal on ice is the call

No goals is confirmed.

Moreland with another big save with 11:40 left to keep the score tied. Nice play with two quick shots on goal by Zephrys

Mahtomedi with a 6-2 advatnage in shots on goals so far this period

Media break with 9:45 left

Sturm with a shot and Chesak turns it away

8 minutes left in 3rd period

Another big save by Moreland

PENALTY! with 7:04 left. Mahtomedi's Kaden Gagnelius called for tripping. Last time the Crusaders had a power play, they scored within seconds

Cathedral calls a timeout

Shot by Schmidt and then a shot White and Chesak saves both. Schmidt shot was similiar to the goal he scored earlier

Mahtomedi clears it to change lines and kills some tie. 1 minute left on power play

Schmidt with another shot and another save by Chesak.

Sturm with some nice spin moves; shoots, gets his own rebound and shoots again.

5:21 to play

White with a shot another save by Chesak.

Mahtomedi kills that penalty

4:58 left to play

Shot by Crusaders and Chesak doesn't know where it was but he finds it and ices the puck. 3:34 left

MAHTOMEDI GOAL! Mahtomedi by Brayden Fuerst with 2:59 left. He gets a breakaway and shoots it and the puck just goes over Moreland's leg. Zephrys up 2-1

Unassisted goal, according to live stats.

1:26 left. Faceoff coming and Crusaders have pulled Moreland from goal

Shot by Cathedral goes out of play; Another face off with 1:20 left.

Shot off the post by Cathedral that could've tied it

Offsides on Mahtomedi on an open net, so still 2-1

Moreland back in net now but only 30 seconds left

Off he goes with 15 seconds left. not much time left for the one-man advantage

Schdmit with a shot but it is blocked

FINAL: Mahtomedi 2, St. Cloud Cathedral 1

Cathedral had 36 shots on goal

Mahtomedi had 29 shots on goal

Total shots: Cathedral 60; Mahtomedi 56

Chesak with 35 saves for Zephyrs

Moreland finished with 27 saves for the Crusaders

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