Moorhead tops Lakeville South in Minnesota High School Boys Hockey State Tournament Quarterfinal: Live Score Update

The Spuds broke through after key penalty kills to defeat the Cougars

Moorhead is the defending Class 2A boys hockey state champion | ST. CLOUD TIMES/Imagn

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The No. 2 Moorhead Spuds (25-3-1) defeated the No. 7 Lakeville South Cougars (14-12-3) 4-1 in the 2026 MSHSL boys hockey state tournament Class 2A quarterfinal on Thursday at Grand Casino Arena.

The Spuds and the Cougars met in last season’s quarterfinals, and the Cougars led 3-1 in the first period over the top-seeded Spuds. Their upset bid didn’t materialize, and Moorhead won the game 7-4 on its way to the 2025 Class 2A championship. This season, Moorhead didn’t need a period to warm up. 

• Minnesota High School Boys Hockey State Tournament Class 2A Quarterfinal Scores, Recaps, Live Updates - March 5

“A lot of those guys are returners,” Moorhead coach John Ammerman said. “They have been through that. The bright lights is something that the first five or ten minutes of the quarterfinal game gets everyboy. Our guys did a great job tonight.”

The Cougars led 2-0 after two periods with two goals from senior forward Max Cullen. 

Lakeville South did not feel out of the game despite the deficit. The Cougars absorbed much of the Spuds’ pressure to keep the game within two goals after two periods. Early in the third period, senior forward Tristan Lawrence scored to cut Moorhead’s lead to 2-1. 

“Everybody had hope in that locker room,” Lakeville South senior forward Carter Ernst said. “All week, our preparation was top notch, but we just ran out of gas.” 

The pressure grew on Moorhead when Lakeville South earned a 5-on-3 opportunity for 1:36 with 12 minutes remaining in the period. Lakeville South controlled and moved the puck well, but the perfect opoprtunity did not materialize.

The Spuds worked on the 5-on-3 in practice recently, and it was their defenses’ turn to grind through the penalty kill. 

“Brandon Mickelson is a guy that doesn’t kill a lot, but he came up huge when we needed him,” Ammerman said. “As a group, we had two rotations out there, and all six of them did a great job.” 

Lakeville South’s poortunity to turn this game into another upset bid ended when their advantage ended. The talented Spuds pulled away in the final minutes with goals from Joey Cullen and Tyden Bergeson.

“The big difference is the way we can grind teams out and put the puck in the net,” Bergeson said.

Moorhead will play the winner of No. 3 Edina vs. No. 6 Andover on Friday in the semifinal at 8 p.m.

Moorhead vs. Lakeville South: Live Score Updates of Minnesota High School Boys Hockey State Tournament Class 2A Quarterfinal

Teams are on the ice for introductions.

First Period Updates

Moorhead wins the opening faceoff, and the game is underway.

Lakeville South with multiple opportunities in the opening minutes, and junior defenseman Charlie Hunst had a big hit in the Spuds zone — 12:40 remains in the period

Moorhead tilts the ice in its favor over the past three minutes, but neither team has a goal so far — 9:52

GOAL MOORHEAD! Max Cullen puts the puck over the glove hand of Lakeville South goalie Keaton LeGrande. He skated with the puck through the neutral zone, into the the Cougars' zone, and he cut into the middle of the ice and flicked his wrist for the goal — Moorhead 1, Lakeville South 0 — 4:31

END OF FIRST PERIOD: Moorhead 1, Lakeville South 0

SOG
Moorhead: 10
Lakeville South: 5

Lakeville South opened the first period with intensity, and the Cougars generated some chances, but Moorhead controlled the puck as the period progressed and cashed in with a goal.

SECOND PERIOD UPDATES

The second period is underway.

Moorhead with five shots on goal in the opening five minutes of the second period. The Spuds are dominating possession of the puck right now — 12:18

Moorhead has 11 shots on goal in the period, but LeGrande has stopped all ten for the Cougars. The Spuds best chance to add another goal came from Zac Zimmerman after a centering pass, but he missed the net.

Power play for Moorhead! Lakeville South's Braden Safranski is called for charging — 6:52

Lakeville South kills the penalty. The best chance was a shorthanded one for the Cougars. Moorhead goalie Will Arnold blocked Charlie Hunst's shot on a 3-on-1 opportunity — 4:52

Cougars goalie LeGrande makes a big pad save on Zimmerman, who was trying to skate around him with the puck — 1:00

GOAL MOORHEAD! Junior forward Max Cullen one-times a shot into the net from the middle of the Cougars' zone with 28 seconds remaining in the second period. Assist by Tyden Bergeson and Drew Kortan.

END OF SECOND PERIOD: Moorhead 2, Lakeville South 0

SOG
Moorhead: 25
Lakeville South: 11

THIRD PERIOD UPDATES

The third period is underway.

Power play for Moorhead! Hunst goes to the penalty for tripping — 16:18

Lakeville South kills the power play.

GOAL LAKEVILLE SOUTH! Senior forward Tristan Lawrence shot a rebound from the top of the left faceoff circle, and it went past Arnold for the Cougars' goal. Roan Zielle and Hunst get the assist — Moorhead 2, Lakeville South 1 — 14:08

5-on-3 for Lakeville South! Junior defender Finn Paulsen goes to the box for hooking, and 24 seconds later, his teammate Bergeson joins him in the penalty box for tripping — 12:19

Moorhead kills both penalties. The Cougars passed the puck around but never found a good opening during the advantage — 10:19

GOAL MOORHEAD! Joey Cullen was open and driving to the the net while Evan Wanner carried the puck down the left side. Wanner centered the puck, and Cullen knocked in the puck for the goal — Moorhead 3, Lakeville South 1 — 6:01

Power play for Lakeville South! Bergeson gets two minutes for interference — 5:23

Moorhead kills the penalty.

GOAL MOORHEAD! Bergeson received a pass from Seamus Campbell to the right of the net. LeGrande sprawled toward him to make a save, but Bergeson held the puck and moved it around LeGrande for the goal — Moorhead 4, Lakeville South 1 — 2:51

Power play for Lakeville South! Brandon Mickelson goes to the penalty box for interference — 2:07

Penalty on Hunst makes this even strength at 4-on-4 in the final minute of the game.

FINAL: Moorhead 4, Lakeville South 1

SOG
Moorhead: 33
Lakeville South: 24

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