Stillwater defeats Hill-Murray in Minnesota high school boys hockey Class 2A section 4 championship (2/28/2025)

The Ponies won the Class 2A, Section 4 Minnesota high school boys hockey tournament

Jon Namyst

Maplewood-Minn The No. 2-seed Stillwater Ponies defeated the No. 1-Seed Hill-Murray Pioneers in double overtime 4-3 in the 4AA section championship Friday night. 

Amongst the abundance of sticks, gloves and helmets littered across the ice, a couple of hats found their way in the mix. They were directed toward Stillwater senior forward Matthew Volkman, who scored his third goal in overtime to help lift Stillwater past Hill-Murray. 

After the initial celebration with his teammates, Volkman went over to the Hill-Murray side of the ice, offering his solace to a couple of specific Pioneers who were kneeling down on the ice. 

“I grew up playing with a lot of them and against many of them too. Volkman said. “Some of them are family. Obviously, I do feel happy for us but I also feel bad for them.”

The good times were rolling for the Pioneers from the get-go. Mr Hockey candidate Boden Sampair scored just over a minute into the game. By the period's end, they carried a one goal lead into the locker room, outshooting Stillwater 16-4.

With the number one team in the state chomping at the bit to get back out there and maintain their momentum, Stillwater head coach Greg Zanon kept things simple in the locker room when talking to his guys.

“We just had to get back to playing our game,”  Zanon said.  “We’re a skating team; we track and hunt pucks down well. We had to start getting pucks to the net and turn the tides a bit.”

The Ponies got a boost when sophomore forward Luca Jarvis ripped one past the Hill-Murray goaltender to break the ice and knot things up at one early in the second period. 

It was the senior show from there. The rest of the boxscore was filled with seniors like Volkman and Blake Vanet – even goaltender Cal Conway got on the scorers sheet with an assist. 

Coach Zanon emphasized just how important this senior class is to the team as a whole. 

“They’re our team, really,” Zanon said. They've carried us all year. Our top six seniors all have over 45 points.”

The crowning moment came from Volkman – who sits at fourth on the teams total points list – ending things in overtime to lift the Ponies to their first section championship since 2016.

“I mean, I just shot it. It was a two-on-one. I made a good shot, and I’m just so happy about it,” Volkman said. 

It was no surprise for coach Zanon to see another senior come up big and send the Ponies to the state tournament. 

“He stepped up in a big moment,” Zanon said. He's been a four year guy with us. We expect big things out of him, and he came through today. It's awesome to see because he really deserves it and puts in the work each and every day.”