Moorhead Spuds Win!

Moorhead Locks Down Edina, Punches Ticket Back to the State Championship

If you like run-and-gun hockey, this wasn’t that kind of game.

Friday night’s Class AA semifinal between Moorhead and Edina was the opposite — tight checking, disciplined structure, and two teams waiting for one mistake to crack things open.

And when that moment finally came, Moorhead took it and ran.

The Spuds scored three goals in the third period and rode a strong defensive effort to a 3–1 win, sending them back to the Class AA State Championship.

The matchup had plenty of storylines coming in. These were the last two champions — Edina lifting the trophy in 2024 and Moorhead capturing its first title in program history in 2025.

Friday night wasn’t just a semifinal. It felt like a continuation of a rivalry that’s quickly becoming one of the most interesting in the state tournament.

Waiting on the other side of the bracket was top-seeded Minnetonka, meaning the winner would get one more shot at a title Saturday night.

The teams also knew each other from earlier in the season. Back in November at the Turkey Trot tournament in Plymouth, Moorhead beat Edina in a wild 6–3 game where the Spuds scored three times in the third period to pull away.

Friday night followed a familiar script — just with a lot less offense.

The opening period felt like two heavyweights feeling each other out. Both teams stayed patient, protecting the middle of the ice and forcing shots from the outside. The pace was controlled and physical, but chances were limited.

Each team managed six shots on goal in a scoreless first period, and neither goalie had to deal with much chaos around the crease.

Things started to get interesting late in the second.

Max Cullen appeared to give Moorhead the breakthrough when he put the puck in the back of the net. But after a quick review, the goal was waved off for offsides.

Just like that, the game reset to zero.

Neither side could find the next opening before the period ended. When the teams headed to the locker room for the second intermission, it was still 0–0, with Edina holding a slight 10–9 edge in shots.

It felt like the kind of game where the first goal might decide everything.

Early in the third period, Moorhead finally found it.

The Spuds worked the puck into the zone and Tyden Bergeson got open near the faceoff circle. The pass found him in stride and he hammered a one-timer past the goaltender to break the deadlock and give Moorhead its first lead of the night.

Once the Spuds grabbed momentum, they didn’t let go.

With 8:50 remaining, Moorhead struck again off a 3-on-2 rush. Zac Zimmerman slipped behind the Edina defense, received a perfectly timed pass, and tapped it into the open net to double the lead.

And just like that, the game started tilting heavily toward the Spuds.

Roughly a minute later Moorhead capitalized on another odd-man rush. Edina goalie Chase Bjorgaard made a strong initial save, but the rebound turned chaotic. An Edina defender slid into the crease during the play, leaving the goalie unable to reset in time before Michael Herman buried the follow-up.

Three quick strikes.

That’s the danger of Moorhead when they get rolling — once the ice opens up, they attack fast and finish chances.

Edina kept pushing late, refusing to go quietly.

The Hornets created several strong looks in the final minutes, but Moorhead goaltender Will Arnold came up with some big stops to keep the lead intact.

Finally, with 1:15 remaining, Edina got on the board when a point shot found its way through traffic and into the net.

Suddenly it was 3–1, and with plenty of offensive talent on the Hornets’ bench, there was at least a small spark of hope.

But Moorhead didn’t panic.

The Spuds tightened things up defensively, controlled the puck along the boards, and ran out the clock to secure the win.

With the 3–1 victory, Moorhead moves on to face Minnetonka in the Class AA State Championship, with a chance to defend the title they won a year ago.

For a team that has embraced structure, patience, and timely scoring all season, Friday night’s performance looked exactly like championship hockey.