Spuds stun number #1 seed Skippers

Spuds Stun Minnetonka in Double OT Classic to Repeat as Class AA Champions

ST. PAUL, Minn. — If anyone ever asks what Minnesota high school hockey looks like at its best, show them this game.

Saturday night’s Class AA State Championship between Moorhead and Minnetonka turned into an instant classic — a game that had everything: momentum swings, late heroics, overtime drama, and finally a championship moment in double overtime.

From the opening puck drop, Minnetonka looked sharp. The No. 1 seed Skippers struck first on an early power play when Sturgis managed to squeeze a puck through traffic and into the net to give Minnetonka the lead.

For most of the night, the Skippers controlled the pace. They were aggressive on the forecheck, creating pressure and forcing Moorhead to defend for long stretches.

But championship games rarely follow a clean script.

Late in the third period, the No. 2 seed Spuds flipped the entire game.

First it was Michael Herman who gave Moorhead a spark, finding the net and breathing life back into the Spuds bench.

Then Max Cullen struck, pulling Moorhead even closer and shifting momentum toward the red and white.

Minnetonka had controlled much of the night, but suddenly the pressure was all on them.

With time running out and the season hanging by a thread, Moorhead pulled the goalie to create a 6-on-5 advantage.

Then came the moment that sent the building into chaos.

With less than a minute remaining, Zac Zimmerman stepped into a shot and ripped an absolute rocket past the goalie to tie the game and send the championship to overtime.

Zimmerman finished the night with two goals, while Cullen and Herman each added one during Moorhead’s furious comeback.

Overtime turned into a grind.

Minnetonka came out aggressive, generating chances and outshooting Moorhead early in the extra period, but neither side could find the winner. Every rush felt dangerous. Every save felt enormous.

The student sections were roaring, fans across the arena were standing, and the entire Xcel Energy Center felt like it was holding its breath.

Tempers started to flare as the intensity built. A late cross-check behind the net before a whistle sparked some frustration on the Moorhead side as bodies continued crashing into the crease.

Nobody was backing down.

Both teams pushed the game into double overtime, with players clearly exhausted but still throwing everything they had into each shift.

And the second overtime didn’t disappoint.

Both teams kept battling, trading chances and playing with the kind of desperation only a state championship can bring. It was turning into the type of moment where you knew one mistake — one bounce — would decide everything.

With 6:26 remaining in double overtime, it finally happened.

Both teams were in the middle of a line change when Moorhead forced a takeaway in the Spuds’ defensive zone. The play quickly turned up ice, and No. 20 Wanner stepped into a shot and snapped a wrister past the goalie.

Game over.

For a split second there was silence — then absolute chaos.

Sticks, gloves, and helmets flew into the air as Moorhead players poured off the bench and rushed the ice.

The Spuds skated straight toward their student section and fans to celebrate as the reality set in.

Moorhead had done it again.

The Spuds defeat No. 1 Minnetonka in double overtime to capture another Class AA state championship, capping off one of the most unforgettable games in recent tournament history.