Cougars upset Crimson 2-1, head for state

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS WRITER

Jaycee Chatleain could hardly believe her eyes. The puck was just sitting there, in front of the net, after a shot by her teammate Noelle Hemr was blocked.

The scenario: Section 5AA girls hockey championship game between Centennial/Spring Lake Park and Maple Grove, to whom they had lost 5-1 in the regular season. The situation: score tied 1-1 with 2 1/2 minutes left.

“Dani is an unbelievable goaltender,” Chatleain said about Maple Grove’s Dani Strom. “It happened so fast. I was shocked when the puck was loose and sitting there for me to shoot it."

Chateain, an eighth-grader, pounced and shot. The puck hit the goalie’s pad — which gave Chateain a second chance. “It came back to me again," she said, "and I put it in the open side of the net.”

That goal with 2:28 left stood up, and the Cougars upset the Crimson 2-1 at Roseville Ice Arena for a trip to the state tournament. The Cougars got 30 saves from Kaitlin Groess and a goal and assist from Hemr to foil their arch rivals at Roseville Ice Arena.

Centennial/SLP, coached by Sean Molin, takes a 21-6-1 record into the state Class 2A tournament Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center. Unseeded, they drew top-seeded Minnetonka (25-2) as their quarterfinal opponent at 6 p.m. This is the fifth time the Cougars have qualified for state; they were not able to play in 2021 due to positive Covid tests. It’s their first state trip while paired with Spring Lake Park.

Maple Grove, ranked No. 6, finished 19-7-1.

On that big play, Chatleain, a second-year varsity veteran, said she tracked the puck as Hemr received a pass from Ellie Newpower. "I knew she was going to the net to shoot it,” Chatleain said. “My instincts were to follow her to the net for a rebound.” Instincts that proved correct with Chatleain delivering her seventh goal this year and biggest of her young life.

After a scoreless first period, Maple Grove took the first lead on a goal by Ella Olson, assisted by Pim Wilhelmy, at 4:13 of the second period.

Hemr knotted the score with a power play goal at 12:55 of the second period, assisted by Ella O’Hearn, after a high-sticking penalty on the Crimson.

Action was extremely close throughout as the Cougars outshot the Crimson by just 10-8 and 10-9 in the first two periods and were outshot 11-13 in the third. Strom made 29 saves.

Last year, Centennial lost to Maple Grove in both conference and section finals so the 5-1 loss at Maple Grove on Jan.17 was their third in a row to their nemesis before Friday.

Asked how the Cougars were able to win the rematch, senior captain and all-stater Lauren O’Hara assessed:

“Our team did a much better job of limiting mistakes, getting pucks behind their defense and forechecking hard on them. Our goalie, Kaitlin Groess, played amazing, and her big saves gave us momentum that we turned into a win.”

Chatleain, asked how exciting it was, said, “Exciting is an understatement … to beat such a talented Maple Grove team and get the experience to play at the X.”

Reaching state is doubly emotional for the Cougars who were on the team two years ago, when they won the section title but could not compete at state due to positive Covid tests.

O’Hara said the team was “all absolutely devastated” at the time. “As we all grow up, we dream of playing in the tourney and playing at the X.” The Cougar players and coaches have made it a goal ever since, she said, to get another chance.

The Cougars won their semifinal over North Wright County 5-2 on Tuesday on goals by O’Hara (two), Grace Laager, Ella O’Hearn, and Alexis Larson.

Quarterfinal games Wednesday are Rosemount vs. No. 2 Andover at 11 a.m., Lakeville North vs. No. 3 Edina at 1 p.m., Centennial/ Spring Lake Park vs. Minnetonka at 6 p.m. and Moorhead vs. No. 4 Gentry Adademy at 8 p.m. If the Cougars win, they play 8 p.m. Thursday against Moorhead or Gentry. If they lose, they’re in consolation at noon Thursday at TRIA Rink in St. Paul.