Boys Hockey 2025: Goals plentiful as Orono races past Northfield
Posted: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 - 4:22 PM
In early December, Northfield faced off against Orono in a nonconference match that some figured could be a prelude to something bigger down the road. The Raiders posted a two-goal victory to move to a 6-0-1 start.
Fast forward three months and the clubs squared off again proving those premonitions to be true.
Orono clearly learned something from that loss.
For the second time in a year, Orono recorded a victory over Northfield in the state tournament environment, this one an 8-2 upset win in the Class A quarterfinals of the Minnesota State High School League’s Boys Hockey State Tournament on Wednesday, March 5 at Xcel Energy Center.
The No. 6-seeded Spartans (16-10-3) scored early and kept coming at the No. 3 Raiders (22-5-2) with two three-goal outbursts in the second and third periods, respectively, to race into the semifinals.
Senior forwards Trey Landa and Ethan Pagel, and junior forward Rory Kvem each two goals each to extend Orono’s postseason winning streak to four and a next-game matchup with No. 2 St. Cloud Cathedral.
A year ago, just one goal was scored when Orono and Northfield last met in the state tournament and it came from the Spartans to secure a 1-0 victory in the Class A consolation final at Aldrich Arena in Maplewood.
Goals were much more abundant this season.
Landa and Pagel staked the Spartans to a two-goal advantage after one period. Northfield, though, split the deficit in half just 33 seconds into the second period on an even-strength goal by senior forward Griffin Kennelly. Orono didn’t panic and responded with three goals to extend its lead to 5-2 after two periods.
Northfield, on an 8-1-0 run entering the state tournament, couldn’t muster a counterpunch.
Orono looks to reverse any result from the regular season: The Spartans lost to St. Cloud Cathedral 4-2 on Jan. 4. Orono is seeking its first Class A crown since 2018. St. Cloud Cathedral is the defending Class A champion and had another title in 2019.
