Boys Hockey 2025: St. Cloud Cathedral blanks Mahtomedi to open tournament
Posted: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 - 1:39 PM
While it was opening day of the Minnesota State High School League’s Boys Hockey State Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul, St. Cloud Cathedral carried no such look of angst or bottled-up nerves.
The Crusaders looked comfortable and very much at home under the bright lights of one of the nation’s top premier high school events. The familiarity of the ice and surroundings played a role in No. 2-seeded St. Cloud Cathedral’s 3-0 victory over No. 7 Mahtomedi in the Class A quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 5.
The reigning Class A champion took a first step toward a successful defense of its crown by scoring a goal in each period. Senior forward Joey Gillespie scored twice, ninth-grader forward Bo Schmidt added another while senior forward John Hirschfeld, one of Minnesota’s premier playmakers, had two assists.
The victory sends St. Cloud Cathedral (19-8-2) into the Class A semifinals on Friday where it will face the winner between No. 6 Orono and No. 3 Northfield. The Crusaders have faced both this season. They skated to a 2-all tie with Northfield on Dec. 7 and then defeated Orono 4-2 on Jan. 4 in the first game of the calendar year.
St. Cloud Cathedral’s quarterfinal victory over Mahtomedi was a rematch of sorts, too. In the regular season finale for both teams, the Crusaders needed overtime to record a 4-3 victory.
In this current matchup, the Crusaders, making their 13th state tournament trip, built a three-goal advantage early in the third period on Gillespie’s second goal. Hirschfeld started the play with a brilliant individual effort. As he swooped in along the far boards, he changed direction and converged on the net. His backhand shot was initially stopped, but Hirschfeld stayed with the play, secured the carom and spotted Gillespie unattended just beyond the far crease. Hirschfeld’s nifty pass made for an easy one-timer to Gillespie for his 22nd goal of the season. It was Hirschfeld’s 53rd assist of the season.
Schmidt gave the Crusaders a two-goal lead with 5:24 left in the second period on an equally impressive individual effort. He began his scoring drive at center ice and did a diagonal weave to the far circle. From the center, he whistled a wrist shot that sailed into the Mahtomedi (11-16-2) goal.
Gillespie opened the scoring on St. Cloud Cathedral’s second shot of the game with nearly four minutes elapsed.
