Class AA Boys Hockey State Quarterfinal: Cretin-Derham Hall 4, Centennial 3, 2OT
Posted: Thursday, March 7, 2024 - 4:39 PM
Unseeded Cretin-Derham Hall faced a tall task when it faced No. 3-seeded Centennial in the Class AA quarterfinals of the Minnesota State High School League’s Boys Hockey State Tournament on Thursday, March 7 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The task became mountainous when Centennial built a three-goal early lead that appeared to break the Raiders’ spirit.
Instead, Cretin-Derham Hall dug deep and started the ascent, first with inspired play and then territorial domination that not only created three goals, but also the winner, in the Raiders’ 4-3 victory in double overtime. Behind a style of play in the second extra session that made it seem like the Raiders were on the power play for many minutes, the deadlock was snapped when sophomore wing Max Anderson converted a 2-on-1 opportunity with sophomore Nate Chorlton with 4:37 left in double overtime. After receiving a crisp pass from Chorlton, Anderson skated in a few strides before letting go with a wrister that sailed past Centennial junior goalie Cody Easton.
The victory sends the Raiders (18-10-1) into the Class AA semifinals on Friday night against No. 2 Chanhassen.
The Raiders climbed into a 3-all deadlock on a power play goal by sophomore wing Max Anderson with not even two minutes elapsed in the third period. He capped a quick-man advantage that featured crisp passing by skating in a handful of strides before firing a wrister past Centennial junior goalie Cody Easton. His goal, the 13th of the season, completed a comeback that once found Cretin-Derham Hall trailing by three goals in the first period.
Cretin-Derham Hall outplayed Centennial in the second period and had a goal to show for it in drawing to within 3-2 with a period to go.
With the period in its final minute, senior center Chuck Owens, an Air Force Academy recruit, sent a shot from the far circle that hit the right pipe with a loud clank. The rebound hit the back of Easton and dropped to the ice behind him. The puck still had some level of velocity and trickled across the goal line to the surprise of nearly everyone in the arena. It was the 13th goal of the season for Owens.
Cretin-Derham Hall capped an eventful first period on an even-strength goal from senior defenseman Aidan Siegfried with just more than three minutes remaining. His third goal of the season, however, was the lone highlight for the Raiders, who earlier were staring at a three-goal deficit.
Centennial zipped to a 3-0 lead behind two goals from sophomore center Nick Carls and the opening tally by senior center Harper Searles. Both the goals from Carls were on the power play. For Searles, he was camped in front and re-directed a short blast from just below the blue line by sophomore defenseman Cooper Hehir.
