Heroes of the Week: Game Winning-Goals from Across the State
There is no thrill quite like winning a game for your team in overtime, and the game winning goal is among one of the most coveted accomplishments an athlete can achieve in their career. In honor of celebrating one of…
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Continue ReadingThere is no thrill quite like winning a game for your team in overtime, and the game winning goal is among one of the most coveted accomplishments an athlete can achieve in their career. In honor of celebrating one of the most thrilling moments the sport has to offer, let’s take a look at everyone who netted a game-winner during this last week of play.
Owen Durigan, Rosemount
Owen Durigan was an absolute force on the attack versus Apple Valley/Burnsville, and he capped off his night in dramatic fashion. The defenseman put up eight shots on the net, his final one being tried and true just 28 seconds into overtime, giving Rosemount the 3-2 victory. The 6-foot-2, 200 pound senior has amassed 19 points on nine goals and 10 assists so far on the season, good for third on his team in scoring.
Gabe Nichols, Princeton
Princeton has been on a cold streak lately, struggling to stay afloat above .500 going into its game against Cambridge-Isanti. Thankfully, Gabe Nichols brought his A-game to the arena, and netted the final goal in overtime to push his team to a 9-8-1 record on the year. Nichols has nine points on four goals and five assists so far this season, and he is coming off his clutchest performance yet.
Roman Thompson, Monticello
Monticello has been on fire all season, and Roman Thompson has only served to fuel it. The 15-2 Moose went on the road to face a middling Chisago Lakes team, yet somehow found themselves gridlocked in a 6-6 tie when regulation expired. In a must-win game and facing pressure from a team that did not seem to have any quit in them, Monticello needed a star to put the game away. Thankfully, Thompson was ready to answer the call. With three assists already under his belt, Thompson buried his first and final goal of the night, lifting Monticello to a 7-6 victory.
Connor Crowley, Holy Family
In one of the best Class A matchups across the state this past week, a 10-4-1 Holy Family team visited 12-5-1 Sartell, a clash of the titans that was set to be a barnburner. As expected, the game came down to the wire. Both teams ripped off 30+ shots, and both goalies did a good job of keeping the game at a 2-2 tie when regulation ended. Connor Crowley had already impacted the game with an assist, but the senior decided to do himself one better, ripping the final shot into the back of the net to push his team to a 3-2 victory. Crowley has been one of Holy Family’s best options on the attack so far this year, racking up 18 points on seven goals and 11 assists.
Max Kiffmeyer, St. Cloud
When it rains, it pours, and St. Cloud has been struggling to put anything in the W column as of late. Riding a four-game losing streak and heading into a game against 2-16 Blake, it seemed like a great opportunity for St. Cloud to right the ship and get back on track. However, the Crush likely didn’t expect to be tied 2-2 heading into overtime. With an opportunity to break a losing streak on the line, it was junior Max Kiffmeyer who stepped up, rifling his second goal of the game into the back of the net to secure a 3-2 victory for St. Cloud.
Riley Zupfer, Hill-Murray
The first and only freshman on this list, Riley Zupfer has been turning heads all year, but his most recent showcase of thriving under pressure may just indicate this kid is going to be a star. Against a stout Grand Rapids defense, Zupfer was brilliant, scoring two goals across three-and-a-half periods, including the game-winner in overtime that gave his team the hard fought, 4-3 victory. The freshman has flourished in his debut year on varsity, and he is currently fifth on his team in scoring with 12 points.
Tanden Bush, Coon Rapids
The 10-4 Coon Rapids Cardinals have been a great story so far this year, a team that overcame a mediocre 2022-2023 campaign to become an offensive juggernaut that averages nearly six goals per game. Knowing this, it was likely an unpleasant surprise for the Cardinals to find themselves tied 4-4 against Spring Lake Park heading into overtime. Although the attack did not produce as expected, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Tanden Bush made sure his team finished strong, netting the game-winner five minutes into the overtime period to give the Cardinals double digit wins on the season.