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Jan. 13—BEMIDJI — Tuesday reaffirmed what the Bemidji High School boys hockey team already knew.
Section 8AA still runs through Moorhead.
In a section championship rematch from a year ago, the Spuds shut out the Lumberjacks 4-0 at Bemidji Community Arena in the only regular-season meeting between the two schools this year.
Moorhead is the defending Class AA state champion and the second-ranked team in the state.
"They move the puck extremely well; they support the puck extremely well," BHS coach Ben Kinne said. "They're really good in transition. They just have the puck a lot, so it's a really hard team to play against. I think we gave a good effort, to be honest, but when you take some penalties and give them a 5-on-3, it's not going to be a good one."
Max Cullen, a nephew of longtime NHL forward Matt Cullen and a Minnesota Duluth commit, scored on the Spuds' second power play midway through the first period.
Cullen's goal was BHS goaltender Christian Hill's lone blemish on a first-period scoresheet where there could've been several.
The senior goaltender made a sliding stick save to take away a goal in the opening minute. Hill then robbed Minnesota State commit Zac Zimmerman on a one-time shot on a rush two minutes later, then stymied Augustana commit Tyden Bergeson at the end of a seamless tic-tac-toe sequence with just under four minutes remaining before the first intermission.
Hill finished the first period with 15 saves — 29 for the game — to keep Bemidji within a puncher's reach.
"If he's not in the net, we probably give up eight or nine," Kinne said of Hill. "That's just the reality of this game. He made some massive saves, especially in the first period. There was a barrage for a bit there, but he held us in there. For the most part, he gave us a chance to be in the game, and he's done that every game. He had six wins on the year and five of them are shutouts. How do we ask more from what he's already doing?"
Cameron Knott had a prime chance to tie the game for the Lumberjacks in the second period, but Moorhead goaltender Will Arnold made a standout glove save to keep BHS goalless. Arnold finished with 18 saves for his second shutout this season.
Adding insult to injury for the Jacks, Seamus Campbell scored on a bar-down shot to put the Spuds up 2-0 just seconds after Arnold's big save.
"You do all of this training to put yourself in those positions to score; it shouldn't become foreign to you when it happens," Kinne said of capitalizing on quality scoring chances that are few and far between.
"Sure, things become more heightened in these games. But when you have the puck on your stick, that's what good players live for. You notice (Zimmerman) out there, he wants the puck on his stick. (Bergeson) wants it on his stick. There's a reason they're getting full rides to wherever they're going. We'll get there eventually, I hope."
Zimmerman also scored to give Moorhead a three-goal lead before the second intermission. He scored his second goal on a 5-on-3 advantage seven minutes into the third period to make it 4-0.
Both of Zimmerman's goals were assisted by Bergeson and Brandon Mickelson.
"It's been no different their whole lives. Moorhead is a great team and a great program," Kinne said. "They have a ridiculous amount of talent. We have to be prepared to give it our best shot with a game plan we try to put together. The one thing with (Moorhead) is they love to play offense, so if you can key in on them to create turnovers. . . Wesley (Truax) has that 2-on-1 with them, and if we score that goal, we maybe settle into the game a little bit.
"We had more chances than people probably realize. We didn't have the puck all that much, but the scoring chances we had were solid. But we talked about it in the locker room, that we can talk about doing all of these things, but we didn't score a goal. You're not going to win if you don't score."
En route to its first Class AA state championship in program history, Moorhead had to go through Bemidji to get there.
The Spuds, who, much like this year, spent most of the season as one of the state's top-ranked teams, dismantled the Lumberjacks in the Section 8AA championship game at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls on Feb. 26. It was an 8-1 drubbing that followed a much closer game between the two schools in Moorhead on Jan. 7.
The Spuds knocked off BHS 3-1 in the regular season, planting speculation that the Section 8AA representative at the 2025 state tournament wasn't a sure thing. But a dominant showing in Thief River Falls was ultimately the precursor to a celebratory campaign for one of Minnesota's most storied hockey communities.
While Tuesday's four-goal defeat for BHS won't deter any state hockey pundits from picking against Moorhead (14-1-1) to represent Section 8AA for the second consecutive season, Kinne feels that this Jacks team (7-7-1) has an eagerness to spoil the repeat party in the postseason if given the chance.
"At the end of the day, Section 8AA runs through Moorhead," Kinne said. "If you want to go to state, you have to beat Moorhead. It's no secret, and it's not foreign to us. If that challenge presents itself again, we'll be ready."
Moorhead 4, Bemidji 0
MHD 1 2 1 — 4
BHS 0 0 0 — 0
First period — MHD GOAL: M. Cullen (Zimmerman, Bergeson) PPG, 10:20.
Second period — MHD GOAL: Campbell (Steffan, Herman) 6:06; MHD GOAL: Zimmerman (Mickelson, Bergeson) 10:13;
Third period — MHD GOAL: Zimmerman (Mickelson, Bergeson) PPG, 6:59.
Saves — Hill (BHS) 29; W. Arnold (MHD) 18.
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Section 8AA still runs through Moorhead.
In a section championship rematch from a year ago, the Spuds shut out the Lumberjacks 4-0 at Bemidji Community Arena in the only regular-season meeting between the two schools this year.
Moorhead is the defending Class AA state champion and the second-ranked team in the state.
"They move the puck extremely well; they support the puck extremely well," BHS coach Ben Kinne said. "They're really good in transition. They just have the puck a lot, so it's a really hard team to play against. I think we gave a good effort, to be honest, but when you take some penalties and give them a 5-on-3, it's not going to be a good one."
Max Cullen, a nephew of longtime NHL forward Matt Cullen and a Minnesota Duluth commit, scored on the Spuds' second power play midway through the first period.
Cullen's goal was BHS goaltender Christian Hill's lone blemish on a first-period scoresheet where there could've been several.
The senior goaltender made a sliding stick save to take away a goal in the opening minute. Hill then robbed Minnesota State commit Zac Zimmerman on a one-time shot on a rush two minutes later, then stymied Augustana commit Tyden Bergeson at the end of a seamless tic-tac-toe sequence with just under four minutes remaining before the first intermission.
Hill finished the first period with 15 saves — 29 for the game — to keep Bemidji within a puncher's reach.
"If he's not in the net, we probably give up eight or nine," Kinne said of Hill. "That's just the reality of this game. He made some massive saves, especially in the first period. There was a barrage for a bit there, but he held us in there. For the most part, he gave us a chance to be in the game, and he's done that every game. He had six wins on the year and five of them are shutouts. How do we ask more from what he's already doing?"
Cameron Knott had a prime chance to tie the game for the Lumberjacks in the second period, but Moorhead goaltender Will Arnold made a standout glove save to keep BHS goalless. Arnold finished with 18 saves for his second shutout this season.
Adding insult to injury for the Jacks, Seamus Campbell scored on a bar-down shot to put the Spuds up 2-0 just seconds after Arnold's big save.
"You do all of this training to put yourself in those positions to score; it shouldn't become foreign to you when it happens," Kinne said of capitalizing on quality scoring chances that are few and far between.
"Sure, things become more heightened in these games. But when you have the puck on your stick, that's what good players live for. You notice (Zimmerman) out there, he wants the puck on his stick. (Bergeson) wants it on his stick. There's a reason they're getting full rides to wherever they're going. We'll get there eventually, I hope."
Zimmerman also scored to give Moorhead a three-goal lead before the second intermission. He scored his second goal on a 5-on-3 advantage seven minutes into the third period to make it 4-0.
Both of Zimmerman's goals were assisted by Bergeson and Brandon Mickelson.
"It's been no different their whole lives. Moorhead is a great team and a great program," Kinne said. "They have a ridiculous amount of talent. We have to be prepared to give it our best shot with a game plan we try to put together. The one thing with (Moorhead) is they love to play offense, so if you can key in on them to create turnovers. . . Wesley (Truax) has that 2-on-1 with them, and if we score that goal, we maybe settle into the game a little bit.
"We had more chances than people probably realize. We didn't have the puck all that much, but the scoring chances we had were solid. But we talked about it in the locker room, that we can talk about doing all of these things, but we didn't score a goal. You're not going to win if you don't score."
En route to its first Class AA state championship in program history, Moorhead had to go through Bemidji to get there.
The Spuds, who, much like this year, spent most of the season as one of the state's top-ranked teams, dismantled the Lumberjacks in the Section 8AA championship game at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls on Feb. 26. It was an 8-1 drubbing that followed a much closer game between the two schools in Moorhead on Jan. 7.
The Spuds knocked off BHS 3-1 in the regular season, planting speculation that the Section 8AA representative at the 2025 state tournament wasn't a sure thing. But a dominant showing in Thief River Falls was ultimately the precursor to a celebratory campaign for one of Minnesota's most storied hockey communities.
While Tuesday's four-goal defeat for BHS won't deter any state hockey pundits from picking against Moorhead (14-1-1) to represent Section 8AA for the second consecutive season, Kinne feels that this Jacks team (7-7-1) has an eagerness to spoil the repeat party in the postseason if given the chance.
"At the end of the day, Section 8AA runs through Moorhead," Kinne said. "If you want to go to state, you have to beat Moorhead. It's no secret, and it's not foreign to us. If that challenge presents itself again, we'll be ready."
Moorhead 4, Bemidji 0
MHD 1 2 1 — 4
BHS 0 0 0 — 0
First period — MHD GOAL: M. Cullen (Zimmerman, Bergeson) PPG, 10:20.
Second period — MHD GOAL: Campbell (Steffan, Herman) 6:06; MHD GOAL: Zimmerman (Mickelson, Bergeson) 10:13;
Third period — MHD GOAL: Zimmerman (Mickelson, Bergeson) PPG, 6:59.
Saves — Hill (BHS) 29; W. Arnold (MHD) 18.
Continue reading...
