Last-minute goal boosts Mahtomedi into 1A boys hockey title game

Mahtomedi senior Charlie Drage saw Hermantown making cross-ice passes all game. With under a minute left in regulation in a tied game, Drage made a perfect interception at center ice, went into the zone and found a hole with his shot high on the blocker side.

The goal fulfilled redemption and a teammate's prediction.

"Right before that, I missed," Drage said. "I missed a backdoor tap-in from a great pass from Corey [Bohmert]. And David [Wolsfeld] said, 'You're going to get one back.' "

Drage's goal with 48.5 seconds left gave third-seeded Mahtomedi a 2-1 victory over defending champion Hermantown in Friday's first Class 1A semifinal of the boys hockey state tournament at Xcel Energy Center.

After the missed tap-in chance, Wolsfeld said he saw Drage skate to the corner, his head down. Wolsfeld gave his buddy a pat on the back "and said, 'You're going to get another chance, and it's going in.' He looked up at the Jumbotron. … I said, 'Don't even look at it.' "

Hermantown, seeded second, took a 1-0 lead late in the first period, but third-seeded Mahtomedi (22-8-0) tied it about a minute before intermission. The Hawks (27-3-1) went 0-for-4 on the power play, including 41 seconds of 5-on-3 in the first period.

"You've got to capitalize on your opportunities in the state tournament," said Hermantown coach Patrick Andrews, who added that his team lost "off a great play" on Drage's goal.