The winning shot from Proctor / Hermantown striker Alyssa Watkins (not shown) goes over Gentry goalkeeper Rylee Bartizal, while Gentry defender Jenessa Gazdik, second from left, Proctor / Hermantown striker Macy Sieger and Proctor / Hermantown striker Hannah Kauppinen watch during double overtime of the game State Girls’ A Hockey Finals at the Xcel Energy Center, Friday, April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
Proctor / Hermantown celebrate after winning of the State Championship in double extension for the State A Girls Hockey Final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
The forward from Proctor / Hermantown, Aurora Opsahl, has a chance to score, but can’t get past Gentry goalie Rylee Bartizal in the first extension of the State Girls’ A Hockey Final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday, April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Special for the Pioneer Press)
Striker Cara Sajevic shoots and scores the first goal of the game against Proctor / Hermantown in the first stage of the State Girls’ A Hockey Final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday , April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Special to Pioneer Press)
Proctor / Hermantown forward Aurora Opsahl, right, celebrates after a goal against Gentry in the first stage of the state girls’ hockey final Class A at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday 3rd April 2021. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
Gentry striker Cara Sajevic (right) celebrates with striker Riley Reeves (13) and striker Angelina Ruiz after Sajevic scored a goal in the first stage of the Girls A State Hockey Final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Special for the Pioneer Press)
Striker Cara Sajevic flies over the shot of Proctor / Hermantown defender Mckenzie Gunderson and scored the first goal of the game in the first stage of the class state girls’ hockey final A at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)
Proctor / Hermantown goalie Abby Pajari eyed a puck during the second phase of the state girls’ hockey final Class A was shot overhead at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
Striker Cara Sajevic (right) is hugged by striker Grace Delmonico after Sajevic was in the second phase of the State Girls’ A-class hockey final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday, scored her second goal on April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Special to the Pioneer Press)
Gentry striker Rachel Agerter (right) tries to pass Proctor / Hermantown defenseman Ella Anick in the first stage of the state girls’ hockey class A finals at Xcel Energy Center on Friday, April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
Proctor / Hermantown striker Izy Fairchild (25) celebrates as he passes gentry goalkeeper Rylee Bartizal with the puck and the result in the third phase of the state girls’ Scored Class A hockey finals at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday April 3, 2021. Especially for the Pioneer Press)
Socially distant gentry fans watch the game during the second phase of the State A Girls Hockey Final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday, April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Special the Pioneer Press)
Gentry goalie Rylee Bartizal stops a shot during the first extension of the State Girls’ A Hockey Final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday, April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special )
Proctor / Hermantown goalkeeper Abby Pajari stops a shot by Gentry striker Cara Sajevic (7) in the second stage of the State Girls’ A Hockey Final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday April 3, 2021 (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
Proctor / Hermantown striker Izy Fairchild (left) celebrates with her teammates Macy Sieger (17) and Alyssa Watkins in the third stage of the class girls’ state hockey finals A at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday, April 3, 2021 (Craig Lassig) / Special for the Pioneer Press)
The Proctor / Hermantown striker, Macy Sieger, celebrates as her team takes part in the double extension of the State Girls’ A Class A Hockey Final in Xcel Energy Center wins the national championship on Friday, April 3rd, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
Proctor / Hermantown striker Aurora Opsahl (18) celebrates with her teammates after she went to the first stage of the State Girls’ A-class hockey final at Xcel Energy Center scored a goal on Friday April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
Proctor / Hermantown striker Alyssa Watkins (right) who scored the winning goal is hugged by defender Ella Anick after serving Gentry in double overtime for state girls’ hockey -Finals of Class A at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday April 3, 2021. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
Proctor / Hermantown carry away first place after taking double overtime for the State Girls’ A Hockey Final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday, April 3, 2021, had won. (Craig Lassig / Pioneer Press Special)
Gentry striker Audrey Jackson takes second place after taking double overtime for the State Girls’ A-class hockey final at the Xcel Energy Center on Friday, May 3. April 2021, has lost. (Craig Lassig / Special to Pioneer Press)
Proctor / Hermantown didn’t spend much time in his defensive zone this season and beat opponents 151-17. But it was the Mirage’s defense that enshrined its first state championship.
Alyssa Watkins scored a power play goal in double overtime and Abby Pajari scored 32 saves as Proctor / Hermantown beat Gentry Academy 3-2 twice on Saturday to win the Girls’ Class A Championship at the Xcel Energy Center.
Watkins, a senior citizen, was parked in the left circle as she took a pass from teammate Kaydee High and shot a shot into the net that found enough space between goalkeeper Rylee Bartizal and the top bar to stop the game after 76 minutes to end.
« It means a lot and I was very excited to have the opportunity, » said Watkins. « But of course I would have been just as excited if someone else on the team had scored. »
Aurora Opsahl and Izy Fairchild each scored decisive goals, and goalkeeper Abby Pajari scored six of their 32 saves in overtime as the Mirage ended a perfect season with a 21-0 record and won their first championship in six tournament trips.
Cara Sajevic ended a remarkable season with a remarkable state tournament for the Gentry Academy, scoring two goals to end the tournament with six goals. The Stars spent a lot of time in the Proctor / Hermantown Zone, especially early on, but could never put the Mirage down.
Proctor / Hermantown killed 4 out of 5 penalties and survived a difficult start, which was spent almost exclusively in their own zone. The Mirage fell 1-0 when they registered their first shot on goal more than 11 minutes into the game – even though they made it count. Opdahl ended a riot by knocking in a rebound to end the game 1-1 at 11:54.
The Mirage were overtaken in every period until they beat the Stars 5-2 in double overtime.
« Although we didn’t spend a lot of time in our D-Zone, we worked on it all year for this reason, » said Mirage trainer Emma Stauber. “We knew we had a chance to play in the playoffs and that we had to be ready when we found we were ready. That got us through this first period. »
After Sajevic gave the Stars a 2-1 lead with a power play goal at 10:02 in the second half, Gentry had several chances to extend that lead. But pajari was strong. Fairchild, a freshman, linked the game with a power play goal after an 8:01 face-off of the third period.
« Kaydee High and Alyssa tied the center and the D together, » Fairchild said. « I just went and took (the puck) and came closer and tried to keep it on the ice and go 5 holes. »
The Gentry Academy (19-3-1) had their first tournament appearance in their first university season. Bartizal stopped four excellent scoring chances for Mirage in front of Watkins’ goal in the final extra time. She finished with 21 saves for the stars.
« They are very disappointed at the moment. They are competitive children who really wanted that, » said assistant coach Paige Jahnke. « But in retrospect they will and should be very proud of the season they had. « Right now they are very devastated. »
The Mirage had their second power play chance after a cross-check of 5:54 in double overtime. Stauber requested time off to calm her team down and give instructions: go by quickly and get the stars out of position.
Watkins waited in a circle like dozens of times in training for highs pass this season, but it was the first time she had scored her shot.
« We’ve worked on it all year, but I’ve never felt confident enough to do it in practice, » said Watkins. « My shot wasn’t that consistent so I hadn’t tried. But at that point I thought every shot was good because if it didn’t go in we could rebound. »
It went in; No rebounds required.
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