River Freeman scored with 48.5 seconds left in overtime as No. 1 seed Hermantown beat No. 4 seed Mahtomedi 7-6 in a state Class 1A semifinal at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

No. 5-1A Mahtomedi (18-12-0) rallied from a four-goal first period deficit against No. 1-1A Hermantown (20-8-2) to force overtime.

Sam Harris and Max Strecker each scored in the final two minutes as Mahtomedi forced the extra session. Strecker's goal came with 50.2 seconds remaining. Both of the Zephyrs' final goals came with their goaltender pulled in favor of an extra skater. 

Sophomore forward A.J. Francisco put Hermantown ahead 6-4 with 11:19 remaining with his third goal of the game.

All of the game’s many momentum swings boiled down to one final play, wunderkind A.J. Francisco drawing a defender and goalie Charlie Brandt to him, then alertly dishing to River Freeman for the winning one-timer.

3 - Hermantown only recorded three shots in the third period as Mahtomedi was applying offensive pressure (16 shots/3 goals).

6 - A.J. Francisco has scored six of his 12 goals in the Hawks' last five games. In addition, he won 19 of 36 face-offs and assisted on the game-winning goal.

7 - River Freeman has scored seven of his 22 goals in the sectional and state tournaments. Two of those goals have been game winners.

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