ST. PAUL - Jace Van Eps scored the game-winning goal in overtime as No. 4 seed East Grand Forks upset second-seeded St. Cloud Cathedral 2-1 in the Class 1A state championship game Saturday afternoon at Xcel Energy Center.
The championship is the third in the history of the Green Wave and first since winning back-to-back titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15. The loss denied St. Cloud Cathedral, which also was the 2004 champion, in its bid for consecutive titles.
The winning goal came from a tight angle. Van Eps won a race to a loose puck in the St. Cloud Cathedral corner and sent a shot toward the net from behind the goal line. The puck bounced off Crusaders' goaltender Keaton Legrande and into the net.
Cooper Hills scored 7:16 into the second period to give East Grand Forks (16-13-2) a 1-0 lead. Hills drove the net and batted home a rebound.
The Crusaders (20-9-2) pressed and finally evened the score in regulation's final minute. While skating 6-on-4, Bo Schmidt found a lane to the net and beat Noah Schindele just inside the far post to force overtime.
Schindele finished with 37 saves in the win.
St. Cloud Cathedral beat East Grand Forks 11-5 on Jan. 31, part of a five-game winless skid for the Green Wave.
The old saying goes "there's no such thing as a bad shot."
Just ask Jace Van Eps.
The senior forward won a race to a loose puck in the St. Cloud Cathedral corner, grabbed it and quickly fired it towards the net from below the goal line.
The puck went in, giving East Grand Forks the Class 1A state title.
50: Points for St. Cloud Cathedral forward and Mr. Hockey finalist John Hirschfeld in his previous 13 games before Saturday’s championship, when he was held to a single assist
1-8-0: St. Cloud Cathedral’s record this season when trailing after two periods
11: Goals surrendered by East Grand Forks to St. Cloud Cathedral when the teams met on Jan. 31
5: Games East Grand Forks went without a victory from Jan. 25 to Feb. 6
That’s something I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.
— East Grand Forks forward Jace Van Eps on being mobbed by teammates along the boards in front of the Green Wave student section after scoring the winning goal
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