Hockey | 2/9/2025 7:29:00 PM
Blaine, Minn. - Golden Eagle hockey was set for their third place matchup with the St. Thomas Tommies, which would potentially be the last time these two teams meet this season. In net for the Golden Eagles was Tyler Swanson (Fr., G, Moorhead, Minn.) who entered the game with a 3-1-0 record, a .937 save percentage, and a 1.36 goals against average. The Tommies turned to Jack Taverna, who entered the game with a 5-1-1 record, a .905 save percentage, and a 3.03 goals against average.
The Tommies got the ball rolling almost instantly when, just three minutes into the game, Zack Simon drew first blood with a wrist shot from the slot. This one stood as the lone first period tally, with the two goalies making key saves. Swanson stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced, Taverna stopped all eight shots faced. The Tommies had control of the puck for the majority of the first period, and luckily for the Golden Eagles, Swanson kept them at bay.
The second period was much more active. The Tommies scored first again around five and a half minutes in, with a strange goal from Anthony Madigan. The Golden Eagles got a quick response when Ben Hines (So., F, Detroit Lakes, Minn.) flicked a backhand shot at the Tommies net while Taverna was down. Mitchell Coleman (Sr., F, Hatton, N.D.) picked up the lone assist on the goal. This was the start of a very back and forth game the rest of the way.
Four minutes later, the Tommies regained a two goal lead when Austin Stoneking found the back of the net with a wicked snap shot from the hash marks. Six and a half minutes later, the Golden Eagles got back within one with a great one time goal from Anthony Foster (So., F, Warroad, Minn.) on the powerplay. Logan Syrup (Sr., F, Park River, N.D.) and Tyler Swanson tacked on the helpers. The Golden Eagles did not get to celebrate for long, since it only took nine seconds for the Tommies to regain a two goal lead with a goal that seemingly bounced off a body in front. Just like that, it was 4-2 heading into the third.
The Golden Eagles did get a five minute man advantage early when Dylan Lewis got ejected after running into Tyler Swanson following a failed breakaway attempt. On the five minute powerplay, Jackson Fuller scored on a beautiful redirection in front of the net off of a shot from Tyler Lorenz (Fr., D, Shakopee, Minn.) and Mason Romfo (Fr., F, Langdon, N.D.) was the one who set up Lorenz's one time shot. But, just like the other Golden Eagle goals, the Tommies responded fast. Just three minutes went by before Toran Dobchuk made it a 5-3 game with just 11:04 left on the clock. That wound up as the final score as well, and the Golden Eagles would finish the season as the fourth seed in the WCCHA.
The Golden Eagles will play their final two regular season games next weekend in Devils Lake, Minnesota against Lake Region State.
