Park boys hockey: Wolfpack hangs with No. 3 Eagan till third, but Wildcats prevail in end

The Park boys hockey team played top-seeded and third-ranked Eagan tough for two periods in the Section 3AA semifinals on Saturday, Sept 25, before the wheels fell off and the Wolfpack’s season came to an end.

Park, the fifth seed, played Eagan, the defending section champion, to a 1-1 tie through two periods. However, the Wildcats (23-3-1) opened the floodgates in the third period and escaped with a 7-1 win.

The loss capped a 13-10-4 season for the Wolfpack.

Eagan outshot Park 49-17 in the game. Park senior goalie Erick Majerle made 42 saves in the loss.

Despite being outshot 17-6 in the first period, Park had a 1-0 lead over Eagan. Park senior Garrett Mahigan scored the first goal of the game, 1:40 into the first period on assists by senior Jackson Gieser and junior Jacob Garr.

Eagan’s Michael Zajac, who had two goals in the game, tied things up 1-1 8:16 into the second period. Then, in the third, Eagan scored six goals on 20 shots ending Park’s hopes of an incredible upset.

Park must now say good-bye to nine seniors off its roster – Majerle, Jacob Banaszweski, Gieser, Mahigan, Jeff Martin, Joey Pierre, Chris Raisanen, Spencer Diedrich, Matt Goecke and Joe Brysky.

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