Andover beats Maple Grove 6-5 in double OT for boys hockey state title in instant classic
Two years ago, the Minnesota Boys High School Hockey Tournament wound up being the last big event in the state before the spread of COVID-19 rapidly changed everything. Now it's back in full swing, with a "normal" crowd cheering.
MINNEAPOLIS - In what’s been labeled by many as one of the greatest games in the history of the Boys State Hockey Tournament, Andover beat Maple Grove 6-5 in double overtime Saturday in front of a sellout crowd at Xcel Energy Center.
Both teams left everything on the ice, and it’s a shame one of them had to finish the season with a loss. The Huskies and actually each finished behind Rogers in the Northwest Suburban Conference, but Andover finishes the season as the Class AA state champion, and Logan Gravnik might be getting the next key to the city.
The senior forward had the puck come to his stick at 8:59 of the second overtime after a deflection off an initial shot from Weston Knox. Gravnick’s one-timer found the back of the net, and the team bolted off the bench to celebrate its first state title at the other end of the ice with their fellow students.
It was the third meeting between the two schools this season. The Huskies beat the Crimson 5-3 in mid-December, and Maple Grove got a 4-1 win in mid-February.
The Crimson scored a trio of first period goals to take a 3-2 lead into the first intermission. Andover scored the only goal of the second period as the two teams were deadlocked 3-3 heading to the third period.
Maple Grove took a 5-4 lead on Cheyton Fischer’s goal at the 10:54 mark of the third period. The Huskies got the game-tying goal with a little less than two minutes to play, from Gavyn Thoreson at the 15:10 mark.
Gravnik scored about halfway into the second overtime to give Andover its first state championship. It was his only point of the night, but the biggest goal of his life. It also completed a season sweep of state titles, with Andover winning the girls state championship. Edina managed that feat in the 2019 season.
Lou Nanne, who did color commentary for the state tournament as has been tradition for decades, congratulated the Huskies after winning the state title and told the team it was the best hockey game he has witnessed since 1969. Andover ends the season 25-5-1.