Eastview's State Hockey Hopes Dashed by Hill-Murray

In the end, fighting spirit wasn't enough for the Eastview High School boys hockey team as it took on top-ranked Hill-Murray in the opening round of the state tournament on Thursday night.

The Pioneers beat out Eastview 6-3 and will advance to the semifinal round of the Class 2A state hockey tournament on March 8 at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul.

"We had a couple mishaps in our defensive zone where they capitalized and took the wind out of our sails. It was tough," Eastview senior Ryan McNamara said following the game. "They’re definitely a top team, they deserve that number one spot."

The Lightning trailed by a four-goal deficit early in the second period, but fought back with dogged determination after sophomore Keith Muehlbauer and junior Mitchell Serrato scored a pair of goals within three minutes of play. Hill-Murray pushed back, scoring two minutes later to make it a 5-2 game at the end of the second period.

The Lightning scored again 7:20 into the third period when Thomas Hutsell put the puck out in front of the net for Brett Schweiger, who slipped it into the upper right corner to make it a 5-3 game.

With the Eastview crowd chanting "It ain't over," the Lightning pressed the momentum, but a long shot four minutes later by Hill-Murray's Sam Becker put the Pioneers up 6-3.

"We knew they were going to be a very good team, a well-coached team," Lightning Head Coach Drey Bradley said.

"When you get that first goal up on an inexperienced team, I think sometimes it takes a little longer to get your feet under you," Bradley added, referencing Hill-Murray's first goal, which came just 2:22 into play.

"We felt confident, but Eastview, hats off to them; they kept fighting, they kept battling," Hill-Murray Head Coach Bill Lechner said. "They tried different things to open the game up here and there."

Eastview goalie Zachary Driscoll, a sophomore, had 28 saves in the game.

The Lightning (18-10-1 on the season) will play again on March 8 in the consolation bracket of the tournament.