February 9, 2008 @ Xcel Energy Center 1:00

St. Thomas Academy was 15 seconds away from completing a third period comeback and sealing the Classic Suburban championship. Less than a minute of game time later, two dramatic goals left Hill-Murray one victory away from taking the title all to themselves. Dan Cecka set up the tying goal and scored the winner, matching his uniform number by scoring 22 seconds into overtime. Cecka also scored the go-ahead goal in the first meeting between these teams, a 4-2 Hill-Murray win at St. Thomas.

The game itself was contested about as evenly as it could be, with both teams experiencing stretches in which they had a series of quality chances and other times having to rely on their respective goaltenders to bail them out. It was the top forwards on each side doing the majority of the offensive damage, with James Saintey scoring twice for St. Thomas and the Pioneer starting line figuring in all four goals for Hill-Murray.

That line, which was unstoppable while scoring five goals against Simley last game, struck for the game's first goal. Kurt Altrichter attempted to clear the puck around the boards, but it was held in the zone by Ryan Furne, who blasted a shot just under the crossbar from the right point.

Hill-Murray had the better of the play in the first five minutes. It wasn't until back-to-back penalties put St. Thomas on the power play that the Cadets started to find any offensive rhythm. On the second power play, Saintey made it 1-1, tipping in Christian Isackson's centering pass from the right corner.

St. Thomas began to use their speed through the neutral zone, putting Hill-Murray on its heels as Saintey and Isackson slid through the defense several times and kept Joe Phillippi busy. By the midpoint of the second period, Hill-Murray had found their skating legs again and began to take charge. Altrichter made a glove save on a partial break by Nick Widing, then made two great saves back-to-back, getting his toe on a pass that had deflected off a defenseman and sprawling to stop the rebound. Chris Casto had perhaps the best chance, getting a brief window to hit an open net from close range, but he flipped a backhand wide.

The pressure finally resulted in a power play goal. Ryan Furne threaded a back door pass from the right point to Dan Sova, who had snuck in on the left side and one-timed a shot along the ice just inside the left post.

Just as in the first game, St. Thomas failed to score on an early third period power play, but controlled the play afterwards and eventually scored the tying goal. It was a near duplicate of Hill-Murray's second goal, with Tony Mergens making a back door pass from the right side that was converted by Isackson.

Saintey gave St. Thomas their first lead with 6:19 left in the third with a brilliant individual effort. He picked off a loose puck in the neutral zone, fended off a backchecker, and slid in a backhand.

Now it was Phillippi's turn to keep Hill-Murray in the game as St. Thomas pressed for an insurance goal. He stopped Conor Rooney's breakaway attempt and kicked out a rebound by Saintey while lying on his side.

After doing all he could, Phillippi was removed in favor of an extra attacker. Hill-Murray struggled to gain the offensive zone, but eventually Cecka got control of the puck and got off a backhand that squirted through Altrichter and came to rest against the goalpost. That bad break would be offset by a good one seconds later. Sova sent a shot goalward from blue line, which was blocked but controlled by Cecka, who slid the puck under Altrichter from a bad angle. The puck bounced off Saintey and into the net with under 14 seconds on the clock. Isaac Kohls, whom Saintey had been trying to check, was credited with the tying goal.

Hill-Murray gave St. Thomas no chance to recover in overtime. Kohls raced down the left side and centered from the left boards. Altrichter poke checked the puck out of the crease area, but it went right to Cecka, who sent it back in the direction it had come, past Altrichter and into the net.

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