March 7, 2008 @ Xcel Energy Center 8:00

Roseau had not lost in 42 games, a streak that lasted a season and a half and included a state championship. However, the Rams' remarkable run ended two wins short of another state title, stymied by Joe Phillippi's 34 saves and relentless checking by Hill-Murray. Many casual hockey observers seemed to think that Roseau could not be stopped this season except possibly by Edina, but there was Hill-Murray wearing down and even outskating Roseau for long stretches in the state semifinal. And although the outcome was in doubt with under three minutes to play, there was Dan Cecka racing toward the net with much heralded defenseman Aaron Ness in pursuit but unable to catch him. Only heretofore unbeaten goaltender Mike Lee could save Roseau, but Cecka flipped in a backhand to give the Pioneers a 4-1 lead and a place in the state championship game.

After a tentative start, Hill-Murray roared to life with two goals 1:40 apart late in the first period. The vaunted Pioneer power play had just three opportunities and no goals in the previous two games, but they cashed in on their first chance tonight. Dan Sova one-timed Bo Dolan's pass along the blue line and Nick Widing was right at the top of the crease to jam in the rebound.

Chris Casto made an outstanding effort to increase the lead, stickhandling around a defenseman and backhanding a shot on goal that forced Lee to make to two great saves. Moments later, Phillippi stopped Roseau's best chance of the period on a point blank shot by Nick Oliver after a Pioneer defenseman was tripped up by a stray stick.

Hill-Murray didn't miss on its next scoring chance, as Ryan Furne blasted in a 15-foot screened shot after Isaac Kohls had centered from behind the net.

The Pioneers spent the next few minutes trying to get back to the dressing room with a two goal lead and Phillippi wound up making 16 saves in the period. A penalty after the horn gave Roseau its third power play to start the second period, but they could not score. One of the big stories of the night was Hill-Murray's effectiveness on the penalty kill. Roseau ended up 0 for 6 on the power play, and managed only nine shots in over 11 minutes with the man advantage.

Kohls made up for his penalty at the end of the first period by setting up the only goal of the second period, coming up the left side on a 2-on-1 and passing to Dave Cascalenda, whose shot went just inside the far post for a 3-0 lead.

Hill-Murray played the next period and a half as if they preferred to let Roseau die a slow death, keeping the Rams in the game by missing on a half dozen glorious chances to score a fourth goal. Lee stopped Kohls twice on shorthanded breakaways on the same power play, and Kohls sent Cecka in alone on goal, but Lee again came up big with a toe save on Cecka's backhand.

Dustin Moser became the first player to score on Phillippi in over two games at 2:14 of the third period, tipping in Mike Koenig's point shot after a clean faceoff win by Tyler Landman.

Moser was in the center of a controversy minutes later. With Roseau again on a power play, Oliver's shot went in off Moser's skate, but Moser had skated into the crease and bumped the goaltender. After a lengthy video review, the would-be goal was nullified. The delay seemed to allow Hill-Murray to gather itself, and they suffocated the Roseau attack the rest of the way.

A barrage of goals in the final three minutes drastically altered the final score. Cecka's breakaway goal made it a 4-1, and Isaac Kohls, who had been snakebit by goaltenders in the last few games, found better luck scoring once the net had been vacated, scoring two empty net goals. In between, Kevin Erickson scored Roseau's second goal on a rebound of a long shot by Ness.

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