Hill-Murray Pioneer Hockey: Game 2011-01-01

First Period
Mtka, Vinni Lettieri (Thomas Schutt, Phil Katopodis), 4:50.
HM, Jake Guentzel (Bob Bruski, J.D. Cotroneo), 6:55.

Second Period
Mtka, Steve Johnson (Vinni Lettieri, Thomas Schutt), 0:29.
Mtka, Connor Ryan (Michael Helmer, Derek Frawley), 1:32.
HM, Ben Bahe (Kevin Schulze, Kevin Becker), 9:33.

Third Period
HM, Bob Bruski (Jake Guentzel, Luke Voltin), 1:59.
HM, Zach LaValle (Loren French, Ryan Holler), 9:33.
HM, Zach LaValle (Ryan Holler, Loren French), 11:37.

Shots by period
Hill-Murray	8	11	10	-	29
Minnetonka	7	8	9	-	24

Goalies Minutes GA Saves Result
HM - Tim Shaughnessy 51 3 21 W
Mtka - Alex Glockner 50 5 24 L

Power Plays Goals Attempts Time
Hill-Murray 0 1 2:00
Minnetonka 0 2 4:00

Hill-Murray claimed the illustrious Schwan Cup with victories over last season's Class A and AA state champs, and the defending Gold Division champion, Minnetonka.

The Skippers had defeated Hill-Murray in each of the past three seasons, yielding just one goal each time. Early on, this game looked to be more of the same, with the hard hitting Minnetonka keeping Hill-Murray in check and building a 3-1 lead. But the Skippers couldn't keep up in the second half of the game, and the Pioneers wound up scoring four unanswered goals.

Vinni Lettieri opened the scoring with a wandering backhand shot from the side boards that found its way through two Hill-Murray defensemen and under Tim Shaughnessy's pads. Hill-Murray got on the board 2:05 later as Bob Bruski drove to the net and slid the puck to Jake Guentzel who scored from the top of the crease.

Minnetonka scored twice in the first 1:32 of the second. Thomas Schutt's long shot rebounded to Lettieri at the side of the net, and Lettieri nudged the puck across the crease to Steve Johnson for a tap in goal. Then the Skippers muscled their way to the net on a rush and Connor Ryan poked the puck across the goal line just before Shaughnessy could get his glove on it.

Hill-Murray got better chances as the second period ensued, and when defenseman Kevin Schulze intercepted a gift-wrapped clearing pass at the blue line, Ben Bahe was in the right place to fire in a long rebound and the Pioneers made it to the second intermission trailing 3-2.

Bruski scored the tying goal 1:59 into the third on a backhand from close range after some fluid passes from Voltin and Guentzel.

Jonah Johnson committed Hill-Murray's first penalty of the game shortly thereafter, but stopped a sure goal in the process and the Pioneers were able to successfully kill the power play.

Hill-Murray went ahead 4-3 when Zach LaValle jammed in a backhand after a centering feed from Loren French behind the net. LaValle then tallied his second goal on a rebound after Ryan Holler's initial shot on a 2-on-1 was stopped.