Benilde-St. Margaret's Boys' Hockey

A three-goal third period by Wayzata proved to be the difference as the Trojans defeated Benilde-St. Margaret's, 6-3, in a Section 6AA semifinal game.

After controlling play through much of the opening period, in which they held a 9-6 advantage in shots on goal, the Red Knights were fortunate to come out of the period with a 1-1 tie.

Back-to-back penalties on BSM's top defensemen, Patrick Daly and Jake Horton, set Wayzata up with a 5-on-3 power-play, seven minutes, 45 seconds into the opening frame and, from there, it took 47 seconds for Mario Lucia to put his team ahead, 1-0.

The Red Knights tied the scored with 15.4 seconds remaining in the period, taking advantage of a Trojan turnover as T.J. Moore picked up a loose puck and score from the right faceoff circle.

"I really liked the way we came out," BSM head coach Ken Pauly said of the first period. "We truly dominated the first period and it was too bad that they were given a 5-on-3 to get some momentum back.

"However, when TJ Moore pumped one in to tie it, I thought that was going to be a huge play for us."

An early second-period power play for the Red Knights had momentum on their side but the Trojans withstood the surge and got a chance regain the one-goal lead when Tony Cameranesi got loose for a breakaway. His shot from the slot was gloved by BSM goalie Justin Quale and the play appeared as if it would energize the Red Knights.

Instead, just 51 seconds later, at the seven-minute mark, Bryan Tabery pushed home a puck that gave the third-ranked Trojans the lead for good.

Wayzata continued to carry that momentum and Tyler Klein went onto score goals 70 seconds apart to give the Trojans a 4-1 lead, forcing the Red Knights to call a timeout to regroup, with 4:07 to play in the middle stanza.

"In the second period we turned into a team that we were not the whole year," Pauly said. "Sometimes that can happen and it was a disastrous period for us."

"When Justin Quale stuffed their best player on the breakaway, I thought that the momentum could shift to us, but they got the next three and that was just too big of a hole to dig out of."

Klein completed his hat trick 5:28 into the final period before the Red Knights mounted a comeback.

BSM had an apparent goal by Christian Horn waved off when referee Dave Grandelis ruled the puck was played with a high stick. However, Moore and Horn would scored goals 30 seconds apart to cut the lead to two goals with 4:36 to play.

Another apparent Red Knight goal was waved off on a goalmouth scramble when it was ruled the net had come off its moorings before the puck crossed the line but momentum, at that time, was clearly on the side of BSM.

That was bolstered when Sam Majka was whistled for tripping with 2:37 to play in the game.

The Red Knights got three shots on goal during the ensuing power play and pulled Quale for an extra attacker. However, when Trojan goalie Aaron Dingmann stopped a Pat Steinhauser shot, Cameranesi picked up the loose puck and his clearing attempt got between the BSM defensemen and slid the length of the ice into the BSM goal.

"With the score 5-1, our guys could have checked out," Pauly said. "But I could not be prouder of the way they responded."

"If you are going win a Section 6AA semifinal, you have to get some breaks and you have to take advantage of power-play chances. We didn’t get any breaks and we didn’t cash in with the man advantage. That adds up to an exit."

Another factor in the game was an injury to Red Knight score leader Pat Steinhauser, who hurt his knee in last Saturday's regular-season finale and played just five shifts in Thursday's quarterfinal win.

"Sadly, his injury really figured into tonight’s game," Pauly said. "He was just a warrior out there but you could tell he wasn’t 100 percent.

"To win sectionals you have to be good, healthy, and lucky. We had the first one nailed but lost on the last two."

With the loss, the Red Knights' season ends with a 22-5-0 record while Wayzata advances to Wednesday's section championship against top-seeded and second-ranked Eden Prairie, Wednesday, at 8 p.m.

It doesn’t take away from an incredible season with an exceptional group of young men. I could not be prouder of all of them.