DULUTH, Minn. — Grand Rapids fell behind by two points against Andover early in the second period, but the Thunderhawks refused to be eliminated Thursday in Game 7 of the AA Championship at Amsoil Arena.
Keaton Coe put the Huskies on a power play in the first period, and Brooks Cogswell scored less than a minute into the second period, but the Rapids got to work from there.
Three minutes later, Gus Drennen scored for the Thunderhawks, and Seth Carlson tied it early in the third. After more than 12 minutes of overtime, Karlsson again scored the winning goal. The shot from the left bounced off the shoulder of Andover goalie Cal Conway, sparking a multi-team scrum on the goal line.
During the short video review allowed for section title games in Minnesota high school hockey, an overhead camera clearly showed the puck crossing the line.
As Andover's skaters moved to the bench, the Thunderhawks jumped off the bench in front of the Grand Rapids student section and mauled Carlson.
State limited!!!
We beat Andover 3-2 in the second overtime!
🏒Gus Drennan
🏒🏒Seth Carlson×2
🥅 Carter Caseycongratulations! pic.twitter.com/W0SoaibzBQ
— Grand Rapids Hockey (@GRhockeyHS) March 1, 2024
Grand Rapids sophomore goaltender Carter Casey stopped 31 shots, including the Huskies' last 21 on net.
The Thunderhawks will be returning to the state tournament for the first time since 2017, when they won the Class AA championship.
For the full story, visit the Duluth News Tribune.
Grand Rapids 0-1-1-0-1—3
First Period — 1. A, Keaton Coe (Ben Doll, Chase Nadeau), 7:18 (pp).
2nd period — 2. A, Brooks Cogswell (Landon Stringfellow, Anthony Pardo), 0:43. 3. GR, Gus Drennen (Caleb Gunderson, Kyler Miller), 3:44.
3rd period — 4. GR, Seth Carlson (Nathan Gursky), 0:40.
First overtime — no points.
2nd overtime — 5.GR, Carlson (Jacob Gursky), 2:53.
Save — Cal Conway, A, 35; Carter Casey, GR, 31.
Clint Austin/Duluth Media Group
Jamie Malcolm has been the high school sports reporter for the Duluth News Tribune since October 2021. He has covered news and sports for the Lake County News Chronicle and Crockett Pine Journal in Two Harbors for the past six years. He graduated from George Washington University in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in history and literature, and George also earned a master's degree in secondary English education from Mason University.
