Maple Grove Boys Hockey Falls In High-Scoring State Title Game

MAPLE GROVE, MN — The Maple Grove boys hockey team came up just short in its quest for its first state championship as it lost in overtime Saturday night in the Class AA title game.

The Crimson fell 6-5 to Andover in a high-scoring, back-and-forth match that “turned knuckles with and sent hearts racing,” according to the Minnesota State High School League’s report on the game.

Maple Grove held multiple leads throughout the game but Andover tied it at 5-5 with less than five minutes in the third period to send it to overtime. Andover High School senior Logan Gravnik scored the game-winner in the second period of overtime, according to MSHSL statistics.

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Maple Grove took a very early lead in the Class AA state final game when Finn Brink scored just 12 seconds after the first puck-drop. Joshua Giuliani put the Crimson up 2-0 less than five minutes later, before Andover halved the deficit through Cayden Casey, according to the MSHSL.

Giuliani scored again to give Maple Grove a 3-1 lead, but Andover responded to make it 3-2 at the end of the first period.

The scoring pace slowed down after the first period, with Andover notching the only goal of the second period to tie the game at 3-3, according to MSHSL statistics.

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Andover took its first lead of the game early in the third period, but Giuliani scored less than a minute later to complete his hat-trick and tie the game at 4-4 for the Crimson.

Chayton Fischer put Maple Grove ahead 5-4 in the third period, and then hit the “Griddy” celebration made famous by Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Fischer’s "Griddy on ice" celebration has gained lots of attention and respect from Twitter users.

Later in the third period, Andover’s Gavyn Thoresen tied the game at 5-5 to send it to overtime, where the Huskies ultimately prevailed to win the Class AA state title.

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The Maple Grove and Andover boys hockey teams were both making their first appearances in a state championship game, according to MSHSL.

Maple Grove took down Rogers to win the Section 5AA championship before beating Edina in the state quarterfinal round and Prior Lake in the semifinal.

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