The 75th Minnesota boy's hockey state tournament enters semifinal Friday following four close quarterfinal games in the large-school class.
There was plenty of relief when Jack Jensen scored late in the third overtime to give Eden Prairie a 3-2 win over Lakeville South in the Class Two-A quarterfinals. Had the game remained deadlocked after three extra sessions, it would have been suspended until Friday to allow the rest of Thursday's games to go on as scheduled. Instead Jenson got it past South goaltender Henry Welsch, whose 63 saves were two short of the tournament record.
Eden Prairie is in the semifinals against Blaine, who beat White Bear Lake 4-2. Top-ranked Edina got by Moorhead 4-2, and the Hornets play Saint Thomas Academy, who edged Duluth East 3-1.
The small-school semifinals Friday has East Grand Forks playing Saint Cloud Cathedral, and Mahtomedi against Greenway.
Both sessions yesterday drew more than 18,000 fans to the Xcel Energy Center.
The championship games are noon and 7 p.m. Saturday.