Championship Saturday for boy's hockey state tournament

high school league hockey trophy
Photo credit Entercom

It's another championship Saturday for the Minnesota boy's hockey state tournament.

And like many others in the first 75 years, it's preceded by a late Friday night.

This time, it was Hill-Murray beating St. Thomas Academy 3-2 with a goal in the final minute of the first overtime.

Here's the OT game-winner by @charlie_strobel that sends @HMBoysHockey into the Class AA State Championship game.#TheTourney20 | #TourneysOn45TV | @prep45sports pic.twitter.com/TY3FN0qdGL

— Chris Long (@ChrisLongKSTP) March 7, 2020

The win sends Hill-Murray into Saturday night's championship game against Eden Prairie, which topped Blake 4-1 in the other semifinal on Friday.

The game will be broadcast live on WCCO radio, with the opening puck drop expected to take place not long after 7:00 p.m.

The small-school boy's hockey final is Saturday at noon, with Hermantown taking on Mahtomedi.

The Minnesota boy's hockey state tournament, considered among the best in the US, continues to draw well, with 19,899 for Friday night's 2A semifinals

Friday's total attendance at #mshslstate hockey @XcelEnergyCtr (drum roll) ...32,73512,836 for Class A semifinals and a whopping 19,899 for the evening Class AA session.Tournament total with one day remaining...79,511

— John Millea (@MSHSLjohn) March 7, 2020

All of the state tournament championship round games take place at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul.