ST. CLOUD — Having won the last two section titles, the Alexandria boys hockey team felt the target placed on their backs this season by the other seven teams in Section 6A.
But much like they did in the last two seasons, the Cardinals answered every challenge Section 6A had to offer and are headed to the MSHSL Class A State Tournament for the third-straight season after defeating the Northern Lakes Lightning 6-1 in the section championship game Thursday at the MAC.
“Winning the section was one of our goals coming into the season,” Meyers said. “I forget who it was, but someone chose Northern Lakes to come out of this section, and we took it personally. I told the guys that in every single game, we have to prove that we belong (at the top of Section 6A), and we did it nine times.”
Sam Stuve / Alexandria Echo Press
Alexandria (18-9, 9-0 Section 6A), the No. 1 seed in the section, earned the section title win over the No. 2 seed Northern Lakes (18-10, 6-3 Section 6A) with physical defense and solid special teams on the offense end.
“Being physical is one of those little things you preach during the season, and when the playoffs come, physicality is something you have to have, and we did,” Alexandria head coach Josh Meyers said. “You’re not saving it for anything; at this point, it’s a single-game elimination.”
ADVERTIsem*nT
Alexandria jumped ahead quickly as senior forward Kasen Muscha scored 26 seconds into the game.
“I wasn’t expecting to go out and score one on the first shift, but when I did, it swung momentum our way,” Muscha said.
The Cardinals controlled puck possession in the second period, limiting the Lightning to one shot on goal while having 15 on the other end.
Alexandria took control of the game offensively with the power-play as three of its four goals in the second period came on a power-play.
“We moved the puck well and got to the net,” Meyers said. “They left some of our guys open or left a lane open.”
First, senior forward Evan Anderson scored on a power-play two minutes into the period, then fellow senior forward Leo Kompelien added to Alexandria’s lead with a power-play goal of his own six minutes later.
A goal by senior defenseman Gage Castle put Alexandria up 4-0 with under six minutes left in the period.
Sophom*ore Nik Schultz scored Alexandria’s final power-play goal of the night with 37 seconds left in the period to put Alexandria up 5-0.
ADVERTIsem*nT
Meyers said this goal was a pivotal point of the game.
“It was a 5-on-3 (for Alexandria), but they got a breakaway that [Brady] Metcalf had to stop,” Meyers said. “Then, shortly after that, we got a goal, and it was a huge turning point in the game. Kudos to Metcalf. That’s a learning lesson for us.”
Rounding out the scoring for Alexandria, Anderson put in his second goal of the night with 6:56 left in the game.
“We used speed to our advantage,” Muscha said.
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Northern Lakes got on the board seven and a half minutes into the third period as senior Taylor Berg scored on a power-play.
That goal by Berg was the only one Alexandria conceded in the Section 6A playoffs.
The Cardinals established a physical tone defensively early in the game against a Lightning team they defeated 6-3 and 5-2 in the regular season.
“When we played them in the regular season, we brought a lot of physicality, and it worked,” Schultz said. “We have a ‘no passengers’ mindset defensively. Everyone is on board defensively. We’re always working our hardest selling out to block shots. It’s a team effort.”
ADVERTIsem*nT
Goalie finally earns trip
Alexandria's starting senior goaltender Brady Metcalf made 17 saves on Thursday after his former team, Fergus Falls, lost to the Cardinals in the previous two section championship games.
His family moved from Fergus Falls prior to the start of the 2023-24 school year.
“He’s been playing awesome,” Meyers said about Metcalf. “He’s a great guy that you want on your team. He knows what it’s like on the other end, and we were using that as motivation.”
Alexandria finished the game with a 31-18 shot on goal advantage.
On the offensive end, Anderson led Alexandria in not only goals with two but also assists with three, as did Klimek. Castle, Muscha, sophom*ore Aiden Schniederhan, and senior Gavin Olson had one.
“I told our guys, ‘We need a team effort, you’re playing for each other,’” Meyers said. “It doesn’t matter who gets the credit or who scores the goals. We’re going to win this game as a team. That’s what you see when you look at our stats. It’s very spread out; there’s no one guy that’s above the rest. Personally, I love it. We get a lot of offense from everyone.”
Alexandria has won a game at the last two state tournaments. Alexandria finished fourth in the 2022 Class A State Tournament and sixth in 2023.
1/3:Alexandria's Kasen Muscha gets ready for a faceoff during the Section 6A Championship game against Northern Lakes on Feb. 29, 2024. Sam Stuve / Alexandria Echo Press
2/3:Alexandria's Aiden Schniederhan passes the puck during the Section 6A Championship game against Northern Lakes on Feb. 29, 2024 in St. Cloud. Sam Stuve / Alexandria Echo Press
3/3:Alexandria's Jack Lamski (white jersey) splits the Northern Lakes defense during the Section 6A Championship game in St. Cloud on Feb. 29, 2024. Sam Stuve / Alexandria Echo Press
